Homemade bird toys?

Does anyone have any good ideas on how to make good, fun, safe bird toys? I have a lovebird, he is about the size of a parakeet. Therefore, lots of toys that are found in pet stores are too big for him to enjoy. He likes to forage, so I wrap treats in napkins and place them in the cage. He likes to tear paper as well so some days he is occupied just ripping that up. I've tried paper cups hanging by a string and he doesn't like that very much. I've also strung colorful beads up by some string and he enjoys biting the string and making the beads fall down. Anything with treats or food he enjoys (just like his mama, hehe). Are there any toys that you think he would enjoy? I'm worries about him being bored all day when I'm at school and want to help him as much as I can to stay preoccupied, healthy and happy.

Well Using jewelry wire and shower curtain clamps for a base for your toys is ok. Small cat toys with bells, toothbrushes, wood blocks and small plastic toys (mcdonalds toys) to thread on this is fine. I have made several toys for the birds in the store, and it really isn't too hard.

If you do not mind the mess, give your lovebird a piece of raw broccoli every day. My parakeets (budgies) love to chew on broccoli. It is a good toy as well as very nutritious for them with loads of vitamins and minerals.

Other useful toys you can get a piece of cuttle bone. These parakeets need their beaks trimmed constantly since it's growing nonstop. They like to chew on stuff to achieve this goal. Cuttle bone can work as a trimmer as well as the much needed calcium supplement for these pet birds. You can get cuttlebone from cuttlefish lol, or just buy it from a pet store either locally or from online sources.

You can also get some tree branches. Just make sure the particular tree species is not toxic or had been sprayed with pesticide.

Check out my bird cage
http://petskeepersguide.com/forums/Threa...4#pid10444

A friend of mine came up with a few ideas that seemed to keep her birds entertained and out of her hair, literally!

Toilet paper or paper towel roll - stuff a treat in the middle then a wad of paper, then a treat again. Her birds had a blast with this. Mind you, the rolls were very tightly packed.

Fresh corn on the cob...STUFFED in the paper towel roll!!

Fresh corn on the cob...strung from the cage, only by the top so it will swing.

When her birds are flying around the house she will usually throw some random fruits and veggies in a deep bowl. They have spent HOURS trying to get to the bottom of the container to get to the sweet stuff at the bottom. She would pour a bit of molasses under all of the goodies. Once they dug everything out, all you would see is the tail feathers as they were headfirst at the bottom of the bowl licking the molasses.

It is always so much fun watching these silly birds play. Just love it!

These stories are just awesome ! When I was growing up, we had parakeets, and we would bring them out to play in the evening . Mom had a whole little playground for them that was made out of wood and dowels, and they loved to climb all over and around on it. We had six of them, and invariably, one or two of them would decide to make a flying tour of the house.
After one landed in the toilet bowl before we could catch him; she clipped their wings, for fear that one would hurt them-self somehow, or manage to land in something hot. We always kept a pan of water on the oil stove which helped add humidity in the winter, and it would have killed them probably if one of the birds accidentally landed in that bowl.
We didn't know that birds would eat anything but birdseed, and that is what we fed them, and there was something that I think had little bits of fruits and veggies in it. She also got them a cuttlebone to chew on and take the edge off of their beak.
One thing that they all seemed to like was having a small mirror in the cage. They would always be talking to the bird in the mirror and trying to make friends.

If he is the size of a parakeet he could play with parakeet toys. I have a small wheel that has jingle bells inside it that fits on the perch bar in the cage and my birds love to play with it. They also have a hanging bell in the cage they like to play with, especially when they are out and sitting on top the cage.

I have always loved watching Cockatoos, and i love how they can raise the crest of feathers on their neck, and listening to them talk.
I remember when they had the television show called "Baretta" on TV, and he always had a beautiful Cockatoo on his shoulder. I think that was the first time I really got to see one interacting with people.
Now, i love watching bird videos, and I was just watching one today about a lady and her Cockatoo having a debate over the toys ON the table versus the table itself, as far as the bird being able to chew on the wood.
Apparently, the Cockatoo must have chewed on the table. Anyway, if you watch the video, you can see that she ha made bird toys from scraps of wood and cardboard, and other things like that.
The Cockatoo is very adamant that those are HIS toys; so he obviously likes them.
This would also be a very easy way for you to make toys for your lovebird, and not expensive like buying some from apet store. Plus--- They are easily replaced once the bird chews them up ! !

http://youtu.be/WtexHdgRi9I

When I first acquired my cockatiel a few months ago, I wanted to provide the best and last home he would ever have. I got him from an abusive situation, and he shivers and shakes if I approach the cage, hisses and strikes out when I clean his cage.
I finally, with fresh water and real cockatiel food, got him healthy. I started reading books and searching the internet for info on these birds, since I'd never owned birds before. What an eye opener!
My friend found a documentary on Netflix for me to watch, and I wish I could post it here for newbie owners. It explained so much of what the little guy needs to thrive. Now to get to the part of homemade toys....There is TONS of stuff on the internet, yes indeed.
I am overwhelmed at the imagination of all of you just to show how much you care about your birds. I will haunt this forum for more tips and tricks and hopefully, when I get a friend for my bird, I'll be able to keep the both of them entertained by keeping up with this forum.
I am so glad you're all here....

It should not be difficult to figure out which toy a bird is likely to enjoy. It is a nice idea to base them on their favourite food. Since birds like to fly about in their cages, the toys should be pendants hung with a favourite food item on one end. Birds love to chase live food and the parakeet will not have idle moments unless it gets tired and needs a rest.

(09-04-2013, 12:14 PM)A0130 Wrote: Does anyone have any good ideas on how to make good, fun, safe bird toys? I have a lovebird, he is about the size of a parakeet. Therefore, lots of toys that are found in pet stores are too big for him to enjoy. He likes to forage, so I wrap treats in napkins and place them in the cage. He likes to tear paper as well so some days he is occupied just ripping that up. I've tried paper cups hanging by a string and he doesn't like that very much. I've also strung colorful beads up by some string and he enjoys biting the string and making the beads fall down. Anything with treats or food he enjoys (just like his mama, hehe). Are there any toys that you think he would enjoy? I'm worries about him being bored all day when I'm at school and want to help him as much as I can to stay preoccupied, healthy and happy.

Active birds like to tear your toy with your mouth, so that's why you would need a more complicated and interesting bird toy. I use a feeding toy, especially it needs some tests to get food so that there won't be time to feel bored.

I have childhood toys of my siblings so they can play with it. However, it is quite easy to make bird toys at home without of use products. Found these interesting images on Google.