oooooh a newbie member and on my patch........... lol

Welcome to Birdline xxx

Hi. My birds like my straw toys. I use paper straws to make shapes in a similar vein to 'corn dollies'. As I build them I fill them with shredded paper and walnuts. I make small ones for foot toys and large ones to hang in the cages. The birds love them sooooo much I now have to make them out of sight, otherwise they try to take them from me before they are completed. One pack of paper straws is £2.99 and makes about 5 large toys. I don't have photos - but will try at the weekend, and then have the mammoth task of learning to attach them to a message.

 Huge thank you to all of you.  You are all fab.  

Making these are keeping me busy and Enzo is enjoying himself  

 Hiya

As you may have gathered I'm not the best on this thread thingy and more so to being a member.  Any tips or advice?  What does an ACO do?  Do you hold local meets or anything?  I am hoping to go on the rehoming list to get a companion for my Enzo.  

Tina

I brought some rather large coconuts, got hubby to saw them in half, drilled 2 holes in the top and bottom, threaded some string to hold both parts together, stuffed them with treats and hung them in the cages. wow the ammy loved his so much, hes took all the straw stuff off the coconuts and then found the treats inside, the cockatoos just look at them with a blank look, were waiting for one of them to have a go. all good fun. maybe will be able to use them again once they get the hang of things.

wendy xx

Asda often sell whole coconuts

That play area looks absolutely amazing!!! *heads off to nearest B&Q..*

Very good ideas here, thank you all for sharing

I'm having trouble with rocky -alexandrine - he loves to chew and has destroyed many toys - he can unfasten the clips and loves chewing the metal bits - he had a wooden cargo net thing he loved to perch on but destroyed it - we put another one up this time he snipped the metal so it was dangerous and had to be removed. We have now bought a large parrot ladder cut off 2 inches off the botton fixed hooks at the end and put this across the cage higher up so he now perches on this - loves it but has started chewing the rungs oh no! He had two large hanging bamboo toys and loves to chew off the wood sections then starts on the change and snips it - I'm worried it will damage his beak or he'll swallow something he shouldn't. We bought this large bamboo toy saturday today it only has one chain left. I would love to find a cheaper alternative. need to know again what rope is safe? and what wood is safe. his cage looks like matchsticks when he finishes and sometimes he wont come out of his cage he's enjoying himself so much. Advice always welcome

For rope, sisal is safe and about the cheapest. We use coir rope (made from coconut 'hair'). Depending on how thick and what length you buy, it comes around £1.50 to £2 per metre. You can unravel some of it to thinner strands if you want.

If I remember rightly, Shell made up her own cargo net using rope of 2 sizes and plastic cable ties. (I use these to fix our boys toys to their playstand.)

Most people on here use Trafalgar marine, I believe. I use these: http://www.cheaprope.co.uk/ - Shaz recommended them. They are speedy helpful and I can recommend their coir. Incidentally, don't be tempted to buy fenders for boats. Although they are made of sisal, they are often treated with some waterproofing chemicals, which may not be bird-safe.

The other option is to get someone local who is willing to cut branches of their bird-safe trees (lists of these are also available on the web). As l,ong as they aren't chemical-treated and they are definitely not poisonous, Rocky can chew on them to his heart's content. (Oh, and pine cones are good for that too!)

Good luck with your hunt for cheaper and safe toys x.

Off cuts of pine from local wood suppliers or go to B&Q in a sale and buy lots of different shaped wood, skirting board, decorative bits of wood, really really cheap and drill holes and thread on chains etc.

I spent £8, took hubby 30 mins chopping and drilling. I coloured some, left others plain and stored them all in a toy box which lasted my prolific chewer 3 months.

Did this after he destroyed a wooden toy costing £18 in less than an hour. I can't afford his expensive habits LOL LOL

Does anyone know if manila natural fibre rope is safe ?
Emma

Does anyone know if manila natural fibre rope is safe ?
Emma

Emma, i once bought a 10 mtr length of Manilla but really wasn't happy with the ''oil'' content. I actually murdered my washer ... i put it in on a boil wash and cuz of the weight didn't dare spin but of course it had increased in size so it was a heck of a struggle to get it out of the drum!!!
i might be wrong, but i am sure someone told me that Manilla is made up of all the 'rubbish', i know the length i got had various black strands in it. I personally will only use Sisal or Coir.
shaz

Thanks Shaz really appreciate it x x Emma

Screwfix direct sell sisal rope about £7 for 30 mtrs untreated . Also wilkinsons sell oldfashioned pegs about £1.50 for 25 wooden wine racks are good as are wooden spoons