Cheap DIY toy ideas?

[GloomyGoom]

Hello,

I currently work at a shelter and recently we received a large number of birds. We basically run on donations and we lack the supplies to keep all these guys happy. I am looking for some good cheapish DIY toys that I would be able to make myself. I can use power tools and can spend a some money on supplies but not a whole heck of a lot. We have medium to large parrots currently.

If anyone has some suggestions please post them! The birds and I thank you!

 

[Mizzely]

Kiln dried pine boards at your local lumber yard or home improvement store are going to be your best bet. You can use 2x4s or even furring strips. Cut them into slices (1/4" and 1/2" usually for medium birds and 1/2" to 1" for larger birds).

You can drill through and then string these on skewers or even just some unoiled sisal rope.

Cardboard cat scratchers (no catnip), or even cardboard boxes or drink holders from fast food are fun to shred.

Old paperback novels or phone books work too. Drill through and slip a zip tie through to hang it from.

Coin wrappers are fun to stuff with treats and pinch close for a foraging foot toy.

 

[Sparkles99]

If the large number of birds includes small species like canaries, budgies, etc, then I would set up foraging trays (trays filled with beads, broken toy parts, etc. & sprinkled with food). Just make sure they know food is there & have a source of it elsewhere too - we don’t know what kind of enrichment they’re used to.

 

[erickse20]

My dad and I trimmed the branches of a willow tree in my garden (no pesticides, sprays, or fertilizers to worry about) about a week ago, and I was curious if there were any DIY ideas I could use them for. Most are about under .5" in diameter, but some are just under an inch. I have a whole bunch of them, and I'm unsure of the next time we'll have to trim the tree (if I can't do anything with them now, my dad's going to be throwing them all out).

 

[birdbuster]

My dad and I trimmed the branches of a willow tree in my garden (no pesticides, sprays, or fertilizers to worry about) about a week ago, and I was curious if there were any DIY ideas I could use them for. Most are about under .5" in diameter, but some are just under an inch. I have a whole bunch of them, and I'm unsure of the next time we'll have to trim the tree (if I can't do anything with them now, my dad's going to be throwing them all out).

You definitely could use a bunch of them as perches. You could also make foraging mats out of them or weave them into bird nets. Those are just a few ideas but there is a bunch you could do.

Make sure you sanitize beforehand!!! Boiled water and spraying with vinegar is your best friend. Also, make sure no bugs or anything is living in the wood itself.

 

[~Drini~]

My macaw loves boxes. Lots of boxes. I order them by the dozen for free from USPS (if you're from the US): Boxes | USPS.com

I mostly use the small boxes (8" x 6" x 1.75"), as they're not big enough to serve as a nest cavity. I fill them with blocks of wood, nuts, dried veggies/fruit, shredded paper, chunks of balsa, random SS nuts and bolts, etc. Then I close the box (it self-folds and has its own adhesive strip that you pull off and just stick down). Sometimes I fill a bigger box with several smaller boxes and he goes to town.

It takes me about 2 minutes from start to finish for 1 box. By the time my boy is finished with it, the box goes from being 3-dimensional to 1-dimensional and he's taken every item in there and either chopped it into splinters or eaten it or dragged it around his cage. He loves a good box.

 

[Sparkles99]

I’m not sure how ethical it is to order free boxes for a macaw to destroy when the implied deal is that you’ll be paying to ship stuff in them…

 

[~Drini~]

I’m not sure how ethical it is to order free boxes for a macaw to destroy when the implied deal is that you’ll be paying to ship stuff in them…

No need to order any boxes then. You can source them elsewhere.

 

[Zilga]

Ours are big on foraging boxes with shredded paper and hidden treats. It's also pretty easy to throw together little cardboard origami triangles with treats inside, twist treats into muffin papers (a favorite here; the small birds take ages to open them), fill the little paper condiment cups and put cardboard on the top, or stuff millet into paper straws. Also, there's a bird store near us that sells loosie toy bits, so that's fun if you have something nearby.

 

[T. gillii]

I’m not sure how ethical it is to order free boxes for a macaw to destroy when the implied deal is that you’ll be paying to ship stuff in them…

Meh. It is a box. I am sure there are many many more boxes left unused. But if someone doesn't want to feel like they are scamming USPS, then you could always use any cardboard box (assuming no glue or tape residue).

 

[Sparkles99]

That’s the problem: it’s not a box. It’s an ongoing drain of boxes.

 

[~Drini~]

As a shelter I am sure they have loads of spare delivery boxes around. Anything will work.

Here is my boy going at a box that some pears came in.

 

[birdbuster]

That’s the problem: it’s not a box. It’s an ongoing drain of boxes.

It's free, and they have a ton of birds that need enrichment, which is a good way to do it. I don't see much of a problem since it's not long-term, and I'm sure most people have tons of boxes laying around. No USPS-free boxes are required. Along with that, it's cardboard and is fully recyclable.

 

[Sparkles99]

It’s stealing. I don’t see the point in further continuing this point. Different people have different morals.

 

[Zilga]

It’s stealing. I don’t see the point in further continuing this point. Different people have different morals.

My tax contributions are serving me better through random parrot enrichment than most things. Some people don't think it's particularly moral to derail a fun thread by calling someone out for "stealing" something that is clearly given out for free, but different people have different morals.

 

[Emma&pico]

I totally get what @Sparkles99 is saying then we move we get given boxes by removal company we have to put them boxes in a safe place and return them I thought oh only cardboard boxes I asked the man when he dropped them off our last move why they make such a big deal about the boxes he said it cost company thousands a year buying cardboard boxes to use for people moves they don’t get them for free and have to pay for them boxes from companies who make them for them boxes to either end up in someone’s garden wet sloppy then end up at dump

honestly I take a couple more straws for my birds from McDonald’s and it wasn’t until my 9year old who was 8 at time said mummy that’s stealing they are there to use for your drink not parrots and cost McDonalds money to give them out that I was like oh you have a point so don’t do it anymore I buy them

it might sound silly but even if that cost a company 1p/2p that soon adds up

and as @Sparkles99 said she’s only saying her opinion
If a supermarket giving them away for free as you here in uk then fair enough but I do see @Sparkles99 point here

 

[Emma&pico]

Also we have a resident at work that use to make cardboard boxes in a factory so there’s a chain of employees employment sellers and buyers

 

[greegu]

Maybe try a regular Paper Stackers.

 

[Shezbug]

My tax contributions are serving me better through random parrot enrichment than most things. Some people don't think it's particularly moral to derail a fun thread by calling someone out for "stealing" something that is clearly given out for free, but different people have different morals.

The moral of this “fun” thread was derailed with the encouragement of theft as far as I am concerned I’m sorry to say- definitely surprised me to see that suggestion from a member here. The aim of Avian Avenue is to be a positive safe place for anything and everything about birds- encouraging theft, scams, trickery or poor morals is not part of what this site is about- where should we draw the line exactly? On scamming for free boxes or on scamming for free birds?

The boxes are given for free on the understanding they’ll be used to post things in which is where the company will make their money back on the “free” boxes- you’ll find the box price will somehow be factored into shipping costs- nothing is free. I’m also pretty certain if you were to contact the company and ask for a heap of their brand new boxes for your parrots to destroy they’d tell you to take a hike.