We want to see your homemade toys!

[BirdyBee]

Not the best looking toy but I thought it was cute
(Tutorial for star? I could share one if anyone needs it)

 

[pebbles1553]

i love these toys! i make some too, but i have one question before i post any of them. Currently , i have some toys imm not sure r safe, so i dont use them. The material i dont think could be safe is foam. u know, the foam u use for crafts in kindergarten? i looked all over the web and there is no answer. does anyone of u know if it is safe?

 

[pebbles1553]

View attachment 58759
Not the best looking toy but I thought it was cute
(Tutorial for star? I could share one if anyone needs it)

I love making the star for my birdie!

 

[BirdyBee]

i love these toys! i make some too, but i have one question before i post any of them. Currently , i have some toys imm not sure r safe, so i dont use them. The material i dont think could be safe is foam. u know, the foam u use for crafts in kindergarten? i looked all over the web and there is no answer. does anyone of u know if it is safe?

There's quite a bit of debate about the safety of craft foam. I have some foam toys for my birds. If your bird doesn't eat it then it's fine, but if you feel it's too risky then better be safe than sorry

 

[BirdyBee]

I love making the star for my birdie!

It's really fun to make them! I learned how to make them overnight.. lol. I have about 14 of them now? I'm not sure

 

[Vaavaablcksheep]

As we all know, bird toys are expensive to buy, so many of us make our own.
We Mods thought it would be nice to have a thread where everyone can show off their toys, and include what parts you used.
I think we are all needing new ideas at some point, and this would be a great way to learn to make some different toys for our birds.

We do want to make sure that all parts used are safe, so please don't feel bad if someone has concerns about a part.
That's how we all learn.

So please share anything you make...toys, foot toys, foraging opportunities...anything that keeps your bird occupied.
It doesn't have to be anything fancy, as long as your bird likes it that is all that matters.

my bird lovvves large wooden round beads

 

[GaleriaGila]

Classic DIY bird toy...

heeheeehee

 

[Trogdor]

I live somewhere with a lot of agaves and yuccas. Both make huge woody stalks and both are bird safe material (yucca stalks are sold in slices, and agave is what sisal is made of and does not have the irritating sap once the stalk is dry). I have enjoyed making all kinds of big play structures out of pieces of these stalks, as well as using split pieces for ladders. My GCC particularly loves shredding the open seed pods on the yucca stalks and I can even hide treats inside. Just be sure to wash off the stalks before using in case wild birds sat on them!

 

[Trogdor]

Another thing I have used to make toys are devil’s claw seedpods from this plant: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/120516-Proboscidea-parviflora
The seedpods are edible (and tasty) for humans when young, and the seeds are edible (and taste like sunflower seeds), while the dry pods are very tough, springy and flexible. Native people in this area used the pods for basketry and even domesticated the plant to make pods with longer fibers. The pods have a sharp end on each claw but it is easy to clip off for safety. Treats can still be skewered on the blunted spines. Here is a swing I made using three pods, paper rope and paper beads.
By the way, I’m a little more confident selecting and using wild materials for my bird because I am a scientist (biology, ecology, entomology) with a strong knowledge of both plant chemistry and local natural history. That knowledge makes me confident that these three wild plants are safe for my bird in the way I am using them. If you aren’t sure about a new material, don’t use it!