What is the best type of wood to use to make toys for my African Grey?

Question

I would love to make them toys, and I know to use cotton rope, but I'm not sure what type of wood I should use...

Answer 1

madrone is a good hardwood or any fruit tree, but my birds like cardboard boxes better.

Answer 2

There are several types you can use. Make sure they are all untreated.
some they would like would be:

AILANTHUS (Tree of Heaven)
APPLE (I believe pesticide residue is the periodic issue)
ALDER
ALMOND
ARALIA (Japanese A. / Fatsia japonica > AZ Avian Breeders Assn., Zoo landscape list, Etc.)
ASH (Fraxinus)
ASPEN
BAMBOO
BARBERRY
BIRCH (see comment far down on page)
BEECH

Silk Tree - another SAFE tree wood.
BUTTERFLY BUSH
CAMELLIA
COTTONWOOD
CRABAPPLE*****
CRAPE MYRTLE (not the same as myrtle)
DOGWOOD
DOUGLAS FIR (GENUS IS PSEUDOTSUGA)
ELM
ESCALLONIA
EUCALYPTUS
FIR (TRUE FIR GENUS IS ABIES)
GUAVA
HAWTHORN (GENUS IS CRATAEGUS)
LARCH
LILAC
MADRONA / MADRONE
MAGNOLIA
MANZANITA
MOCK ORANGE (According to Long Island Parrot Society)
MOUNTAIN ASH (GENUS IS SORBUS)
MULBERRY
NANDINA (HEAVENLY BAMBOO IS ONE COMMON NAME)
NORFOLK ISLAND PINE
NUT TREES (EXCLUDE CHESTNUT)
ORANGE***** (Sources lean heavily to safe)
OREGON GRAPE (GENUS IS MAHONIA)
PAPAYA
PEAR*****
PINE (PINUS) (See Pine paragraph later)
PHOTINIA
POPLAR (GENUS IS POPULUS)
PUSSY WILLOW (IN THE SALIX GENUS)
RAPHIOLEPSIS
RUBBER PLANT (Ficus elastica) RAPHIOLEPSIS
RUSSIAN OLIVE
SILK TREE
SPIRAEA
SPRUCE (GENUS IS PICEA)
STAGHORN SUMAC (Rhus typhina)
STRAWBERRY TREE (also an Arbutus like Madrone)
SWEET GUM (GENUS IS LIQUIDAMBAR)
SYCAMORE
VIBURNUM
VINE MAPLE
WEEPING WILLOW
WIEGELA
YUCCA

ACACIA
BOIS D'ARC (HORSE APPLE TREE)
BOTTLE BRUSH
CORK (NOT WOOD FROM CORK OAK, BUT THE CORK)

Sweet Gum is a tree on the SAFE list. It's a maple-like leaf, but it's not a maple. Sweet Gum is Liquidambar and Maple is Acer. Both Acer and Liquidambar are on the safe list - the branches. Remember, this page is not a safe leaves lists page, although a few plant parts may be mentioned in the paragraphs.
CORN PLANTS
DATE
DRACAENA
FIG
GINKGO
GRAPE PALM
GRAPE VINES
GUAVA
HACKBERRY
HIBISCUS
HICKORY
IRONWOOD (Apparently the "leaves" can be toxic)
JADE PLANT
KALANCHOE
MESQUITE (SHAVE SHARP PARTS OFF)
MIMOSA
MULBERRY (FRUITLESS)
PALM
PAPAYA
PECAN
RIBBONWOOD
SASSAFRAS
THURLOW
TREE FERN
I found this information for you here:

http://www.mdvaden.com/bird_page.shtml

I hope this helps!

Answer 3

Soft pine is a favorite since it is not too hard to destroy. Make sure it is untreated and not dyed or painted. Dye it yourself with non toxic water soluble dye if you want to dye it.