Any homemade toy ideas?

[Crazy4tiels88]

I want to go to hobby lobby my local craft store to get stuff to make homemade toys and wondered what you've guys made and stuff that I should make!! I want to get some rope, wire, beads and dream catcher rings to make some toys for my parrotlet and cockatiels as they love tearing stuff up!! Thanks for any ideas!! Melissa

[chapala]

Just be sure that any items you buy are bird safe. A lot of rope is not safe because strands can come off that trap toes or necks. Bird safe rope includes Paulie brand thin rope sold at bird supply stores on-line, many untreated cotton ropes, and untreated sisal. Twine is dangerous because of the strong strands. Wire needs to be zinc free.

Unfinished wood parts made of pine are fine. Natural wicker such as in small wreaths, or tiny baskets. Nothing with a varnish on it though.

Reta

[unpoquito]

I ordered some cotton rope from CaBirdNerds, and some beads, etc. I'm using plastic tubing to make a larger orbit for my Sun Conure, and am hoping to make a few climbing nets for the parrotlets and conure. I also bought a nice basket for a little basket play area for the parrotlets. I'll share pictures when I'm done.

Other than that, I've made some really raw toys for my parrotlets. One out of a piece of cardboard, and poked holes, and put recycled bird toy stuff on leather laces with knots. Things like loofah, cotton fabric in knots, wood beads, plastic ball, etc. I also made a toy with a leather lace and stack of coffee filters - I cut little slits around the edges. My p'lets LOVE to play with this. I hide seeds and avicakes in it. The last toy I made was a swing out of a cheap purchased swing with wooden down and metal frame. I cut up 2 cotton t-shirts into strips and tied them in knots around the metal part. They like to chew on the strips, but don't like to sit on this particular swing! Never have and still don't.

[Kasey]

Here are some toys my wife made that Stitch plays with everyday.
http://www.huntel.net/kirkconyers/toys.jpg

[cinlnk]

I would be worried about the metal paper clips. They might not be good for your fiddies.
Here is a website that I think you will like:
http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/toyindex.html#playgymsperches

Hope this helps!!!;)

[unpoquito]

Here's another great site with DIY instructions and pictures. The birdies on this site look like they live in Birdie Disneyland!
www.geocities.com/yataebo (http://www.geocities.com/yataebo)

[unpoquito]

Here are 2 swings I made. The first is a vine/ball swing. I've seen it for sale online for over $20. I made it for just a few dollars. Boogie really LOVES to play on this.
http://www.talkparrotlets.com/photoplog/file.php?n=438&w=l

Here's a swing I jazzed up by knotting cotton cloth pieces around the frame, added a bell ball, and two ring foot toys at the corners.
http://www.talkparrotlets.com/photoplog/file.php?n=440&w=l

[birdsri]

You won't find it at the craft store, but if your parrotlet loves to shred things I have a couple recommendations for home made toys I do. One is those finger trap party favor toys they have in the party stores. You can string a few of them on cotton or polly rope. They love to shred those and it costs less than $1.50 for me to buy a pack of 12 of them at the party store! Also, a lot of birds like to shred playing cards. I have seen them threaded onto arched bird safe wire with strings of pony beads hanging off and pony beads between each card. I just string them onto cotton string with beads between each one. I haven't tried this yet with my parrotlets, but I find that some birds also like shredding balsa wood, which is super soft wood. If they have some of that at the craft store you can try cutting it into small squares and stringing that up.

Have fun!

[skthurley]

My Jack LOVES to shred. I take the rolls inside toilet paper, slit them in half, them loop them threw the bars. He loves chewing and ripping them, plus perching on them

[SweetPeasMom]

My guys love to shred, I bought a package (at the bird fair) of chinese finger thingys, toilet paper rolls, a pinata from petsmart, unbleached coffee filters, and vine balls. SweetPeas newest thing is to run through her slinky, what nut.

[waterfaller1]

I would be worried about the metal paper clips. They might not be good for your fiddies.
Here is a website that I think you will like:
http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/toyindex.html#playgymsperches

Hope this helps!!!;)
Wow, that place is great! Do you know what they mean by "Paulie Rope"?

[chapala]

Paulie rope is sold by a number of bird toy companies. It has a great safety record with parrots. www.greyfeathertoys.com (http://www.greyfeathertoys.com) is one place that carries it. Wonderful to have around to make up bird toys quickly.
Reta

[Abby's Mom]

My boyfriend made Abby a little play tower out of a CD/movie tower. It has four levels with different homemade toys. We bought some dowel and he made three different ladders for her to move from level to level....a swing and a tower at the top! It is a piece of wood with multiple pirches for her. We also used the extra swring/twine to make hanging bunches for her cage. She loves hanging off these and swinging.

[my nest]

Hi, that DIY site "cheepparrottoysnitps.com site is the best...thanks for the links!

[Blackandwhitejoker]

I made one today with wooden beads felt a cat toy ball and one of those crazy interlocking balls and Harley loves it! I was trying to take a picture but I could not get him off of it!

[pips]

I'm at work right now, but when I get home I will post a bunch that I made recently. It's fun to make them. I make some that they can disassemble them, they like that! lol I use alot of beads, wiffle balls, cotton rope, etc..

[Midori]

My boyfriend made Abby a little play tower out of a CD/movie tower. It has four levels with different homemade toys. We bought some dowel and he made three different ladders for her to move from level to level....a swing and a tower at the top! It is a piece of wood with multiple pirches for her. We also used the extra swring/twine to make hanging bunches for her cage. She loves hanging off these and swinging.

I'd love to see a picture of that O.o

Any images of what people have created would be awesome too to help us "newbies" in the world of toy creation & design! (lol)

[allison]

Harper likes these toys I've made her.

[LovelySydney]

I made my whole playstand from things I bought at hobby lobby. That store is so crafty you can make THOUSANDS of toys buying things from there. & most of it IS bird safe. I saw all the pictures on this post that people put up of things they made and all are wonderful ideas!! Just put your thinking cap on and youll be able to make some awesome things!