Question about mac toys

[Minimaker]

I'm building and buying things for my macaw enclosure and I was wondering if anyone can show me types of favorite toys/accessories their large size macaws enjoy playing with? I was thinking of getting a foraging wheel like this:

Is that any good?

What about this foraging toy:

or this:

Am I way off base here? Are these things any good, useful, or would hold up very long with a big mac? Since this will be my first large parrot, I'm fishing in the dark here on what are good fun things for them. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Any new ideas on good stuff would be most welcome.

 

[Amanda_Bennett]

I don't have a big mac, but I do have that rope swing/gym thing. My Zon loves it, but has almost chewed through all the ropes hanging off of it in a short time of about 3.5 months.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I've got the same foraging wheel - but my Niko broke off the snap on (plastic) screws in the back. It's a GREAT toy, and you can use it even IF your bird destroys the plastic screws. I now use rope to keep mine in place. :54:

Second toy you showed is too small IMO. Would be better suited for Amazon-sized birds (and smaller).

Third one I also have (by King's Cages), and all my fids love it. I cut off the excess rope though at all ends to prevent toe nails from getting caught accidentally.

Here are some of the toys I use for my big macs (the vast majority I make myself):
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/38768-when-weather-outside-frightful.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/27060-natural-toy-macaw-amazon.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/24431-macaw-toy-whopper.html
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-yourself/23756-diy-foraging-tube.html

 

[Christinenc2000]

I've not bought any of the foraging toys from the store for my B&G . When i first adopted him I bought 60 $ worth of toys that lasted 2 days. A few of them did not make it 30 min. He tore them all up then looked at me for more

This past weekend I did buy a grapevine wreath. Hid some nuts and dried fruit in it. He loves it. Total cost about $4

2x4's cut into blocks and hung on chain. That is his go to toy. I also strapped one to the side of the cage. He uses that for a foot toy. One foot on each side and shifts his wt back and forth . Pretty entertaining for both of us.
Pack of coffee filters on a rope and news paper between. GREAT fun. Phone book with hole drilled in and attached to the side of the cage even more.

I hate to sound cheap but a Macaw just destroy anything pretty . Oh and the blocks of wood can be colored with um beets make a pretty red color

 

[Birdman666]

I've not bought any of the foraging toys from the store for my B&G . When i first adopted him I bought 60 $ worth of toys that lasted 2 days. A few of them did not make it 30 min. He tore them all up then looked at me for more

This past weekend I did buy a grapevine wreath. Hid some nuts and dried fruit in it. He loves it. Total cost about $4

2x4's cut into blocks and hung on chain. That is his go to toy. I also strapped one to the side of the cage. He uses that for a foot toy. One foot on each side and shifts his wt back and forth . Pretty entertaining for both of us.
Pack of coffee filters on a rope and news paper between. GREAT fun. Phone book with hole drilled in and attached to the side of the cage even more.

I hate to sound cheap but a Macaw just destroy anything pretty . Oh and the blocks of wood can be colored with um beets make a pretty red color

EXACTLY.... Dollar store wreath with treats stuffed into it. Destroyed in a day. So what!

$50. commercially available store bought foraging toy, destroyed in a day, OUCH! Phone books also make good (free!) chew toys.

Lately I've been stuffing empty soda can refrigerator boxes with paper, recycled broken toys, assorted hidden treats, and other things to chew up.
FREE! And/or stuff that would be swept up and thrown away.

Your mac doesn't care if it's a cut up two by four on a rope, or an expensive colored toy, as long as there is wood to chew.

I do the exact same thing.

 

[Minimaker]

Hmmm ok. So perhaps a boing would be better than the hanging rope thing. I'm sure I'll have to learn quickly how to make toys for a chewing mac or else go broke buying them. Funny I am usually handy-I can sculpt almost anything you can imagine out of clay-example, 90% of the stuff on the tree is hand sculpted out of clay:
19th Day Miniatures Works in Progress: Dollhouse Miniature Nightmare Before Christmas Tree is done!

But give me wood and somehow I can't seem to handle making stuff well at all. Perhaps Hubbs will lend a hand until I get better at it. I just don't work with wood as a rule. I better start huh? Your stuff is really nice, I wish I could do that. Can food coloring be used on the food to dye it? I always have that on hand. I don't think I can handle making the foraging tube, I better just buy some. Is this a good forager (sorry so big, don't know how to resize)

 

[Birdman666]

Yeah, that rope thing would be toast in weeks, at the outside, if your mac decided to chew on it.

My macaw "cheats" with forraging toys, and concentrates on cracking it open and getting all of them, instead of one at a time.

So, yeah. Eventually, it's just another broken toy.

That cage forrager thing holds up nicely for those big beaks.

 

[Minimaker]

I've not bought any of the foraging toys from the store for my B&G . When i first adopted him I bought 60 $ worth of toys that lasted 2 days. A few of them did not make it 30 min. He tore them all up then looked at me for more

This past weekend I did buy a grapevine wreath. Hid some nuts and dried fruit in it. He loves it. Total cost about $4

2x4's cut into blocks and hung on chain. That is his go to toy. I also strapped one to the side of the cage. He uses that for a foot toy. One foot on each side and shifts his wt back and forth . Pretty entertaining for both of us.
Pack of coffee filters on a rope and news paper between. GREAT fun. Phone book with hole drilled in and attached to the side of the cage even more.

