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Inexpensive Bird Toys

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It is important for birds to receive adequate mental stimulation in order to keep from becoming bored, depressed, and destructive. The easiest way to fulfill this need is to supply your pet with plenty of bird-safe toys.

It is not necessary to purchase expensive toys to keep your bird happy!

Because birds need their toys to be changed out frequently, and because many times their toys end up shredded, broken, or otherwise torn apart, it can help to have a few extras on hand. One creative way to provide your bird with fun toys is to make them yourself at home.

Cardboard toys are clean, non-toxic, disposable, and fun – all of which make them wonderful for both birds and owners. Toilet paper rolls, small individual serving cereal boxes, snack size boxes of raisins. The cereal and raisin boxes are also a wonderful treat. Your bird will have the best rime tearing into them and getting the inside treats. Once the box is empty they proceed in shredding the rest of the box up.

Plastic medicine bottles and spice bottles with the lids on are always a favorite. Make sure to clean them well before giving them to your bird. Small plastic oleo tubs with treats hidden inside will amuse your feathered friend for hours.

Try stringing a variety of different size pastas (uncooked) on ropes and hanging them in your birds’ cages. My birds love moving the pieces up and down on the ropes and playing with them. They also enjoy a tasty morsel or two and the pasta is good for them.

Another idea is to take a whole coconut and drain it using a hammer and a nail. Leave the meat right inside the shell but cut it in half, width-wise and drill a hole into each end of the coconut. Wash it thoroughly. String one piece of it with a cotton rope or chain or whatever you have that is birdie safe. Knot one end so the coconut doesn’t slide off. Tie the other end to the top of the cage so it hangs down. Your birds will love eating the coconut out of the shell. Use the other half for another bird, save it in the refrigerator, or cut out the meat and enjoy a snack along with your bird.

For another fun and tasty treat, take a carrot or a beet, with the top (greens) still on, and make a hole close to the thick end. Put a short piece of string through it. Take a carrot peeler and peel down the side of the carrot without removing actually removing the peels. Do this all around the carrot or beet and you will have a carrot mop that your bird will hopefully play with and sample.

Owning birds can be a great deal of fun but they can also be quite costly to keep entertained. Hopefully these little tidbits help you keep your bird happy (and healthy).

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About Author

Devoted pet owner and now, devoted pet editor, Judi worked in traditional offices, keeping the books and the day-to-day operations organized. Taking her dog to work every day for over a decade never seemed odd. Neither did having an office cat. She knows what it's like to train a new puppy and she's experienced the heartache of losing beloved companions. Retired, she currently lives with her spoiled dog and four chickens (who are, interestingly enough, also spoiled).

6 Comments

  1. wow thats a GREAT idea about the Coconut ! We rescuded a Blue and Gold from really bad place, Shes an awesome Bird ! ans Ive been wondering how to make a cool toy.. Coconuts cost about $3.00 so a peice of cotten rope and some chain, and you have a nice toy and a treat for them .
    Ive found that Bird toys are the Most expensive ones on the market today, I also foster Dogs so My wallet is going to like this idea..
    got any ideas about home made toys for dogs ?
    because there was a Dog Treat Recall for Pig Ears and Cows Hooves.. I forget the companys name but you can google it.. it was just a few days ago.
    Thanks for the info
    Craig from Saveyourpets.Info

  2. Our two birds are an African Grey and a Sun Conure. Both of them love an empty box, especially an oatmeal box. Even a paper bag is great. They hide in them, make windows and snuggle down to nap in them. We avoid metal or sharp edges.

  3. One of my two budgies recently became missing. Wwhen i was cleaning the cage one of them flew away. Luckily it was found by the Lost Pet Locator guys. But I think this is a great idea. I don’t think their cage was entertaining enough for them both to enjoy at times and they were getting bored. So I have bought a bigger cage for them both and some Pig Ears for them to gnaw at. I think the coconut idea is brilliant and I’m going to try it out. Home made toys can just be as good as the ones on the high street – so thanks for the heads up!

  4. Turn Your Pet Into A Well Behaved Family Member on

    My bird’s favorite toy have always been their calcium chew treat. They gnaw on those almost constantly, and they’re healthy for them, as well.

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This post contains affiliate links, which means we earn a commission for sales referred from links on our site. We're also Amazon Associates, so we may earn from those qualifying purchases, too. Learn more!