Any ideas for homemade toys?

Question

I have a dusky conure with a HUGE parrot cage and I need some help creating toys for him.

Answer 1

www.tlcparrottoys.com

Answer 2

The first thing to try is go to a craft store and dig though their supplies. You'll be surprised what you can find! I have green cheek conures, cockatiels, budgies and Japanese quail. My cockatiels and budgies love those little grass woven hats that you can get for 60 cents each. I string them together with some big pony beads and my birds have a hoot mauling them.

Plastic Tupperware containers, margarine containers and even pudding cups make great foraging toys. Pop a hole in one end of the container and another in the lid. Tie together with twine or un colored leather to make a container with a lid that had to be pried open. Stuff with shredded paper, hay, toys and food and your bird will have a hoot!

Home made toys can be made by purchasing those tiny plastic plant containers that look like terracotta. Use twine or a shoelace, knot it through the hole and use a key or a string of pony beads to make the clapper. My cockatiels especially like that one!

Food toys are another favorite with all my birds. String Cheerios on a shoelace or on a plastic cable toe and watch the boogers go nuts. They love breaking up the food and if they bother eating it, it's good for them.

Willow wreaths come in several sizes. Threading pieces of untreated leather, food and hay through the weaves is a fun foraging toy for a bird that is alone most of the time.

If you have old toys, you can drill holes through some parts and tie the parts to other old toy parts. You can get wooden shapes from craft stores that are great chew ables. The only concern is to never use painted items or items that have been stained. Coloring wood can be done by soaking them in kool aid. Heck, even baby toys make great bird toys, especially if they can be pushed, pulled, beaten up on and make noise.

Good luck! Sounds like your Dusky is spoiled :-)

Answer 3

First, my bird flies free. The cage is where food and water are, ready when needed. This too long to explain, but, works for my bird and me as we "do" interact everyday.
So, my bird plays with whatever in the house, unless I teach not to. Toilet Lid is aways down and ceiling fan on low (My Bird does know what a ceiling fan is and love to spin), but, think what can hurt them when free flying.
Many things you can try; Bells, Wood Sticks, Cloth (Tied so they fight it), Paper balled up, Empty Glass they can stick their head into and make weird sounds, Tennis Ball, Mirror (I not big on these), small box with a hole on two sides they can explore, and the list goes on.
The main thing is think what be safe. This a bad example, but, a set mouse trap not a good idea or Moth Balls. You should see what I try to say.

Answer 4

With big wooden bead-things and bells from a craft store you can make dangly bead ropes for him to play with. Also you can get a rope, tie knots along it and tie it up in the cage (near to a cage wall, because it might be hard to balance) - this is my bird's favourite toy, he runs up and down it all day long. He also might like to play with cardboard things like toilet paper rolls and such.

EDIT: "Empty Glass they can stick their head into and make weird sounds" - Bahahaha, that sounds hilarious, I am SO seeing if my bird likes that game.

Answer 5

Bells can be very dangerous. The clapper can be removed and swallowed by a clever bird. Look at bird toys on eBay and copy them for yourself.

Answer 6

Natural ropes
Dried Corn on the cob??
If you have an extra mirror?
He/she might like that.
lol cant really think of much else, but idk try those lol
millet??