Sourcing materials for toys?

[Ellie]

Just curious - when it comes to items like plastic parts, or paper to make shreddable toys, are there any things we need to avoid when choosing items?

We have a local parrot shop, but I'm wondering if some things like pony beads, plastic cord (gimp?), small paper cups/colourful paper/paper shreds (the kind you would use in gift baskets), popsicle sticks, etc. could be purchased elsewhere, like Amazon, the dollar store, and so on, for a lesser price.

Do we need to worry about the dyes used in paper products, or things like BPA in plastics?How about hardware? Is stainless steel when it comes from a hardware or crafting shop, generally without any kind of additional coating?

[Hezz]

Stainless steel is fine; any coating is usually only to keep the item from being scratched in transit and in store. Anything dyed, you need to know what that dye is. Food dye/colouring is safe, any dye that runs is usually food or vegetable dye and perfectly safe. Don't get any small acrylic beads as they may be swallowed (doubtful but not impossible), don't use plastic cord (too easy for the birds to snip bits off and chew on), anything natural and not dyed is fine but steer clear of cotton - cotton fibres are naturally long and strong meaning that the birds can end up with long matted messes in their crop that will not break down and can eventually cause death. Some people have cotton rope perches; if you must use them be vigilant that the birds aren't chewing on them. Most paper is okay but don't use anything glossy; paddle-pop sticks, dolly pegs, chunks of balsa wood from the hardware store etc are all fine.

[Ellie]

Hezz Thanks for the info. But now I'm worried - I bought a cotton covered boing from the parrot shop. The owner told me that if my bird ate the fibers (which I've seen him picking at), it would be fine as they are digestible. It's not like the type of cotton thread that you see those braided rope perches made of (it's more soft fibers than hard solid strings). It looks like this - is this unsafe and if so, is there a safe alternative to replace it? He seems to love climbing it, and sleeping on it.

[Deleted]

Hezz What do you recommend for tying and hanging toys?

[tweetiepiesmom]

Ellie I think cotton is cotton whether it is one of the colored braided boings or white one like yours. Buddy chews and picks his boing - I've tried it twice for him and removed it both times. Its now on my "do not use" list. I've tried to find a sisal one but it seems most of those are for large parrots and won't fit well into their cage.

[Ellie]

tweetiepiesmom I just removed it from his cage, since he was refusing to get off of it and kept chewing the fibers. I just moved the boing with him on it over to the perch to make him step up, and took it out. I got a few sputters from him about it, but I'm sure he'll forgive me lol

[Hezz]

Ellie I'm always very wary about cotton, seen too many photos of the mass that has been removed from the crop of many different parrots, and they are usually the birds who have survived. I also would not blindly believe everything a shop-owner or assistant tell you as their primary concern is to make a sale. Your cotton boing may be perfectly fine, but if you have noticed that your birds chews their cotton ropes, personally I would remove them.

@sillycat84 I use, and I know Marianne Marlow does as well, baby teething rings/pram toy links. You can get a pack of 24 for not much at all, they are multi coloured and textured with a break in the ring so that you can slot them over the bars, add as many as you need to bring the toy to the level needed. They are so easy to use and you don't have to worry about them rusting like the D links do and it doesn't matter if the birds do have a chew on them, they don't seem to damage them, not even Loki. They are large enough for a budgie not to get stuck in, actually make good acrobat toys if your bird is so inclined, being that much bigger than those little interlocking ring toys that you can buy. Like this:
www.mightyape.com.au/product/bright-starts-lots-o-links-24-pieces/23000884?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4ry_66uF6wIVFx4rCh28nwKlEAQYBSABEgLUevD_BwE

[Ellie]

I've returned with a few items to make some toys, many from the parrot shop despite wanting to save a little money, although I feel like I've made some mistakes.

I just realized that I wanted braided palm tape for shredder type toys, and accidentally bought sea grass. It's a little tougher and thicker than I wanted - maybe an inch wide. Is there anything this can still be used for? Not sure it it's too much for a budgie.

Was it that plastic beads were a no-no, or just small ones? I do have some plastic beads, because of what was available. I wouldn't say they are overly small, although some are thinner. The round beads are 12mm x 9m. The heart beads are about 10mm at the top x 5-6mm thick. The animal shapes are varying in size, but the thickness/thinnest points are about 2mm-3mm. Are any not okay?

Most the cording I bought I'd think is safe - paper rope, 2mm leather cord,thin hemp string, and I ended up with a small bird bell on a chain. But I also ended up wtih paulie rope, which is supposed to be bird safe, but I'm starting to change my mind.

I'm getting new bird mom anxiety, that I might not make something safe enough lol. I'm starting to think I should have just bought toys pre-made.

Also purchased - wooden ice cream spoons, quick links and chain for hanging toys (unfortunately plastic), bamboo finger traps (which I already know he loves), paper foraging boxes and shredded paper, sola chips, daisy wheels for hanging and connecting things, a stainless steel skewer (the blue thing is an acrylic base in case I want to try softer foods on it so it doesn't slide off), and little leather flowers. all the wooden pieces that were sized for budgies were sold out, so I had to wait.

[Hezz]

If you wanted to get a little creative, you could use the wire out of the boing to make your own - wrap it up tightly with sisal rope, or easier still wrap the whole thing with sisal rope. It will make it quite a thick perch, but that is not going to cause any harm at all, quite the opposite, in fact. You can get untreated sisal rope, again from your hardware store. Use cable ties to hold the ends firm, just make sure you pull the rope as tightly around the wire/rope as you can. It actually gives a good texture to the perch as well.

