We are very happy to showboat for May's exhibit Kinderwaffle's (Ming-Ming) very cool bedroom setup! We feel she did an amazing job making her fids comfy and happy and assuring they had plenty of room to stretch and have fun while sharing the space in her room!
Awesome job, Ming-Ming!
1~ What kind of birds do you have and how many birds did you design your setup for?
I have two birds - a Quaker parakeet, and a Black Headed Caique. My set up is designed for two birds, really, but honestly, it's just me trying to shove as much stuff into one space as possible.
2~ Is your setup for a handicapped bird?
No, but with a few renovations, it could easily accommodate one.
3~ Are there any budgeting tips you discovered while doing your setup?
I'm sort of a hoarder with anything that could be potential bird toys, even if its old toy parts, baby toys, or things at a dollarstore. With enough stuff you can make anything! My Jolly Ball, is pretty much a bunch of random toy parts strung into the strings, and my playtree is wrapped with tiny pieces of sisal that could have been thrown out! Although I do love buying new shiny toys, when you're a poor student as I am, you try to make the most of everything you have! And when I do have the cash to buy stuff, I always try to find the best sales, and if I am ordering from the USA (as I am in Canada), i try to order only light items, to avoid scary shipping fees!
It's also amazing the things you can find in the Dollarstore or in Craft stores, and when there is a sale, I tend to stockpile stuff. Sometimes you can also convince some vendors that if you’re buying in bulk, if they could cut you a deal
4~ Is your setup changeable or stationary and do you add or make changes continually or do things stay primarily as is?
Because of the size of my bedroom, it’s hard to move things around a lot. So the large pieces (such as my play tree, and cages) are stationary. But because of this, I make sure I rotate toys often, sometimes I will add the jolly ball in, or put in a hanging orbit instead. New toys are always added and rotated depending on my mood, as I want to keep the play area as fun and dynamic as possible!
5~ Where did you find your materials if you made it yourself or where did you purchase the setup and do you have favorite places to purchase safe toys and/or supplies that you find reliable?
Most of the materials I have are ordered from Danita, at Things for Wings. Other things I have collected from the Dollarstore, and around on my many adventures. I’m usually too paranoid to go out and find lots of materials in non-bird places, but when I do I make sure I always do the “sniff test” and ask lots of questions!
For hardware I always go to Home Depot and make sure it is Stainless Steel.
My favourite piece… a large grapevine branch, we actually found at my sister’s work, and it used to be used as a table display. It’s AWESOME.
6~ Do you have a favorite item that you bought for your setup?
The best thing I ever bought is probably my jolly ball. It’s such a fun item, and when I first bought it, I probably had more fun with it than the birds! Douglas loves to sit in it and look out the window, and hang from all the strands of toys, and just go nuts with it!
7~ If you made any DIY toys what is your bird(s) favorite and were there any failures?
I make a lot of toys, and I also sell them, so I always have to try to make them pretty! Hehe! That being said, there are always TONS of failures in my eyes (not nice looking), but the birds will ALWAYS love them!!! They could be the ugliest toy in the world, but the birds will adore them!
The best thing I’ve made are PVC tubes with fleece on them. Kyoko adores hers, and it was fun and easy to make. Another favourite toy I’ve made is a “pod cup” forager, and this awesome Monkey’s Fist knotted foot toy!
8~ Did you incorporate into your setup any foraging toys and how did your bird(s) take to them and was age or inactivity a factor?
Originally, foraging was not a huge deal to me, and it is only recently that I have become “forage crazy”. We have tons of new foraging toys now, and I try to put them in and out of the cages. Since my birds are mostly on a fresh diet, it is usually pellets that are shoved into foraging toys, as well as treats such as nutriberries and dried fruit, and nuts.
I equipped the jolly ball with lots of cups, and loofas and other things to shove food into, so it’s always a nice surprise anytime one of the birds decides to play around and find some food
9~ What difficulties did you encounter, if any, and how did you remedy them?
Space is a huge difficulty for me. My room is only 8 by 10 feet, and that isn’t a lot for one person and two birds! So the largest concern for me is storage, and keeping everything stored away so no busy beaks can find it! And also making sure nothing that can get dirty with bird poop, is just chilling out waiting to be pooped on!
The easiest thing for me was to get cubby shelves, since the birds never go into the cubbies. My walls are also plaster, and weird ourdoor house siding, so it is difficult for me to hang shelves, as the plaster is old and literally crumbles if I try to hammer anything in.
This also means that I needed to get a double stacker cage, so everyone can have a large cage, but still be space saavy.
My room may look crowded, but we have managed to get everything stored away safe and sound!
10~ What do you like least about your set up (if anything)?
I would LOVE more space, so the birds don’t really need to be on top of each other, and can have their own separate space.. since they don’t really like each other.
11~ What do you like most about your setup?
I think it’s a fun space for birds, with lots to do, despite the size!
12~ Did your bird(s) take to the setup right away or did they approach it tentatively needing time to adjust and do you feel their age was a factor?
My birds have no fear. They were all over it in minutes!
13~ Any future renovations planned?
None really planned. I might be getting a net, which I will need to get hooks for the ceiling to hang. But nothing too big until I move out!
So this is basically the size of my room… (it's 8 x 10 feet)
The cages...
The play "area"...
STORAGE!!!
Toy parts...
Shelf
More toy parts...
Food...
Under the bed storage - toy parts.
Awesome job, Ming-Ming!
