Toymaking - it's addictive!

[indybirds]

I just finished up my third toy for the night, and I'm wishing I could make more but unfortunately work comes early tomorrow. Making toys is really fun! I used to make bead necklaces and bracelets when I was a teen, and sell them at little stores, so this really takes me back in the day, too :icon_smil

Thought I'd share a pic of my three toys. The first toy I made is kinda small because I measured the string wrong, but the last two are a lot longer, about 18" or so.

Sorry if the pics are a little fuzzy. I took them in low light. Not too bad for an amateur toymaker? I hope my little Lingo enjoys them.

[indybirds]

Originally Posted by ParrotletLover

They look awesome! Lingo'll love 'em!

Thankee kindly, Blake! :icon_mrgr

[The Outlaw]

You have done well, Grasshopper (LOL). May I suggest that you not make them too long however. These are for a Cockatiel, right? If you make them too imposing, you may in fact frighten him.

I once made a toy prize for a little conure. It was our Halloween month prize and I had made a wooden bat cutout and hung little ghosts under it on leathers. I had painted it black with orange eyes and even fangs. What the HELL was I thinking?! Scared the poor little thing to death (LOL). I still feel badly about that one. Frankly, had I given (and I did in fact) that same toy to the macaws, they wouldn't have cared one little bit.

When you create toys, you have to think about what that looks like to them from their perspective.

THE OUTLAW

[danforth3]

The toys look good. Mine would love them--all those beads--oh boy! I see them licking their beaks now.

They are a little long, but it should not be too bad. Mine love the long ones--I make a variety around 12 inches to 18 inches on average as well as some short ones to hang on the side of the cage for those moments of I must beak something.

Good work! Your tiel will love them. A suggestion, if your breeder will permit it, bring one of them for him to have with him until he comes home.

[indybirds]

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

You have done well, Grasshopper (LOL). May I suggest that you not make them too long however. These are for a Cockatiel, right? If you make them too imposing, you may in fact frighten him.

I once made a toy prize for a little conure. It was our Halloween month prize and I had made a wooden bat cutout and hung little ghosts under it on leathers. I had painted it black with orange eyes and even fangs. What the HELL was I thinking?! Scared the poor little thing to death (LOL). I still feel badly about that one. Frankly, had I given (and I did in fact) that same toy to the macaws, they wouldn't have cared one little bit.

When you create toys, you have to think about what that looks like to them from their perspective.

THE OUTLAW

Why, thank you

Y'know, it never occurred to me that the toy might be too big for him. I just figured that since his cage is kinda tall (I think it's 27" or something like that) he might like to be able to chew from the top perch, or the bottom one :icon_smil But I'll make some that are a little smaller, or maybe thinner near one end or the other, so that the whole toy doesn't look so big.

Great idea, thanks!

[indybirds]

Originally Posted by danforth3

The toys look good. Mine would love them--all those beads--oh boy! I see them licking their beaks now.

They are a little long, but it should not be too bad. Mine love the long ones--I make a variety around 12 inches to 18 inches on average as well as some short ones to hang on the side of the cage for those moments of I must beak something.

Good work! Your tiel will love them. A suggestion, if your breeder will permit it, bring one of them for him to have with him until he comes home.

Do you think he'll associate the toy with me? There are two other birds who share his cage. I don't mind if they chew on them too. Or is it because he'll have a little peice of something from his old cage, when he comes home? That's a good idea though, I'll ask them.

Anytime my dogs have to stay over at the vet, I send them along with one of their fave toys. So it makes sense. :icon_smil

[indybirds]

A question...

How many toys should you have in the cage at once? I've got enough supplies to make about 15 toys. I figure all 15 shouldn't be in at once though <VBG> :icon_smil

[The Outlaw]

As a rule, for a smaller bird, you would want the following items in the cage:

Seed dish, food dish, water dish or bottle.
At LEAST 3 perches of different circumferences
Spray of millet
Cuttlebone or mineral block
Swing or a boing
3 toys

I would also include a treat cage filled with veggies and fruit.

It is better to have fewer toys and rotate them often than to crowd his cage where he can't easily move around. I usually rotate mine on Saturday when I steam all of the cages. I them switch out the toys or move the birds to different cages.

THE OUTLAW

[danforth3]

Originally Posted by indybirds

Do you think he'll associate the toy with me? There are two other birds who share his cage. I don't mind if they chew on them too. Or is it because he'll have a little peice of something from his old cage, when he comes home? That's a good idea though, I'll ask them.

Anytime my dogs have to stay over at the vet, I send them along with one of their fave toys. So it makes sense. :icon_smil

I've done that with my fids who stay until weaned and bring the toy home with us when we return. It is something familar for them in a place with new faces, sounds, scents, objects, etc.

As for the number of toys in the cage my 2 tiels share a cage and they have about 8 suspended toys in it and about 4 foot toys. My caique has a dozen or so counting foot toys, my senegal has about 12 toys including foot toys. The number of toys will depend upon your birds desire for toys and the size of your cage--the larger your cage, the more toys.

[carriesb]

Wow those are nice!! you did a great job and you'll learn your birds needs as you go. As far as how many toys with tiels I don't think you should have to many because if they have a night fright which hopefully they won't there's alot of things to bang on but it also depends on the size of the cage. My tiels cage is pretty big so she has about 6 hanging toys.