Playstand ideas?

[binobina]

Fumm...I think I need to plan a trip to HomeDepot or to Moutain sometime... I love those natural trees, but in the city, I do not think I can find those... How are all heavy trees attached so easily to the base? just screws??

[AUFishHead]

Long wood screws (several per branch) with a tight fit or lag bolts

[jriley]

Wow, some really great stands here! If you're having a hard time finding (or affording) all that great natural wood, I will share my quickie version that I did for my Amazon. I went to Home Depot and bought a PVC fence post. I used shelf brackets to attach it to a 3x3 wood piece and let about an inch protrude through a hole I cut in that wood piece. I put molding around the wood square to make a tray. I put thick felt on each corner to protect the floor (moves around just fine and doesn't scratch my wood floor like wheels can). I then drilled holes of various sizes through the post and inserted dowels completely through. Make the holes a bit smaller than the dowel width so they don't slide around. I then took thick braided sisal rope and wound it around the whole contraption so he could get from branch to branch. I put eye screws into the dowels to hang toys from. The dowels are 3/8 to 1/2 inch diameter (if I remember right, I just chose various sizes that looked right for his feet). We wrapped some with sisal to help him grip them since dowels can be hard to grip. You could use natural safe wood branches with this design but may have a hard time securing them to the post since they wouldn't likely go all the way through like the dowels.

Funny thing is, after I put all that work into it he ended up only wanting to use the highest branch. I had heard Amazons loved to do acrobatics and climb around, but he just wanted to sit high. He's much happier running around on his playtop on the new cage I just bought him than climbing around. Guess every bird has its own style.

Julie Riley

[Canadian Chick]

I am in the process of making my first playstand. It's for Kiwi for Christmas! I am hoping he loves it. I will post pictures when it's all completed. I was just looking at all the pictures on this thread for some fun toys to make and put on the stand. Lots of good ideas!! Just wondering what kind of wood and beads are safe to use for an Alex. I tried searching for safe woods, but didn't have much luck. I did see the thread that contained a bunch of links to sites that will ship various toy making parts, but I was hoping to find something local (Alberta). If not, then I will get them shipped. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks.

[Winger1200]

Jane, your playtower is awesome and an inspiration to make one for my B&G Macaw, Gracie. She has a tall, yet compact two level PVC playtower in front of the bay window, as seen in the Pets album of my Gallery. It had to be PVC because she wipes her beak on it and the PVC is soo easy to clean. Her table perch is also of easy to clean plastic, bought at the thrift shop for under five bucks. I think a natural wood playtower like yours would be great because each branch can easily replaced. Gracie is actually a colorful can opener and wood chipper at any time, so easy branch replacement makes a real difference! And, I will find branches with lots of twig crotches to hide her nuts & dry food in to keep her busy foraging ; )
Special thanks to all for the inspirational photos!
Cheers, Susan
Gallery & Pet Portraits
PictureTrail

[AndreaSctlnd]

Originally Posted by Canadian Chick

I am in the process of making my first playstand. It's for Kiwi for Christmas! I am hoping he loves it. I will post pictures when it's all completed. I was just looking at all the pictures on this thread for some fun toys to make and put on the stand. Lots of good ideas!! Just wondering what kind of wood and beads are safe to use for an Alex. I tried searching for safe woods, but didn't have much luck. I did see the thread that contained a bunch of links to sites that will ship various toy making parts, but I was hoping to find something local (Alberta). If not, then I will get them shipped. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks.

I have heard that apple wood is good to use.