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Homemade Bird Toys


Talon

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:cool: Okay, now you're just showing off ! :cool:

 

Nice job on the orbit, though.

 

I could see where you might have been put off a bit the first time around. Georgie would have been gone a long time ago if that was all it took, though. Hope you're both having fun now...?

 

Question... did the sisal come colored & what did you use for color on the wood toy?

Edited by birdhouse
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Its not sisal its rope washing line its kinda shinny. I used Tentera paints on other thing. I have sisal ordered from the net but it is still not here and its about 3 weeks ago i ordered it. The clothes line is good but hard to tie knots on as its shinny but i got it in the end. We made a ladder last night ill put up a pic later to show you? Maybe you could post a few of yours? Id love some idea's :)

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I think you're doing a really, really great job!!

 

... but I'd throw in a little caution, here.

 

Someone posted a while back, not to let our fids play with TP rolls anymore because the glue has zinc in it. We have no idea sometimes what things are made of (just look at the ingredients in a package of hot dogs sometime... or don't if you like eating them). Georgie is going to eat everything you make him.

 

Be very aware that everything you use is nontoxic. Remember, wood can have chemicals, oils or varnish on it. Some paints can be a real problem. Make sure the clothes line doesn't have things like lead in it. Anything metal might too or might be galvanized or coated with epoxy or something else that can eventually prove hazardous. It's usually a good idea to stick to stainless steel, just to be safe.

 

I think it is so great that you're so into this & I just thought I should put this out there to be safe.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Shera36,

 

That's a great looking toy. Was wondering how you got the straws all curly like that. What kind of pencil sharpener did you use and how do you do it, exactly? Also, how do you get the straws to stay put in the whiffle ball? And can anyone give me a source to buy stainless steel chain? (I've heard dog choke chains are a good source but then people always say to be careful of those, too. Be careful of what? Are some made of something other than SS? Are the links bad for birds? What's up?)

 

Thanks!

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  • 1 month later...

I'm pretty new to having a bird this size and am having some trouble with the toys, lol. I buy him toys I think are sturdy enough, and he has them in pieces before I can blink! I save the pieces and have made new toys that way, but I'm trying to find chains to make new ones. What chains can I use?? It seems every where I go the chains have zinc in them or a plastic coating. Is brass safe? Does someone know where I can get safe chains and hangers??

 

And, by the way.... this forum is great! You guys have been so helpful!! Thanks a BUNCH!! :-)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Chris and Matt,

 

Hopefully having made the Maggiebirdy a new toy helped elevate your mood some. It certainly seems to have helped her - she is having a great time! :-)

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  • 2 months later...

Ziva likes a toy that is made by Patsy ... one of the volunteers at Hartman Aviary. She gave Ziva one as a homecoming toy when we first brought Ziva home. It is a long white athletic tube sock that can be purchased in any athletic clothing shop (or that can be gotten very inexpensively at any used clothing store). Patsy hand sews some buttons on the outside. She then fills the socks with lego pieces, unshelled almonds, plastic buttons, ball point pen caps, plastic straws, sunflower seeds, flax seed, beans, paper that is cut into strips, and anything else that a Grey may want to forage for. She then sews the open end of the sock closed and also runs the sewing machine across the sock in a couple of other places so the sock is divided into three equal compartments.

 

I hang the sock in Ziva's cage and she climbs it and hangs on it to pick the buttons off the outside. As she climbs on it, she hears the almonds and other things inside rattle against each other and she becomes curious. After awhile she chews her way into one of the compartments and pulls the goodies out that were hidden there. She will work on an almond or play with a button ... or pull out some paper. Eventually she empties all of the compartments and begins a slow process of shredding the sock. If she loses interest in the sock, I eventually replace it with a new one.

 

The stuffed socks have been good toys.

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  • 1 month later...

I made 2 playstands for my birds out of PVC pipe and dowel rods. They are great! East to move, clean, and change to make more interesting. Very low cost to make too. I originally bought a stand from a pet store made w/ PVC and it was $50 (marked down from $100). Crazy price for something you can make yourself. Just wish I could find more food cups that fit right into the pipes. Always good to have extras. I am always up for new ideas too.

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