T stand and Play gym questions

[mrgoogls]

hey guys. i am building 2 t stands and a play gym for my future quaker. the t stands will be exactly the same. i have a few questions though:

T STAND:

i know how to make the stand, but any ideas on a "tray" to catch poop?

i would like to be able to attack 1 or 2 toys to each stand plus food bowls


PLAY GYM:

i have NO clue what to do! anybody that made one for your bird any ideas? step by step insturctions? it doesnt have to be HUGE but i would like a decent size. i need toys and food bowls(just ways to attach them)

 

[MacawGuy]

here's a pic of a stand that you can try to make from pvc. there pretty easy in hold up really good

 

[Parrotmamma]

A good base for a t stand that I use is corrugated plastic.
Works great and cleans nicely.

 

[mrgoogls]

thanks. that picture helped with my ideas for a t stands. but i am useing wood. i just gave to come up with some sort of tray. and i am still clueless about the gym

 

[Oedipussrex]

i bought mine and it came with a giant metal tray... but if your local discount store sells them - large round plastic platters are the best things i've seen, you just need to drill a hole in the middle of them so they can be bolted onto the base/halfway up the pole of a T-stand.

and with homemade play-gyms there are all sorts of things you can do, whether you make it out of PVC or branches, stainless steel eye-bolts are great for hanging toys (and you can also get SS spinning attachments, to allow a toy 360 degrees of movement as well), and cotton or sisal is also a great material. I cant really give you 'advice or instructions' on that one, because the possibilities are endless!

when i finally do make one though, i will make it the right size so that i can just cut open a large garbage bag, and lay it out on the floor as a layer of plastic to catch mess, and that can be easily replaced when it needs a clean. ^-^

 

[MacawGuy]

Well a wood stand going to be harder then pvc but i want to see pics when u finish it

 

[ConureCrazy]

Here's a great link for building playgyms. I made one, they're great!
CPTT...playgyms & perches

 

[amysaviary]

Water heater tray, wash machine tray both used to catch water if they over flow or break. U can get them at lowes or home depot. Also kids sledding saucer (not the right time of year to get 1 but they work) these all can catch poop and can wipe clean EZ. I also like with the trays they have a lip on them so things don't roll to the floor. That way the birds can still get to toys they drop.

 

[mrgoogls]

thanks guys. you have given me a lot of ideas! i think i am going to make a raised base(almost like a table). with plywood and put 4 legs of it to raise it. i will either put newspaper or grouted tiles on that. probably tiles because they just wipe clean. then i will bolt of a few branchs from my backyard and screw in a few horizontal branchs(also from my yard) to connect them horizontaly. then i will use sttel screws and eye hook/bolt to attck toys and food dishes. the base will be aprox, 30x either 20 or 24 in.

i have a question. i am lucky to have trees in my yard that are safe. i have maple and crab apple. but are pine trees safe?(i dont know what "kind" of pine tree) are cotten wood trees safe?(i porbably wont use those becaus they lowest branches are like 40-50 ft up....but just incase the wind blows something down).

also, are "rose of sheran)sorry for spelling)" bushes safe? my mom has like 2 or 3 big ones and they look like they have some nice branches that could work well, if they are safe of course.

MacawGuy, of course i will post pics! i will also post the cage and bird.

 

[mrgoogls]

hey guys. my mom just said she didnt care if i trimmed a few branches off anything in our yard. and i found out that pines and rose of sharen are safe. pine you just have to let it "sap out" so your birdie dont get covered in sap....that wouldnt be fun...lol. does anybody know how to clean them? i want to leave bark on so they can pick at it/peel it. but i read that maple BARK is bad but wood is fine. is that true? it will mostly be crabapple and maple. just pine for crossbeans/perches, not really as main structure.

 

[azdesertrhino]

Some info here regarding safe woods and shrubs etc.

Toxic and Safe Plants/Trees for Birds - Household Poisons

 

[henpecked]

For the trays ,i use rubber roofing or pond liners.Sides can be "welded" on . They are easy to roll up and carry outside to hose off.

 

[mrgoogls]

that is a good idea. but i just though of using a water proof pait to seal it and then i can just wipe it off. would that work?

also, just making sure, but, is crab apple wood safe? i found the perfect branch on my crab apple tree. also, do i need to take the bark off?

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

Here's my tray recommendation:
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Food-Tray-Black-14/dp/B0001MRXPC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1341705240&sr=8-3&keywords=food+tray]Amazon.com: Fast Food Tray Black 14" x 18": Kitchen & Dining[/ame]
And you can get them in different sizes and colors.