Parts for Making Bird Toys
Birds need to be kept entertained or they will find items to entertain themselves--often items you don't want them to destroy. If they are unable to get at your valuable books, woodwork or human toys, they often begin to pick on themselves and pluck their feathers. Bird toys are expensive, but you can make your own from everyday items around the house. One of the great aspects of building your own toys is the unlimited variations that you can create.
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Plastic
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Plastic and wood items from around your home or yard make great toy parts for birds. Or you can purchase various sizes and shapes of plastic and wood pieces from bird supply stores that sell bird toy-making items. A common plastic item that can be found in most homes and makes a great toy part is the plastic bottle cap from soda bottles.
Wood
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Most birds are extremely good at destroying wood, so buying wood toys gets very expensive. If you can make your own to replace the destroyed pieces, you can save a lot of money. When choosing wood pieces from outdoors, make sure that it is safe for birds. Dry the wood and make sure there is no mold or insects in or on it. The great thing about cutting your own wood pieces is that you can make all different sizes and shapes when you need them.
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Connections
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Most of the items used to make bird toy connectors can be found around the home or purchased from a hardware store. Chains are a common connector, and work well because they are hard to destroy. Only use stainless steel chain. Other metals can cause health problems because birds chew on everything, and zinc and some other metals are poisonous when ingested. Cotton or leather shoe laces also make great connectors. Use cotton or hemp rope to make perches or swings, or as connectors to other parts. Use only hemp or cotton so that the strands will break if tangled and frayed so your bird cannot be trapped or injured.
Hooks and Clasps
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Hook toys to the top of the cage or play stand perch with a stainless steel hook that all of the pieces of the toy are attached to. Always buy stainless steel hooks and clasps to avoid iron poisoning when your bird chews on the steel.
Paper
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Don't forget the paper. Birds love to shred paper. Empty cereal boxes or other food boxes are excellent toys for your bird. Paper plates can be used to add to your toy building to give your bird something to shred easily and quickly. Punch a hole in the plate and string it up with the wood and plastic parts for added variety. Tissue paper torn into strips and tied together in a bunch makes an excellent shred toy. Make sure the tissue you buy is not chemically treated and the dyes used to make colored papers are natural and not toxic. Clean newsprint is a good paper source, but do not use printed newspaper because the ink rubs off easily and is toxic.
Extras
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There are many bird supply stores that offer extra toy parts that make building toys fun and enjoyable by allowing you to create unique items for your birds. Many birds enjoy toys with bells and shiny objects. Buying these items from a reputable bird supply outlet will help you be sure the materials used to create them are safe for your birds.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit All photos: Tami Parrington
