Making your own bird toys

[arcadiareptiles]

ok so i met this girl who says she makes her own bird toys using hemp
beads and popsicle sticks etc etc. even makes her own ting perches.

Now im a craft loving person and i would really like to learn how to
make my own toys. where can you get supplies and how do you go about it
really. what are safe things you can use as paint as well. can you use
food coloring to collor wood? what should i watch out for especially if
i buy things in stores etc. I think id have a blast making fun toys for
Chiko :).

[Jean]

Here is a couple good sites that carry a diverse selection of toy making parts.

http://www.birdtoypart.com/?gclid=CO-O36387o8CFRUmawodyG1GLw

http://www.birdsnest-toys.com/

[Ellen K. Cook, DVM]

I tell my clients that the best bird toys are food..fresh veggies that can be nibbled, chewed and shredded. Fruits are good, veggies better.

Get some wooden skewers for kabobs-sold in most groceries-and put chunks of carrot, apple, squash, pepper, celery, etc. for Chiko to tackle. Poke leafy green like kale, leaf lettuce, etc. through his cage bars for him to chew. String organic pasta on a skewer.

I make lots of my own toys, but do buy shredders-all my guys love those!

Oh, when Chiko does get into fresh foods, his droppings willl be kinda watery :p

[arcadiareptiles]

I tell my clients that the best bird toys are food..fresh veggies that can be nibbled, chewed and shredded. Fruits are good, veggies better.

Get some wooden skewers for kabobs-sold in most groceries-and put chunks of carrot, apple, squash, pepper, celery, etc. for Chiko to tackle. Poke leafy green like kale, leaf lettuce, etc. through his cage bars for him to chew. String organic pasta on a skewer.

I make lots of my own toys, but do buy shredders-all my guys love those!

Oh, when Chiko does get into fresh foods, his droppings willl be kinda watery :p

yeah hes finally been eating a bit of greens when i offer them. not as much as i want him too but were working on it. i might actually try some of those. i found some pages that had "food toys" like the ones you mentionned. i think thats what im gonna try for him :D. there one site i love with a pile of toys but i still dont agree with some of the toys. like the wooden abc blocks. id be too paranois about the paint having led. any wooden things are gonna be untreated wood i can color myself with safe food or vegetable coloring and if i use any plastics itll be hard ones i figure maybe some soft ones but only if i know its not from china. ive been trying to read up alot on bird safety with the toys.

[tropiclegirl]

Here is a link to one of my favorite sites on how to make toys. On the left hand side are all the different selections :D

http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/index.html

[arcadiareptiles]

Here is a link to one of my favorite sites on how to make toys. On the left hand side are all the different selections :D

http://www.cheepparrottoysntips.com/index.html

thanks. i like some of there projects then others im iffy about. i dont want to use any woods that have been treated and they talk about going to the dollar store as well wich i wont do because almost everything there is from china. I wont use any soft plastics either. other than that they have given me alot of good ideas :).

[SadennaAndFlock]

I know many people that use food coloring for dying wood pieces..popcicle sticks can be found at crafts stores there they are called craft sticks I buy a big box of them for my birds and they love them...straws are good to my mother owns her own espresso business so she brings me boxes fo the big fat neon straws used for italian sodas and iced espresso drinks my birds go nuts for them...I know many people who are using vitacritter colors
http://www.vitacritter.com/ and it can be used mixed with white vinager or rubbing alcohol with use with rubbing alcohol you dye the wood parts wait for them to dry totally the alcohol evaporates..but white vinager works well to..

www.greyfeathertoys.com (http://www.greyfeathertoys.com) is a great place to buy bird safe toy parts leather, sisal, ss chain you name it....