1~ What kind of birds do you have and how many birds did you design your setup for?
I have two birds - a Quaker parakeet, and a Black Headed Caique. My set up is designed for two birds, really, but honestly, it's just me trying to shove as much stuff into one space as possible.
2~ Is your setup for a handicapped bird?
No, but with a few renovations, it could easily accommodate one.
3~ Are there any budgeting tips you discovered while doing your setup?
I'm sort of a hoarder with anything that could be potential bird toys, even if its old toy parts, baby toys, or things at a dollarstore. With enough stuff you can make anything! My Jolly Ball, is pretty much a bunch of random toy parts strung into the strings, and my playtree is wrapped with tiny pieces of sisal that could have been thrown out! Although I do love buying new shiny toys, when you're a poor student as I am, you try to make the most of everything you have! And when I do have the cash to buy stuff, I always try to find the best sales, and if I am ordering from the USA (as I am in Canada), i try to order only light items, to avoid scary shipping fees!
It's also amazing the things you can find in the Dollarstore or in Craft stores, and when there is a sale, I tend to stockpile stuff. Sometimes you can also convince some vendors that if you’re buying in bulk, if they could cut you a deal
4~ Is your setup changeable or stationary and do you add or make changes continually or do things stay primarily as is?
Because of the size of my bedroom, it’s hard to move things around a lot. So the large pieces (such as my play tree, and cages) are stationary. But because of this, I make sure I rotate toys often, sometimes I will add the jolly ball in, or put in a hanging orbit instead. New toys are always added and rotated depending on my mood, as I want to keep the play area as fun and dynamic as possible!
5~ Where did you find your materials if you made it yourself or where did you purchase the setup and do you have favorite places to purchase safe toys and/or supplies that you find reliable?
Most of the materials I have are ordered from Danita, at Things for Wings. Other things I have collected from the Dollarstore, and around on my many adventures. I’m usually too paranoid to go out and find lots of materials in non-bird places, but when I do I make sure I always do the “sniff test” and ask lots of questions!
For hardware I always go to Home Depot and make sure it is Stainless Steel.
My favourite piece… a large grapevine branch, we actually found at my sister’s work, and it used to be used as a table display. It’s AWESOME.
6~ Do you have a favorite item that you bought for your setup?
The best thing I ever bought is probably my jolly ball. It’s such a fun item, and when I first bought it, I probably had more fun with it than the birds! Douglas loves to sit in it and look out the window, and hang from all the strands of toys, and just go nuts with it!
7~ If you made any DIY toys what is your bird(s) favorite and were there any failures?
I make a lot of toys, and I also sell them, so I always have to try to make them pretty! Hehe! That being said, there are always TONS of failures in my eyes (not nice looking), but the birds will ALWAYS love them!!! They could be the ugliest toy in the world, but the birds will adore them!
The best thing I’ve made are PVC tubes with fleece on them. Kyoko adores hers, and it was fun and easy to make. Another favourite toy I’ve made is a “pod cup” forager, and this awesome Monkey’s Fist knotted foot toy!
8~ Did you incorporate into your setup any foraging toys and how did your bird(s) take to them and was age or inactivity a factor?
Originally, foraging was not a huge deal to me, and it is only recently that I have become “forage crazy”. We have tons of new foraging toys now, and I try to put them in and out of the cages. Since my birds are mostly on a fresh diet, it is usually pellets that are shoved into foraging toys, as well as treats such as nutriberries and dried fruit, and nuts.
I equipped the jolly ball with lots of cups, and loofas and other things to shove food into, so it’s always a nice surprise anytime one of the birds decides to play around and find some food
9~ What difficulties did you encounter, if any, and how did you remedy them?
Space is a huge difficulty for me. My room is only 8 by 10 feet, and that isn’t a lot for one person and two birds! So the largest concern for me is storage, and keeping everything stored away so no busy beaks can find it! And also making sure nothing that can get dirty with bird poop, is just chilling out waiting to be pooped on!
The easiest thing for me was to get cubby shelves, since the birds never go into the cubbies. My walls are also plaster, and weird ourdoor house siding, so it is difficult for me to hang shelves, as the plaster is old and literally crumbles if I try to hammer anything in.
This also means that I needed to get a double stacker cage, so everyone can have a large cage, but still be space saavy.
My room may look crowded, but we have managed to get everything stored away safe and sound!
10~ What do you like least about your set up (if anything)?
I would LOVE more space, so the birds don’t really need to be on top of each other, and can have their own separate space.. since they don’t really like each other.
11~ What do you like most about your setup?
I think it’s a fun space for birds, with lots to do, despite the size!
12~ Did your bird(s) take to the setup right away or did they approach it tentatively needing time to adjust and do you feel their age was a factor?
My birds have no fear. They were all over it in minutes!
13~ Any future renovations planned?
None really planned. I might be getting a net, which I will need to get hooks for the ceiling to hang. But nothing too big until I move out!
So this is basically the size of my room… (it's 8 x 10 feet)
The cages...
The play "area"...
STORAGE!!!
Toy parts...
Shelf
More toy parts...
Food...
Under the bed storage - toy parts.
this!
are there a lot of toys in there -- I actually cut back on the number of toys I offered because I was worried that there would be 0 flight room. I'm not sure if that makes a difference? I know that Cakes are pretty often climbers rather than fliers, but since Quakers aren't allowed in Pennsylvania I don't know anything about them, and I've never met one in person.
