Homemade Bird Toys

[birdhouse]

Ok, that's the second time I've seen that type of ref to straws. I take it something's going around...? I'm going to be completely, thoroughly & absolutely crushed if they get taken out of the toy box. I've been using them for all kinds of things for years & years. Everyone loves them. And by everyone I mean even Phenix who is just impossible, normally. So watsup w/the straws already???

[murfchck]

Straws are a staple here. They do spit them out, so until i see otherwise i can not give up the straws!!

[Muse]

Ok, that's the second time I've seen that type of ref to straws. I take it something's going around...? I'm going to be completely, thoroughly & absolutely crushed if they get taken out of the toy box. I've been using them for all kinds of things for years & years. Everyone loves them. And by everyone I mean even Phenix who is just impossible, normally. So watsup w/the straws already???

 

I was told that soft plastics can cause blockage if swallowed and not to let them have it (by one well-meaning bird "expert") yet another friend said that they are smart enough to know what to swallow and what to spit out. Part of me worries a little, but another part says it is common sense. Indigestible bits of shell and bone can cause problems, but they *have* to deal with these things in the wild. So I am with murfchck, so far, I have not seen problems, so they still get straws. They sure like destroying them. I am going to make new "bundles" this weekend, as well as some other Christmas presents. I will try to get the husband-photographer to do some nice pictures while we work.

[Timbersmom]

I've gone back and forth on this as well. Timber loves plastic straws, especially dark blue ones for some reason. I had given them to him for months then read something similar to what you said Muse, and also something about an AG who died from ingesting the plastic. Freaked me out so I stopped giving them to him. I bought paper straws for him but that just didn't cut it. A few weeks ago, I started giving the plastic ones to him again. He is just thrilled. When he finishes with them, there are little blue pieces all over the floor where he has been. Long live the plastic straw!

[birdhouse]

Oh, that. Wheww! I was afraid they'd just announced there was like something about their chemical composition. Everyone's been waiting for a new strawburst for a week while I was waiting for someone to answer this. So they thank you, too. lol

 

Anything the fids pick to bits can theoretically get lodged in them. Not to say that some freak something can't happen. It can always happen w/these guys!! But mine all spit out any plastic bits of anything they tear up ...so far ...knock on wood.

 

Ironically, the one problem I have had was when Phenix got a wood splinter lodged in the split in the roof of his mouth. I knew something was wrong. Good thing that vet had been thru hell & back when Phenix had all his problems in the early days. So he believed me when I brought him in w/basically no symptoms.

 

As it was, he had to triple check before he found it. I thought he'd finally just made something up to humor me by that point. But he got very serious & said he not only hadn't, but it would have cause major problems if it had remained there for much longer. I knew he meant it when he proceeded to put Phenix on a mega dose of an antibiotic I'd become all too familiar with. Guess how long it took me to stop being afraid of wood toys after that...?

 

Karen, paper straws are waxed. I don't know what exactly is bad about that, but for some reason it's something to avoid. So no waxed paper cups, either.

[Talon]

I have always allowed my birds to have plastic staws, they love to chew them but in ever see them eat any....they don't eat any oftheir other toys etc, why would they chose straws to swallow pieces of??? IMO

[Timbersmom]

I agree Talon, which is why I started giving them to him again. As to the wax on paper straws, argh! However, he wouldn't chew on the paper ones anyway so no worries there :\

[Grumpy]

Btw, my Cockey enjoys "solving a problem" with a bundle of colourful straws, and needs less than a minute to take them apart, but never swallows a part of it.

However, here he is doing acrobatics on his swing with a newly attached plastic toy ...

Sorry for the poor quality pics due to a bad ligting and a cell phone cam.

[Timbersmom]

They do love a puzzle. Cockey sure looks content and at home with you. Enjoyed the pics, thanks for posting

[Muse]

I was told that soft plastics can cause blockage if swallowed and not to let them have it (by one well-meaning bird "expert") yet another friend said that they are smart enough to know what to swallow and what to spit out. Part of me worries a little, but another part says it is common sense. Indigestible bits of shell and bone can cause problems, but they *have* to deal with these things in the wild. So I am with murfchck, so far, I have not seen problems, so they still get straws. They sure like destroying them. I am going to make new "bundles" this weekend, as well as some other Christmas presents. I will try to get the husband-photographer to do some nice pictures while we work.

 

 

Okay... we put it off until the last minute, but I put some photos up on my Flickr account of the toymaking.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59819856@N05/sets/72157639067370135

The descriptions contain information on what we were doing. If you have any questions or want more information on anything, feel free to reply or PM me here. Hope everyone had a great holiday and hope everyone's fids got something lovely for Christmas.

[KerayYU5263]

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[tonya100]

My dad actually made all of my bird Dwight's toys

[Michael Benolken]

The only toys that worked for me in 34 years is two separate pieces of lava stone hanging by a chain. It keeps her beak and nails trimmed. He flies around in circles hanging on and flying. Everything else he destroys. His house is a big wire dog cage on a stand. He likes his home. We use dog dishes for food and water. We let him out only to clean cage.