Mar 20, 2013 11:06:31 GMT
birdbrain
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20 
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Post by birdbrain on Mar 21, 2013 12:16:14 GMT
Hi, I am new here and new to budgies too! I have a 7 year old budgie who doesn't like new things, so only has one toy. I was just wondering if anyone had any toy ideas which budgies just can't resist, and that are relatively cheap to make/buy or that are made with every day things? He particularly likes bells, so something with bells might be good  His cage is quite small too so space-savers would be great! Thank you! Tanith xx |
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Post by Rachael Kellett on Mar 21, 2013 12:42:11 GMT
I have a budgie who is just the same. She is younger than yours but very scared of anything new in her cage. I tend to try smaller toys with her, I've found out she loves shiny things, oh and bells which is funny because you'd think they would scare her. I find that if I leave a new toy in Holly's cage for about a week then she starts to investigate it. I just make sure its not right in her face so that she isn't terrified of it. I am sure that I could make him something small with a bell on the end Feel free to have a nosey on my website www.ozziesbirdtoys.weebly.com or my facebook page www.facebook.com/ozziesbirdtoys I can make up something completely new, just give me a shout if you see anything you think he might like |
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Post by lousette on Mar 21, 2013 17:31:13 GMT
Does he have a mirror? Hob is in love with his mirrors, the more the merrier. These are my favourite - he loves to chew the wood too. www.amazon.co.uk/Mirror-wooden-frame-bell-10/dp/B000WFFXUA/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1363886987&sr=8-12 Sorry for the long link. You might find it somewhere else if you google Trixie bird mirror. Looks like this  edited to add: Sorry you said something cheap and these are not all that cheap, but there are some good plastic mirrors too. I bought one for Hob at the pet shop for like £1. Will see if I can find you an image. |
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Post by lousette on Mar 21, 2013 17:35:13 GMT
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Post by mizloco on Mar 21, 2013 18:22:20 GMT
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Post by Hezz on Mar 22, 2013 1:08:12 GMT
Guys, (and girls  ), just a word of warning, first. Looking for cheap toys is all well and good, but be aware that if the toys are cheap the bells are not going to be stainless steel. All the others will rust in the future, and rust is a budgie killer. So .... If you do buy the cheap toys, make sure you very regularly check these over for rust and at the slightest bit, throw them away - the metal parts, I mean. You don't need to throw away a mirror because the bell has rusted, but remove the bell, and if possible buy some stainless steel ones and stainless steel rings (I use key rings as they are easy to put on and off, unlike O-rings which need to be closed with a pair of pliers)to attach them with. Even my stainless bells, I still give them a good checking over every week when I wash everything. Tanith, some other favourites are cat bells, coloured beads (wooden - dyed not painted, or plastic) strung onto a leather strip (I get into trouble for putting "thong" ), ladders ....... swings ...... that will do for now. |
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Post by mizloco on Mar 22, 2013 19:26:27 GMT
Thanks for the warning Hezz
Sent from my HTC One X using proboards
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Post by Hezz on Mar 23, 2013 0:54:52 GMT
You're more than welcome. We have to look out for the little guys ...... they won't do it for themselves. |
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Mar 20, 2013 11:06:31 GMT
birdbrain
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by birdbrain on Mar 24, 2013 11:27:06 GMT
Thank you everyone, great advice. Hezz: thanks for the warning. I'll check frequently for signs of rust! Could I make my own wooden toys from tree branches outside, and what common tree species are ok for this? Or is it best to buy things so as not to transfer diseases etc. from wild birds? Thank you!
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Post by Hezz on Mar 25, 2013 0:40:25 GMT
Branches from outside are great but just watch what you use. This is a list another member cut and pasted for someone else asking the same question. It comes from the internet but not sure what was the source. There are a number of different lists, and they aren't all the same. Scroll down to you get to mickmay's post, which is straight under Barrie's. We all have different ways of cleaning these, but if you clean your cage and toys with F10, this is considered to be the best. Some people bake their branches. I just wash in hot soapy water, scrubbed well, and soaked in a dilute vinegar solution. Then dried in the sun for however many days it takes for me to remember to get them in. budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/3758/which-branches |
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Mar 20, 2013 11:06:31 GMT
birdbrain
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by birdbrain on Mar 26, 2013 10:11:51 GMT
Branches from outside are great but just watch what you use. This is a list another member cut and pasted for someone else asking the same question. It comes from the internet but not sure what was the source. There are a number of different lists, and they aren't all the same. Scroll down to you get to mickmay's post, which is straight under Barrie's. We all have different ways of cleaning these, but if you clean your cage and toys with F10, this is considered to be the best. Some people bake their branches. I just wash in hot soapy water, scrubbed well, and soaked in a dilute vinegar solution. Then dried in the sun for however many days it takes for me to remember to get them in. budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/3758/which-branchesGreat, Thank you! I have an Apple in the garden and it seems like most people say this is fine for budgies. I also have an Ash that would be safe but it's quite tall so I'll go for the apple... I don't have F10 but I could use another disinfectant which I use for my chicken's food containers etc. so that should work, they are all birds anyway!!  |
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Post by Hezz on Mar 27, 2013 0:38:14 GMT
Apple is supposed to be really good; willow is another great one that Barrie recommends. The chook disinfectant should be fine. Might be worth rinsing though, if you don't already, just to be safe. |
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Post by nat on Mar 27, 2013 7:51:56 GMT
I love some of the stuff from this website. I've found my birds are not particulary keen on petshop plastic toys, but loved the things I made up from the toy parts. The threaded rope and the undyed leather strips are great for threading stuff onto, and even an old bird can't resist chewing the rope to pieces :-) www.pine4parrots.co.uk/Pages/Toymakingparts.aspx |
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Post by lousette on Mar 27, 2013 8:27:53 GMT
I love some of the stuff from this website. I've found my birds are not particulary keen on petshop plastic toys, but loved the things I made up from the toy parts. The threaded rope and the undyed leather strips are great for threading stuff onto, and even an old bird can't resist chewing the rope to pieces :-) www.pine4parrots.co.uk/Pages/Toymakingparts.aspxThat is a great link thanks. I have now read all about unsafe bird toys and seems the clip link I have in my plastic mirror that I mentioned above is not safe as it could be coated in zinc. Shall be removing that  |
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Mar 20, 2013 11:06:31 GMT
birdbrain
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 20
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Post by birdbrain on Mar 29, 2013 18:11:21 GMT
Wow thanks, and that site looks really good nat!
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His cage is quite small too so space-savers would be great!
), just a word of warning, first. Looking for cheap toys is all well and good, but be aware that if the toys are cheap the bells are not going to be stainless steel. All the others will rust in the future, and rust is a budgie killer. So .... If you do buy the cheap toys, make sure you very regularly check these over for rust and at the slightest bit, throw them away - the metal parts, I mean. You don't need to throw away a mirror because the bell has rusted, but remove the bell, and if possible buy some stainless steel ones and stainless steel rings (I use key rings as they are easy to put on and off, unlike O-rings which need to be closed with a pair of pliers)to attach them with. Even my stainless bells, I still give them a good checking over every week when I wash everything.
