Toy suggestions for Umbrella CockAtoo

b3noodles

New member
Jan 13, 2013
8
0
Hello I was looking for some "homemade" toy ideas that would be safe for our U2. We are just adjusting to each other and she seems to love to play! She loves toilet paper rolls and keeps throwing them at us laughing the whole time! Just looking for inexpensive things we can give her to keep her occupied. Thanks much! ~Sue
 

Molcan2

New member
Jul 19, 2011
783
1
Lake Co., Florida
Parrots
Princess Rome- Moluccan Cockatoo (18yrs old), Rosie - Galah/Rose Breasted Cockatoo (2yr old)
Telephone books work well :) Also you can go to either Lowes or Home Depot and they have untreated wood scraps (used for shipping) after they unload everything they just throw them away. If you ask the right people they'll give them to you for free, then just cut them to the size you want.
 
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b3noodles

New member
Jan 13, 2013
8
0
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Thank you! I will go look at home depot and see what I can find. I apperciate your advice as we are looking to maybe be able to keep her....
 

CoCo1

New member
Jan 15, 2013
69
2
Omaha, Ne
Parrots
1 African Grey "JJ" and 1 M2 "Lola" and my 2 yorkies...while not feathered they are still part of my flock!
Hi Sue-
FOr the most part I make all my birdie toys. I have 2 babies (M2 & CAG) which don't have the greatest past-so I tend to be the proverbial Momma bear with these 2. But I went to the dollar store and purchased the rope ball from the pet dept. for a buck each. I also bought the small plastic basket that come 2 for $1. and the baby key ring- I use the ring part to hold the basket onto the cage (I took off the metal handle and bent that so I could put adding machine roll paper at the top of the cage). In the basket I hide a few almonds, shredded paper, plastic whiffle balls, plastic baby spoons, treat bags which I put organic popped popcorn (no salt no butter) in a brown (natural) coffee filter and twist it up- I make sure I put different things in the filters so they don't get bored. I also fill plain brown paper bags with popped popcorn, corn on the cob chunks, shredded paper, army men, wood blocks etc and tie it to the top of the cage wall so tehy have to work at it. But these are my babies most favorite toys. and when they watch me make them...my Lola can hardly contain herself!
 

OOwl

New member
Oct 12, 2010
723
3
Texas
Parrots
Rosebreasted Cockatoo, Congo Grey, MRH Amazon, Lovebird
Coco, thanks for more bird toy ideas. My Galah and Grey go through toys on a daily basis. Thankfully we have a table saw and standing drill press so we make almost all their wood and soft-plastic toys except the acrylic foraging ones.

Every single box (crackers, pasta, cookies, butter, cereal, rice, etc) gets repurposed into a parrot toy here. Treats go inside, piece of tape over the lid, and they LOVE it. My Grey meets me at the cage door to snatch it out of my hands. I also put unsalted pretzels inside brightly colored tissue paper and tie the ends with raffia. They look like little presents. I put those in a cheap dollar-store wicker basket and hang off a perch. I put an entire roll of cheap paper towels on the big stainless skewer, too (takes several days to strip that). Construction paper woven through cage bars is also a big hit (also I put straws and construction paper on skewers). There are so many good ideas for homemade toys! I would love to hear even more of what people give their parrots from normal, every-day items.
 

Cockatoo

New member
Dec 2, 2012
24
0
Virginia
Parrots
Angel, Umbrella Cockatoo
Tiki, Sulfur Crested Cockatoo
Cookie, Bare-Eyed Cockatoo
With my U2, Angel, I take a coffee filter, and wrap a Nekot cookie in it. She goes nuts trying to get it open and get to her favorite treat, ahahaha!
 

CoCo1

New member
Jan 15, 2013
69
2
Omaha, Ne
Parrots
1 African Grey "JJ" and 1 M2 "Lola" and my 2 yorkies...while not feathered they are still part of my flock!
The other I did to build trust and a relationship with Lola (M2) was gave her a clean wash cloth and let her "toss" it at me where I would "try" to catch it...sometimes I would and sometimes I would let it fall to the floor then I would say "Uh oh"...if you have ever seen an excited Cockatoo they display like there is no tomorrow. She would make me laugh at how she would contort her body to drop the cloth so I would not catch it. To this day when she sees me coming with a cloth she gets excited and I swear I can see the smile on her beak!
 

CoCo1

New member
Jan 15, 2013
69
2
Omaha, Ne
Parrots
1 African Grey "JJ" and 1 M2 "Lola" and my 2 yorkies...while not feathered they are still part of my flock!
sorry I know I talk alot...I guess I type a lot too :)...but Home depot and Lowes both sell a thick plastic chain (I think it is like 1.5 to 2" long) and it comes in different colors- and it is super cheap. I think 67 cents a yard...my M2 has not managed to bite through it and she loves to jangle it. I also tie paperbag strips through teh chain part as an added activity.
 

CoCo1

New member
Jan 15, 2013
69
2
Omaha, Ne
Parrots
1 African Grey "JJ" and 1 M2 "Lola" and my 2 yorkies...while not feathered they are still part of my flock!
Lola in her basket, she loves it and I love finding new things to put in there for her~
 

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