Recycling and Building new Toys

[birdmom]

Hello! Does anybody buy toy parts and build ur own toys? I recently went thru a basket of leftover toy parts from the toys they destroyed. u know, some chains with bells, a alphabet letter block rope toy that was half chewed up etc. So, I bought more of the colored wood blocks with holes in the middle at the bird shop and bought a cotton rope mop replacement from Walmart. Then I reconstructed the toys that were half destroyed with new rope and added some blocks, and I make a new toy out of the bell with a chain, and presto, I got a new $20 toy!

 

Anybody wanna share toy building ideas? I found alot of toy supplies on featherfantasy dot com.

 

Where do u guys get ur toy parts? I bought a bag of pine cones safe for birds a the bird store but they won't play with em. Charlie chewed on one of em but thats it...

[Hannah_Rae]

www.windcityparrot.com has excellent prices on "make your own toy" parts. I definitely think it's a good way to go...and recycling old toys is a great idea. YAY!!!

 

-Hannah

[Dave007]

In the past I've gone to Walmart to their Arts and Crafts dept and purchased small wooden blocks about 3/4 inch square, drilled holes through each and slid then on leather string. I put a piece of different colored hard plastic baby toy between every 2 blocks. I make a few strings of these and hang them wherever I want. The blocks are hard wood and my birds enjoy chewing on them.

At the store the blocks are sold by the dozen per package. The cost is about $3 per pk,

 

[Laurie]

I have recycled toys, for example, Klaus had a little wooden ladder with plastic hearts on it. The ladder is long gone, but I still put the hearts into his toy rotation. I also save all margarine containers, yogurt cups, small plastic juice bottles, and of course the ever popular caps! Paper towel & toilet paper tubes are great, too. You can cut 1" pieces and use them as "birdie bagels", or cut a longer piece, hide a treat in there and crimp both ends closed (just recently picked that one up here!).

[Kibibi]

I have several boxes of toy parts that I use and reuse to make toys. Another good (cheap ) place to get toy parts are the thrift stores and second-hand stores like Salvation Army, Goodwill, etc. Baby toys are often safe for birds too. Here are a couple links that you might find useful.

Toy Ideas - http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/

Novelty Items - http://www.kipptoys.com

Wood Supplies - http://www.americanwoodcrafterssupply.com/product_category.htm

[birdmom]

Wow! Thanks so much Dave, this is great. Even if I cant drill a hole in the blocks, I could still use those as foot toys. Maybe I should invest in a small drill....

[birdmom]

THanks Kibibi, I'll check out the links u posted. joanne

[lovemyGreys]

I make most of my greys toys,i use coloured cotton reels,wooden blocks,un dyed natural leather,safe non toxic kids rattles,toilet rolls etc.. much cheaper than anything that is labeled " a parrot toy "

 

Coco with one toy

[Kibibi]

Coco loves that toy

[Christina]

Where do you find your untreated leather? I keep looking for those shredder toys locally instead of buying them on the net...you know the ones that you put your fingers in each end and then you can't get them out until you relax? I figured the party store, but I haven't been able to find them there either.

[Christina]

Nevermind on the finger thing...I found it on Kibibi's novelty link! Thanks.

[sandra902]

i love toy building time! merlin supervises closely. i think that helps him to watch that way he isn't scared by a new toy.

 

i have a picnic hamper full of stuff - beads, drinking straws, raffia, leather lace, and i spread it all out and away we go!

 

lots of good deals out there in the thrift shops which is where i get my goodies.