A great, cheap toy day

[birdhouse]

I've made toys for the fids for a long time. I'm always on the look out & this morning, I lucked out.

 

At Micheal's I found cut wood shapes on clearance for $.29 each. I bought all they had. Right now Charm is trying to un-knot 4" sun shape I tied onto a piece of sisal.

 

The grocery store had hard wood salad utensils for $.75. They had 3 different ones, but they only had 4. Mine.

 

Christmas Tree Shoppe, baby toys, $1 a piece. The baby key rings are a staple, here.

 

Then, the dollar store had cat balls with plastic bells, 6 per card. Phenix destroys them playing hockey on the floor of his cage.

 

But I had no idea how really good I'd done until after I got home & started working on some new toys.

 

I was looking for things to stick into the slots in the wooden salad spoons & thought about the 180 pack of florescent colored straws I'd pick up at the dollar store.

 

Boom! Instant favorite, huge success. Before I'd even gotten the package open, Kura came down & demanded I let her ... ah, help.

 

So far the straws are in toy clusters, are foot toys when the ends are tucked into a ring or triangle & I made some into chains. They don't stand up well, but they sure seem to be a lot of fun.

 

$20 bought an entire afternoon with a room full of very happy fids & plenty left over. Today was my kind of shopping day.

[judygram]

Wow it sounds like a great day, this is how we all should be and make toys for our fids from common things that are very inexpensive but I am one of those who isn't very creative, I need others to think of it first then I can follow along and make them for my fids so thank you for the ideas as we all know how expensive they are to buy ready made but from the same types of stuff.

Would you be so kind to post some pics of what you have made, inquiring minds want to know!

[Jayd]

Hi, Thanks, this will save me enough money to buy Maggie and I some food!!!! Jayd

[Guest]

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Edited August 9, 2010 by jacarual

[birdhouse]

 

This "creation" definitely isn't about looks. It's all about destruction. It might last

a couple of days. Whatever survives will be incorporated into the next incarnation.

They're all funny looking, but unique & give the birds new stimulus. Toys are constantly changing with little effort or cost.

 

This one doesn't take a lot of cage space, but it's big enough to perch on & long enough to approach from different perches. Coffee filters & cup to shred. Sisal has different knots to untie. It & the popsicle sticks are crunchy. Straws & beads are colors & shapes. The straws move & can be worked loose, become foot toys & easily destroyed. Some also have qtips in them. The spoon & wood shape are for serious destruction.

 

It's also customized to the particular bird's interests. This is for my Eclectus. My

Quaker wouldn't like it because there's not enough to beat up & she'd have the knots out in no time.

 

My Grey would be afraid of the florescent colors & size. I can't constantly re-create

toys for him because he takes way too long to adjust to anything I hang in the cage. It's often better to just slip something into a paper cup or clean dish for him to find & keep busy.

 

Kura was bouncing when I brought it to the cage. She was on it before I got the link closed. These silly looking "creations" keep everyone at my house busy & happy & save me a fortune.

[Guest]

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Edited August 9, 2010 by jacarual

[birdhouse]

Thanks. I kind of hated to post a picture of Kura because she's molting. She also made a mess out of her plumage when she went mega-hormonal this year. Which is another reason why I try to find new ways to keep them amused as much as possible. She's a feather-barber & my Grey gets depressed & evil.

[JillyBeanz]

Oh you are just to damn creative!!! I wish I had the talent to make stuff (but I don't have)!! We want photos of everything you make from now on - might give me some inspiration!!!! Thanks for sharing your great ideas