DIY Parrot Enrichment Ideas!

[StormyPica]

Everyone who has a parrot will understand the cost of toys and enrichment. See that boing? 20 dollars gone. Want 4 climbing rings? 15 dollars, please. A large twisty ceiling perch and a new toy? Bam, 50 dollars gone.

Over my time owning parrots and other birds, I have come up with quite a few DIY’s and cheap alternatives to extremely expensive bird toys and perches. Here are a few:

• How to make climbing rings for small birds:

1. Get 4-5 large birdie bagels (my petshop sells these for 99 cents per bagel)
2. Get sisal rope or natural twine (I get mine from Micheal’s Craft Store)
3. Wrap each climbing ring with twine, so your birds can grip it. The twine should be spaced 2 cm or less apart.
4. Tie all the rings together, and BAM! New climbing rings!

• Take a large boing and stretch it to make a ceiling perch that’s any shape you want

• Buy a natural grapevine wreath (again, from Micheals), and disinfect it in boiling water. This only costs about 5 dollars, even for a small macaw-sized wreath, and my birds LOVE them!

• Birds don’t like toy? No problem! Take it apart and make a new one!

Happy Parronting!

 

[Emeral]

Love your ideas, could you show some photo, please?

My Emerald loves to chew on natural vine, edible fruits tree's small branches and tamarind seeds.....more than any store bought stuff.

 

[foxgloveparrot]

Great ideas! Buuuut I’ll just stick to buying stuff for now lol, I’m terrible at DIY and too lazy to get better

 

[StormyPica]

Love your ideas, could you show some photo, please?

My Emerald loves to chew on natural vine, edible fruits tree's small branches and tamarind seeds.....more than any store bought stuff.

Yes, I'll show some pics!
Boing:

Diy bird tree:

I'll get the others later!

 

[StormyPica]

Climbing rings in the back, grapevine wreath with the little green Picasso

 

[MykaMom]

I'd love to mount a boing on the ceiling, buuut I have an old drop ceiling. My yna is a chews, I'm very worried he'd destroy it. As much as I'd love to remove it, it's just not in the budget. Sigh.

Anyone have experience with birbs and drop ceilings? As this one was installed probably in the 70s, I'm concerned re asbestos.

 

[Squeekmouse]

I've seen those grapevines at Michaels and wondered about them... are they safe for the birds to chew on/up? What do I need to do to them to make them bird-chomping ready?

Thanks!!! Great ideas!!

 

[StormyPica]

I've seen those grapevines at Michaels and wondered about them... are they safe for the birds to chew on/up? What do I need to do to them to make them bird-chomping ready?

Thanks!!! Great ideas!!

Yes, i've had no issues, and they're obviously not chemical-coated (they also have leafs on them, like, dried, shriveled leafs. They're natural), so I'd just pour some boiling water over them to remove any possible germs they may have picked up.