We want to see your homemade toys!

[nkrbkr]

Those are great, nkrbkr!

Thank you!

 

[IlexCassine]

This is a playground that my husband built for my Ekkie (no I don’t shove my ekkie in the closet we just moved so everything is everywhere). We used PVC piping, and vet wrap. We also screwed in a few hooks to hang toys, and the swing. It costed maybe $20. It was easy, and my Ekkie loves to climb all around this playground. I know that this post was for homemade toys not a playground but just encase someone wants something fairly easy, and cheap to make.

You just solved a problem for me! I made a PVC playground for my Amazon a while back but I didn't make steps between the levels, thinking he would learn to use a rope ladder. He's refused to go near it and doesn't like the stand because he's bored stuck on one level. I was overcomplicating it in my mind trying to think how to make a perfectly measured ladder out of PVC when all I needed to do was make the "staircase" of little horizontal steps!

 

[IlexCassine]

I thought I'd add another toy to bump the thread

Both my smaller birds (Lovebirds & Conures) and larger birds (Pionus, Amazons, Greys) went to town on this.
I used 12 strands of Sisal rope hung from a wood base, 76 pine wood slices (dyed with food grade food colours), pony beads and Balsa letters at the bottom.


View attachment 36753

Sorry if you've already answered this elsewhere, but do you dye all the components yourself or buy them premade somewhere? What's the process on that, and can you recommend sources for safe base materials? I used to use sisal rope from the craft store, and then saw something on the Bird Tricks website saying it's unsafe because it might be sprayed with toxic preservatives, but they didn't suggest alternative sources so I'm stuck. Ditto all other kinds of toy building materials. Would love recommendations!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Thats a gorgeous toy. Do you think the parrots care about the colors? Would they like and use and destroy just as much if the wood pieces were not dyed?

 

[rheashard2]

Nameliss is more into shape and textures. Her preference is for chewy textures like her Kong and similar objects. I offer colorful wood for her. She doesn't show preference to it over undyed wood. She likes to disassemble items. So I have busy balls that I stuff for her. Paper and similar are different. I take her to pet store for her to pick out toys. If she touches it then she'll play with it. Paper with bright colors, different textures and shredderable get the nod.

 

[TiredOldMan]

I can't tell that color has anything to do with how mine react to toys. I've started just making everything out of cheap untreated pine and mesquite. Easy and cheap.

 

[nkrbkr]

I just made Ava a couple more toys. I ran out of her favorite big balsa blocks, so we’ll see how she likes sola.

 

[nkrbkr]

It’s another toy making day. Ava was very interested in the straw in my cup the other night, so I decided to make some straw toys for both birds. I used wooden beads, paper straws, bamboo finger traps, & corn husk tassels for Ava’s. Button’s has acrylic strawberry beads, sola slices, and paper straws. Both are strung on paper rope.

 

[nkrbkr]

Last toys for today. These are all for Ava. I’ve been making a lot of her toys, as I find it’s difficult to find large toys that are made with softer materials. I realize larger beaks typically = harder chewing, but not all birdies like hard materials.

This one is yucca chunks, colored balsa, & sola balls on paper rope.

This one is made from a pine base (so little miss isn’t so inclined to chew it), wooden beads, balsa, & yucca chunks on paper rope.

This is a foot toy made with a hardwood bead & dyed lollipop sticks.

 

[rheashard2]

My CAG is usually a disassembly expert. She can be destructive. I usually use various 'twine' like material that I thread toys on. Her main love is disassembling toys. She loves her baffle balls. But they don't last long. I saw similar 'cage' posted here on another thread. After searching I found it. Easy to fill with toys (or food). Easy to clean. I call it the whatever. Whatever I feel or have goes in. Items are ranged from easy to you-gotta work for removal. I have used cardboard or paper rolls. She spends a lot of effort trying to figure out how to open this. Such a great way to engage that mental energy!

(stainless steel baffle cage from bongka bird toys, 2 sizes available)

 

[nkrbkr]

My CAG is usually a disassembly expert. She can be destructive. I usually use various 'twine' like material that I thread toys on. Her main love is disassembling toys. She loves her baffle balls. But they don't last long. I saw similar 'cage' posted here on another thread. After searching I found it. Easy to fill with toys (or food). Easy to clean. I call it the whatever. Whatever I feel or have goes in. Items are ranged from easy to you-gotta work for removal. I have used cardboard or paper rolls. She spends a lot of effort trying to figure out how to open this. Such a great way to engage that mental energy!View attachment 81685(stainless steel baffle cage from bongka bird toys, 2 sizes available)

I’ve thought about getting one of these several times, but haven’t done so yet. It seems like it would be good in a pinch, as you can just throw whatever you’ve got on hand in it! It’s nice to hear it has a good review from Nameliss!