[Deleted]

Hezz I thought I remembered you using something like that. Awesome idea!

[Hezz]

Aug 6, 2020 1:20:10 GMT Ellie said:

I've returned with a few items to make some toys, many from the parrot shop despite wanting to save a little money, although I feel like I've made some mistakes.

I just realized that I wanted braided palm tape for shredder type toys, and accidentally bought sea grass. It's a little tougher and thicker than I wanted - maybe an inch wide. Is there anything this can still be used for? Not sure it it's too much for a budgie.

Was it that plastic beads were a no-no, or just small ones? I do have some plastic beads, because of what was available. I wouldn't say they are overly small, although some are thinner. The round beads are 12mm x 9m. The heart beads are about 10mm at the top x 5-6mm thick. The animal shapes are varying in size, but the thickness/thinnest points are about 2mm-3mm. Are any not okay?

Most the cording I bought I'd think is safe - paper rope, 2mm leather cord,thin hemp string, and I ended up with a small bird bell on a chain. But I also ended up wtih paulie rope, which is supposed to be bird safe, but I'm starting to change my mind.

I'm getting new bird mom anxiety, that I might not make something safe enough lol. I'm starting to think I should have just bought toys pre-made.

Also purchased - wooden ice cream spoons, quick links and chain for hanging toys (unfortunately plastic), bamboo finger traps (which I already know he loves), paper foraging boxes and shredded paper, sola chips, daisy wheels for hanging and connecting things, a stainless steel skewer (the blue thing is an acrylic base in case I want to try softer foods on it so it doesn't slide off), and little leather flowers. all the wooden pieces that were sized for budgies were sold out, so I had to wait.

Sorry, we must have been posting at the same time. Some of the things you mention I don’t know what they are. The chain on the bell is too long, but I would take it off the chain completely, put it onto a stainless steel key ring so that you can attach it to any toy you wish. If you get good quality stainless steel bells, they will last you the rest of YOUR life, so well worth the initial outlay and you don’t have to worry about them rusting. The beads should be fine, so will the sea grass plait. You’ll find ways to use it. Instead of buying a stainless steel skewer, you’ve got it now, I use bamboo skewers as you you use for satay sticks, just cut the very sharp tip off, thread the stick through a piece of sisal rope or peg up, or thread across the corner of the cage. They’ll eat their veggies and have a chew on the stick as well. All good exercise and bamboo skewers are as cheap as chips.

[Ellie]

Aug 6, 2020 7:36:00 GMT Hezz said:

<abbr data-timestamp="1596699360000" title="Aug 6, 2020 3:36:00 GMT -4" class="o-timestamp time">Aug 6, 2020 3:36:00 GMT -4</abbr> Hezz said:
Sorry, we must have been posting at the same time. Some of the things you mention I don’t know what they are. The chain on the bell is too long, but I would take it off the chain completely, put it onto a stainless steel key ring so that you can attach it to any toy you wish. If you get good quality stainless steel bells, they will last you the rest of YOUR life, so well worth the initial outlay and you don’t have to worry about them rusting. The beads should be fine, so will the sea grass plait. You’ll find ways to use it. Instead of buying a stainless steel skewer, you’ve got it now, I use bamboo skewers as you you use for satay sticks, just cut the very sharp tip off, thread the stick through a piece of sisal rope or peg up, or thread across the corner of the cage. They’ll eat their veggies and have a chew on the stick as well. All good exercise and bamboo skewers are as cheap as chips.

Now why didn't I think of bamboo skewers? Oh well, I'm pretty sure this one will last me a while, although having a second one with food would probably work well. I'm assuming any bamboo skewers would work, and we have a selection at the dollar store that have one wide flat end that could probably be drilled for hanging. Only question is, should I be concerned with splintering? I've noticed some of the thinner ones tend to do that when you cut them.

The bell on the chain might be stainless steel (it could be nickel plated, I'll need to double check). If not, eventually I'll invest in SS. The reason I bought it on a chain, was because you can remove the clip at the top and slide beads and a variety  of wooden pieces (etc) down over it (or tie things in with cords or o-rings etc (more of a toy base).

Glad the beads are okay (maybe I'm too used to having a dog who can chew through anything she sets her mind to!). The sisal rope, I've seen it in hardware stores in a few thicknesses, although I'll have to double check that it's not treated or oiled. I learned the hard way that "natural" doesn't always mean untreated after I purchased jute for crafting, and the smell of chemical was very apparent when I opened the package.

[Hezz]

The leather flowers are probably better for the slightly larger parrots; don't leave any string long and hanging - the birds can (and will) play and flip the string over and around their necks which is unnoticeable once the string goes under their feathers and the bird can hang itself.

Don't worry too much. In fact many pre-made toys are just as dangerous. At least this way you get to know exactly what your bird's toys are made from.

[birdguhl]

Lots of great ideas here and it sounds as if your budgie is going to have lots of interesting toys to enjoy.

Re tying things, I use raffia - natural not coloured - which I get in garden centres. The boys have also like chewing it and playing with it and it is very cheap.

I make sure that there are no loops though - I just cut the ends.

[Hezz]

If you are going to fill the chain with beads, that should make it safe enough. Chain is easy to catch toes in, but if you cover it with beads you should be safe. Be aware, though, that no matter how vigilant you are, an accident may still happen with something, anything. Watch them using their toys and fix any issues you may notice straight away. A lot of the sticks, such as paddlepop sticks do break when you try to drill them, or even using a punch. I usually give these to my bigger parrot. I am having to remember what the budgies use or not and what are the conure's toys.