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Dowel toys?

AussieBird

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A little time ago I bought one of those dowel ladders, and well it's now their chew toy. The other day when I was looking through my bird stuff I found two of my old dowel perches that seem to be the same hardness as the ladder, can I make them into toys? Any idea how to do that?
 

Aves

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Do you have power tools?
 

scrape

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You could make a ladder with a drill and some more wood. I also saw someone who made a climbing net using dowel rod(s).
 

Destiny

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If you have a power drill and a drill bit that is the same diameter as your dowel perch, you can drill holes the same size as the dowel and push the dowel into the hole to create various shapes , perches, or DIY chew toys.

Just depends on what you want to make and your imagination.

For parakeets, I might make a cool multi-perch thingy by taking a nice thick piece of wood and drilling holes through it at various heights. Then I would push the dowels all the way through so they stick out both sides of the wood, creating various spots for perching and chewing.

Something like this:

61Pc7TW+rdL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

But drilling through the center wood, instead of attaching the perches with hardware.
 

Sparkles99

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If you've never used power tools, get help. I've cut dowel perches using a hacksaw blade. I think that such things are better explained in person, but the tool manual or electric.
 

AussieBird

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If you've never used power tools, get help. I've cut dowel perches using a hacksaw blade. I think that such things are better explained in person, but the tool manual or electric.
I probably get someone else to do it :tup:

If you have a power drill and a drill bit that is the same diameter as your dowel perch, you can drill holes the same size as the dowel and push the dowel into the hole to create various shapes , perches, or DIY chew toys.

Just depends on what you want to make and your imagination.

For parakeets, I might make a cool multi-perch thingy by taking a nice thick piece of wood and drilling holes through it at various heights. Then I would push the dowels all the way through so they stick out both sides of the wood, creating various spots for perching and chewing.

Something like this:

View attachment 368013

But drilling through the center wood, instead of attaching the perches with hardware.
I really love the idea of these, but how do I stop the dowel sliding back out?
 

Destiny

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I really love the idea of these, but how do I stop the dowel sliding back out?
Ideally, the holes are tight enough to keep the dowels in place. But if the holes are too big and the dowels feel loose, you have a couple options. Most glues are not bird safe, so don't use wood glue. Elmer's school glue is probably fine, but I would use simple friction instead. Try wrapping the dowel in a natural fiber twine, like hemp, cotton, or sisal. That should help create a snug fit and keep the dowel from moving around.

As a bonus, it gives the bird more chewing options.
 

AussieBird

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When I was looking through my already washed branches to see us there was anything I could use, I saw a branch that gave me an idea. I will be hanging it from the roof of their cage, but I am trying to decide if I want it stationary or swinging. ( i used bird safe leather rope)
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