I hate to sound cheap but a Macaw just destroy anything pretty . Oh and the blocks of wood can be colored with um beets make a pretty red color

EXACTLY.... Dollar store wreath with treats stuffed into it. Destroyed in a day. So what!

$50. commercially available store bought foraging toy, destroyed in a day, OUCH! Phone books also make good (free!) chew toys.

Lately I've been stuffing empty soda can refrigerator boxes with paper, recycled broken toys, assorted hidden treats, and other things to chew up.
FREE! And/or stuff that would be swept up and thrown away.

Your mac doesn't care if it's a cut up two by four on a rope, or an expensive colored toy, as long as there is wood to chew.

I do the exact same thing.

Ok, I see. Anything not indestructible will go to shreds. I'll keep that in mind from now on while shopping for my mac. We have no shortage of wood around here (I have an uncle who owns a tree business) so I'll keep stocked up on raw wood. No point in coloring it if they just eat it in a day I printed out a bird safe wood list so I know what I can and can't use. A quick low bake in my work (not food prep) oven will take care of anything on or in it.

 

[JerseyWendy]

Yes, the SS cage forager is a FANTASTIC investment! I've got 2 of those - one for each big mac.

Another great investment would be this thing:
Mother Pluckin' Bird Toys - Home of the ATOM

Mine has lasted for nearly 5 years, it's indestructible, and very easy to refill.

 

[Christinenc2000]

Someone on another site gave me a idea. The Kitchen whisk They put paper and nuts inside. Hang from cage
Also the cardboard Egg cartons. Mine LOVES them Use tie wraps and strap to cage. I do this because mine will not go to the bottom of the cage.

 

[Birdman666]

Yeah. I've done carboard egg cartons. Mine like those too.

Never thought of the kitchen whisk before. Not sure I'd trust something like that to Maggie's beak, but my smaller birds would like it.

 

[Minimaker]

Yes, the SS cage forager is a FANTASTIC investment! I've got 2 of those - one for each big mac.

Another great investment would be this thing:
Mother Pluckin' Bird Toys - Home of the ATOM

Mine has lasted for nearly 5 years, it's indestructible, and very easy to refill.

Ok refill? Confused. What do you refill, the rope part of it?

 

[Christinenc2000]

Yeah I have not tried the whisk yet.

 

[thekarens]

I'm not sure about B&Gs, but my BTM loves anything mechanical, so we took a untreated piece of pine 2x4, drilled some holes and screwed in stainless steall screws, bolts and nuts. Of course, it means we pick it up on a daily basis, but as long as she's entertained.

Another thing she loves is plastic beads strung on bird safe string. It takes me about 10 minutes to string 2 feet of beads and her about 15 minutes to snap each bead. I then just refill it and the beads are cheap.

 

[Minimaker]

Alrighty, these are all very good suggestions everyone-thanks so much. I'll get Hubbs to help me make some toys after the cage is done and I'll start saving egg cartons. Bead strings are pretty easy so I think I can handle that one on my own. Hopefully I'll figure some things out to keep my bird happy like you guys have once I have one. Hugs for all the help!

 

[Christinenc2000]

I'm not sure about B&Gs, but my BTM loves anything mechanical, so we took a untreated piece of pine 2x4, drilled some holes and screwed in stainless steall screws, bolts and nuts. Of course, it means we pick it up on a daily basis, but as long as she's entertained.

Another thing she loves is plastic beads strung on bird safe string. It takes me about 10 minutes to string 2 feet of beads and her about 15 minutes to snap each bead. I then just refill it and the beads are cheap.

Great Idea . Mine loves to undo ANYTHING

 

[JerseyWendy]

Yes, the SS cage forager is a FANTASTIC investment! I've got 2 of those - one for each big mac.

Another great investment would be this thing:
Mother Pluckin' Bird Toys - Home of the ATOM

Mine has lasted for nearly 5 years, it's indestructible, and very easy to refill.

Ok refill? Confused. What do you refill, the rope part of it?

LMAO! Look under 'large toys'. The thing I'm talking about is called "
Large Stainless Steel Refillable Corkscrew" For some reason I can't 'link' directly to it.

 

[Minimaker]

Yes, the SS cage forager is a FANTASTIC investment! I've got 2 of those - one for each big mac.

Another great investment would be this thing:
Mother Pluckin' Bird Toys - Home of the ATOM

Mine has lasted for nearly 5 years, it's indestructible, and very easy to refill.

Ok refill? Confused. What do you refill, the rope part of it?

LMAO! Look under 'large toys'. The thing I'm talking about is called "
Large Stainless Steel Refillable Corkscrew" For some reason I can't 'link' directly to it.

Yeah after I posted that I realized I better look further into the website. Duh me

 

[Christinenc2000]

The Corkscrew thing is Great. I had some stainless steel wire give to me and made one. Fill it up with paper cardboard hide some treats inside of a twisted coffee filter. He loves it . Jersey is right they can't destroy it . Empty it yes LOL

 

[Birdman666]

I've got two of these, and they have held up well. (Don't mind the poop spots. I took this one down for cleaning.) I got it at a bird fair.

In retrospect I would get the single swings rather than the double swings. The lower perches really don't get played with much, only pooped on.

http://www.parrotforums.com/macaws/46500-now-s-macaw-toy.html