Toys your cockatoo loves

[mrstweet]

Cupcake doesn't really play with toys. She will forage (only for nuts) with some toys, and liked one raffia mop head I made her.

Any suggestions for budget-friendly toys that are irresistible?

 

[quakingcanopy]

Grapefruit really likes to shred soft things - so, I tatter then end of ropes so she can preen the strings, I got some seagrass braided rope from Danita (she has it in the Bulk section for a really great price), and I took an old fleece blanket and cut it up into strips, then threaded a piece of wood onto each strip with a knot on either end tied into the strip of fleece. These food toys would be made with anything - woods, wicker, beads, etc. But she really likes too hold the wood and chew and preen the fleece and pick at the knots. Just some ideas

 

[nellysmom]

Nelly likes anything with soft pine wood on it. She also likes dried corncobs. A really cheap attention getter is on string or curling ribbon I string uncooked ziti. I put then make what we call a "noodle ring" and tie it on her cage. She loves to snap the ziti off.

 

[Chantilly Lace]

The ziti idea is great! I have tons of old pasta. Paco loves foraging, but destroys all my toys! He loves the can o nuts, but that is not good for smaller birdies like Cupcake. Hmmm...try foraging wheels, the smaller clear one would be great for her, the treasure chest, the buffet ball, and the twist n turn logs....all pretty difficult yet should last a long time. I mix nutriberries, shelled nuts, organic dried fruit, with shredded paper, coconut fiber, beads (wood and plastic) and bamboo shredders and let them go at it! I have a little "foraging bucket" I take with me and fill up their foraging toys while I am watching tv. Quick and easy and lasts hours for them. Definitely a "shut up" toy.

 

[JLcribber]

Anything in the house that he knows is off limits and he's not supposed to touch. Forbidden pleasures as they say.

The cheapest and most satisfying thing around here is plain old 2x4's cut into 1/2 inch wafers. They make a nice snapping/popping noise when they chew them. I think they like that more than the actual chewing.

 

[mrstweet]

I think I'm going to try offering her some finger trap toys...she hasn't had any of those yet. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

 

[bubblelady]

Anything in the house that he knows is off limits and he's not supposed to touch. Forbidden pleasures as they say.

The cheapest and most satisfying thing around here is plain old 2x4's cut into 1/2 inch wafers. They make a nice snapping/popping noise when they chew them. I think they like that more than the actual chewing.

You forgot to mention noses & lips...but I guess those are covered in the "off limits" catagory

 

[birdlady]

Nanis loves to chip small pieces of pine...loves loves loves them! Nina's wood has been awesome for her She also likes old pill bottles, cleaned and stuffed with treats wrapped in paper. Straws tied together and attached to her bars or used as a foot toy are also fun.

 

[Sunnyside]

Ozzy is all about the cardboard! I don't like to let him play in boxes so I cut the boxes into strips and secure them to the top of his cage so they dangle. It keeps him busy for hours and it costs nothing.

 

[Bokkapooh]

I go to the dollar store and often get plain willow wreaths and finger traps along with some plastic kid toys. Cheap, safe and fun! Did I mention its very affordable?

 

[quakingcanopy]

Mercedez - I am a frequent dollar store looter

I usually can find a pack of mini muffin cups. These are excellent for beginner shredders and foragers. They are the cute little crinkle papers you would use to line mini cupcake pans right? And a pack of 300 is $1!! So, I wrap my birds' favorite treats in them and put them in their bowl, etc. You can do this with your birds regular meal to give them the idea of ripping paper and working for food!

 

[crzybrdldy]

Amanda you can also use old phonebooks with the outer cover removed drill a hole either in the corner next to the binding or in the center next to the binding. It will be messy but you will have a happy bird.

 

[AngelGoffin]

I head to the .99 Cent store and buy shoe laces. (3 pair for .99) Angel loves shoelaces and will weave them all around the cage walls, wrap around her perch, rub on the floor of the cage or just chew on them. The kids make fun of me because I always buy at least ten dollars' worth when I go. She also loves toilet paper. I put a roll on one of the perches and she winds it and unwinds it - she loves it. Sure it makes a mess but she's having a ball and she really doesn't like too many toys. The other thing she loves is tooth brushes. I got a tooth brush toy at the bird store and she loved it. You can get six for .99 Cents at the .99 Cent store. I have a friend who drills three holes in the handle. I put string or leather strips through there with beads. The toy was $7.99 and I can make it for under $2.00 and she loves it. She will carry it in her beak from one perch to another (and generally with a shoelace as well) until she gets all the beads off the string. The other thing I do is sew buttons on a strip of cloth. She loves to pull buttons off - so she has her own strips. I sew on about 30 and generally by the time I get home the strip is empty and she's looking proud. More often than not, she has some how managed to thread a shoe lace through the strip.... She's getting a little better about bird toys now - it took years - but she has always loved her home made toys and she goes through those daily. Isn't sick of them yet. Good luck. Nice to hear things are going well with Cupcake, I've been out of touch.