Birds are active and playful pets. They are highly intelligent and require a great amount of mental stimulation through human interaction and socialization, exercise, and play.
Bird owners are well aware that birds love their toys. They tend to be a bit harsh on their toys and frequently chew and tear them apart. The more a bird enjoys a toy, the quicker it is destroyed and will need to be replaced.
Constantly buying bird toys from the pet store can get a bit expensive. By opting for Do-It-Yourself projects, you can use your creativity to construct toys at home. Below is a list of safe materials for making DIY bird toys.
The 11 Materials Safe for Making DIY Bird Toys:
1. Acrylic
Acrylic makes for great material in DIY bird toy projects. It’s generally safe and indestructible. You’ll want to make sure the acrylic is appropriately sized and there are no sharp edges to prevent any choking hazards or injury.
2. Bells
Birds love to make noises and bells are a great option for a DIY bird toy. You will need to make sure the bell is appropriately sized and the clapper inside the bell cannot be removed, this could be a choking hazard otherwise.
3. Cable Ties
Cable ties are very strong and hard to break so can be used to hold bundles of things together which your bird can play with.
4. Cardboard
You get a lot of excess packaging in item deliveries these days, but instead of just throwing it away this can be used for bird toys. The cardboard cylinder from a toilet paper or paper towel roll is ideal for birds to chew and shred upon.
Also, they can be easily combined with other items when making other toys for your pet bird. Another type of cardboard box that can be easily turned into a bird toy is an egg carton
5. Curtain Rings
Excellent pre-made rings that can be adapted into your homemade bird toy.
6. Paper
A simple piece of paper can seem boring to a human but it might be able to keep your pet parrot entertained. Simply hanging a few pieces from the cage gives your birds something for them to shed.
If you want to take it to the next level then you can use your origami skills to make many different toys that will keep your birds entertained. Birds love ripping their way through old yellow pages and any old books which you’re never going to read again.
7. Rings
When using rings as part of your bird’s toys, you’ll want to ensure they are appropriately sized for your bird. Birds could choke or get their heads caught if the wrong size is used. Multiple rings could result in an entanglement that could prove dangerous for your bird. Rings are safe but do use caution.
8. Ropes
Ropes are great on their own or for hanging other toys and items. You can get very creative with ropes and your bird will thoroughly enjoy it. The ideal rope is derived from 100 percent natural fibers such as sisal, hemp, or cotton.
9. Sewing Spool
Your birds get to play with the sewing string/yarn and also the wooden spool itself.
10. Shoelaces
Strong enough to hold the weight of most small toys and also a very common item that most owners will already have.
11. Vegetable-tanned Leather
Leather is safe to use as it is vegetable-tanned leather. Birds will love to chew and play with leather-based toys. It is essential to avoid leather that contains any chemicals or dyes.
Conclusion
It’s not only a fun weekend project and works out a lot cheaper than regularly buying new toys, but creating your own toys for your pet bird is also a wonderful way to strengthen your bond and craft something exciting and unique you know they would like. To keep it bird-friendly and harmless, we discussed some safe materials you can use for your DIY bird toys. Avoid materials that could be harmful, such as those containing toxic chemicals or small parts that could be ingested, to ensure your birds can play, chew, and explore without risk.
Featured Image Credit: Jill Lang, Shutterstock
