Homemade Bird Toys

Keep your pet bird entertained by making simple homemade bird toys. Remember that your bird will chew on any toy you make, so use only materials that are safe for your bird to ingest. Wood, for example should be free of chemical treatments. To add color to your homemade toys, use vegetable dyes or unsweetened drink mix because other dyes could be harmful to your bird if ingested. Replace your homemade toys as they show signs of wear.

  1. Rope and Block

    • A small block of untreated wood threaded through with a piece of cotton rope knotted at each end will make an easy and entertaining toy for your pet bird. Your bird will be entertained and challenged as he tries to remove the rope from the block of wood. He may walk from side to side around the block, trying to figure out how to remove the rope, or even carry the block around, providing him with additional physical activity. Instead of using a wooden block, you could also use large wooden beads. Just make sure any wood is untreated and safe for your bird.

    Bottle Toy

    • Birds are very intelligent and enjoy trying to solve puzzles. Give your pet bird a small, clear plastic bottle into which you have placed several brightly colored bird-safe objects. He will be intrigued by the objects that he can see but not reach, and will enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out a way to release the objects. Your bird will probably eventually bite his way into the bottle, so make sure the objects inside do not represent a choking hazard. A food treat inside the bottle will provide positive reinforcement for your bird's problem solving abilities once the bottle has been breached.

    Cardboard Swing

    • Suspend the cardboard tube from a roll of toilet paper in your bird's cage using a clean shoestring. This toy will challenge your bird physically and intellectually as she tries to balance on the swing and extricate the tube. For an additional challenge, thread some wooden beads on the shoestring as well.

    Popsicle Stick Ladder

    • Birds enjoy climbing and chewing. You can combine these favorite activities in a single toy: a Popsicle stick ladder. Thread together several Popsicle sticks using cotton string and wooden beads as spacers. You can use one thread through the middle of a group of Popsicle sticks, or thread at either end to create a more traditional looking ladder. Either way, your bird will enjoy climbing and chewing his way to the top. Attach a bird-safe bell to the ladder to provide auditory stimulation.