Pictures DIY activity mat from a cereal box

[green&grey]

I cut up a cereal box and made a sort of activity mat with it, finally got around to putting it in my babies' cage! sorry for the poor quality image, it was late.

Aside from the cereal box I mostly used beads, paper rope made from napkins, and cupcake holders to make this. On the far right is a little foraging box made from a TP roll. The mess of paper on the left is a bunch of seeds wrapped in cupcake holders and strung on paper rope. My birds will do anything for those!

You could use cardboard or a paper plate for the base instead of a cereal box.
I made the rope by twisting napkins really tight, you can cut a napkin in half or separate the layers for different length and girth.
A tutorial fpr the TP roll foragers:

My birds are smaller so I cut tiny holes in the roll, to give their beaks something to grip onto.

Bonus birds waiting for their toy to be set up!

 

[faislaq]

Neat idea!

 

[TikiMyn]

How fun! Post a picture later of them enjoying it too please

 

[green&grey]

Hehe, I'll try! They're not big fans of my phone/camera. Though you'll get an aftermath image for sure!

 

[green&grey]

They haven't exactly been digging in, looks like they're still a bit wary of the toy and only nipped at the sides. I'll try rearranging the perches a bit tomorrow to make it easier to access.

But in the meantime I've had time to make another one! (warning: long post!)

Got out my materials ~

Made foraging boxes from the TP and paper towel rolls and started cutting the napkins to make into rope

Perfect for simple DIY toys

Cut off the sides, then made a few more cuts into the body of it so it can slot in the cage bars easily.

Poked some holes, threaded rope through! With knots tied on the other side, of course.

Used some old wooden beads so the birds won't be able to just nip through the openings of the TP roll foragers. Didn't put them in the first image bc I forgot I needed them.

Threaded on the first roll! I cut holes into it so their tiny beaks have something to hold onto.

Stuffed with DIY krinkle paper and treats...

Closed it off and tied another bead to the end of it! Unwrapped the end of the rope for shreddy appeal.

Rinse and repeat! (sidenote: cupcake wrappers are what I wrap treats in. also forgot to include in the first img)

Decorate a bit and voila!

 

[green&grey]

After a few days of warming up to them, the toys got MURDERED!

The carnage - with the remnants of another toy xD The TP boxes went first, I actually took out the first two that fell down. They're pulverized - even worse that the one in this pic!

 

[BirbyHouse]

I made a similar version today! Hopefully I will see some mess too

(It's funny how us bird owners always want to see mess, and are exhausted when we clean it!)

 

[SquawksNibbles]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting all of this!!! I tried out the cardboard roll boxes with my two small birds who aren’t really foragers and it was a hit! I closed up one end, but left the other opened just to start out. I sprinkled seed, pellets, and strips of paper in the small box and placed it in their food bowl. I came back a little bit later, all of the paper was thrown around the food bowl and seed hulls were in the small cardboard box. I left to go do something, came back again, the box is on the floor of the cage! I haven’t tried out the activity mat, but I just might have to!

 

[WallyLoopey]

Very cute ideas! Glad they warmed up to it!

 

[green&grey]

I made a similar version today! Hopefully I will see some mess too

(It's funny how us bird owners always want to see mess, and are exhausted when we clean it!)

Very true! Especially when it comes to fishing quick links out of poop and discarded fruit

@SquawksNibbles No problem! I'm so happy that my idea helped others
I hope your birds become ravenous foragers.

Thank you everyone, for the feedback! I appreciate it.

 

[Nancy B]

I cut up a cereal box and made a sort of activity mat with it, finally got around to putting it in my babies' cage! sorry for the poor quality image, it was late.

Aside from the cereal box I mostly used beads, paper rope made from napkins, and cupcake holders to make this. On the far right is a little foraging box made from a TP roll. The mess of paper on the left is a bunch of seeds wrapped in cupcake holders and strung on paper rope. My birds will do anything for those!

You could use cardboard or a paper plate for the base instead of a cereal box.
I made the rope by twisting napkins really tight, you can cut a napkin in half or separate the layers for different length and girth.
A tutorial fpr the TP roll foragers:

My birds are smaller so I cut tiny holes in the roll, to give their beaks something to grip onto.

Bonus birds waiting for their toy to be set up!

They are just adorable! Look at them watch that! Isn't it funny how curious they are?! Love birdies sooooooo cute!