In many ways, owning a bird is very different from owning a cat, dog, or hamster. For starters, we guess you’d be pretty surprised if you found your calico flying around the room. But in some ways, all pets are the same, especially when it comes to toys. Birds, like all of these others (and us too, of course), love to play. In fact, your avian perhaps needs even more mental stimulation because they’re so smart and social.
While you should keep your animal company much of the time, they will also enjoy playing games on their own or with their cage mates. Don’t want to shell out more cash for easily destroyed toys? Find out more about how to make DIY bird toys and try out a couple of these commonplace items to engage your bird.
What do birds like to play with?
Even in the wild, you might find birds picking at string or diving toward shiny objects. They love to have fun by discovering exciting new things. Our feathered friends are also prone to destruction and may rip apart even their number-one pick, so let them have toys they’re free to tear up.
If you direct their destructive energies into cheap toys, you’ll avoid having your curtains or furniture played with. Make sure you monitor their actions to avoid any choking hazards, but otherwise, encourage their reign of terror over shredded paper.
How do you make bird toys out of household items?
You likely already have a few of their favorites lying around: rope, branches, cloth, pinecones, paper, and coconut shells. For some of these, you can set them in the cage and let them take the lead. Just be sure you don’t give your bird anything unsafe.
Rope will make a good swing or “chew” toy, though it can also pose a hazard if there’s a possibility of them getting caught up in it. Branches similarly will bring in bugs or other parasites if you just pick them up from outside. You can order these items specially made for birds, or you can simply pass along items like old wooden spoons that you no longer need. Gather a pile of materials that you imagine might make a good toy, or pieces of one, and start planning out your designs.
How do you make homemade parrot toys?
Now that you have your ingredients, it’s time to build a few things for your birdie. A mirror attached to the cage will keep your avian occupied for hours while they size up themself. Also try a food toy, like a pine cone dipped in seed and berries (use peanut butter as your glue, not honey; honey is bad for birds).
Get clever by hiding food or tying it to a string just out of reach to force them to think critically to get at the treat. Consider throwing in straw or hay to keep your bird’s beak busy. There are almost endless possibilities once you gather all the potential building blocks from your home.
What shouldn’t your bird play with?
Even though we’re sure you’ll find a lot of good playthings, you don’t want to introduce any unsafe materials to your bird’s home. Stay away from plastic, especially any small pieces that they might accidentally swallow. Additionally, thin plastic (such as a bag or cling wrap) could suffocate them.
The same goes for aluminum foil or other small metal bits you don’t want mistakenly ingested. Any wood you provide should be untreated, without splinters, and unlikely to break into small pieces. Lastly, chains and hooks often come with edges or gaps that will catch your animal, or worse, tangle them up.
How do I make my bird not bored?
Birds need a lot of mental stimulation, as much as a cat or dog, and should not be treated as a starter pet. Many experts recommend taking your pet out of the cage frequently and letting them fly around in a safe space (you can set aside one proofed room for them).
As part of this, you may decide to invest in bird training, including housebreaking. That way, birdie will fly around but not cover your house in droppings. Training can also provide mental and physical exercise. Lots of these little guys love to learn tricks and commands. Lastly, DIY toys don’t replace the basics, such as perches and a big cage — both of these are necessary for any flyer.
Our conclusions on DIY bird toys
Using household items to create toys for your bird sounds like a great plan, in theory. We all know that life often gets in the way of DIY projects, though. If you find that’s the case, go ahead and pick up a few all-purpose objects that will distract and enthrall your pet. Once you’ve tried a few different things on her, you’ll start to get a good idea of what they prefer, so that you can invest (or scavenge) more of those items. Perhaps you’ll discover you have a bird that loves to swing or chew.
The key here is that these toys don’t replace your bird’s need for consistent human interaction (or consistent exercise). While you want to have numerous items on hand for their enjoyment, it’s just as important that you’re there, too.
