How to Make a Homemade Rope Net for a Conure

A variety of parrot, conures are frequently chosen as family pets due to their friendly, social nature. Though some species may be loud or prone to biting, most conures are considered intelligent and playful, making delightful pets that interact well with humans. As they enjoy exploring and climbing, a climbing net toy in their cage allows them the benefits of both exercise and play. Larger nets may cost up to $100 or more, but for the cost of rope, bird owners can make a simple climbing net themselves for far less.

Things You'll Need

  • Natural fiber rope
  • Scissors
  • Small toys (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Purchase a spool of 3/8-inch natural fiber rope, such as cotton or hemp. Conures are not heavy birds and do not require a thick rope to hold them as they climb. Purchase enough rope to complete the desired size of climbing net. As a guide, a net that's 2 feet by 3 feet requires about 100 feet of rope.

    • 2

      Choose the type of knot you wish to use in the net. There are many variations of netting knots, but a simple knot -- such as the overhand knot -- can be used for a conure's climbing net; the bird's weight will not apply enough pressure to require more complicated knotting techniques for support. Some conures may be able to undo a simple overhand knot; double- or triple-knotting is recommended to prevent this.

    • 3

      Cut lengths of rope with the scissors. Add 6 inches of rope for every knot. To achieve a net that is 24 inches across and 36 inches long, cut seven rope lengths 72 inches (6 feet) long and six rope lengths 60 inches (5 feet) long to cross the longer ropes.

    • 4

      Lay the ropes across each other in a square grid pattern, creating squares approximately 5 inches wide. Leave approximately 5 inches of rope at the top and at both sides to allow for hanging the net in the conure's cage.

    • 5

      Begin at one corner of the net; where the first two ropes intersect, tie a simple overhand knot: Simply cross the two ropes and slip one rope end under and through the crossed ropes. Pull this tight and then repeat the action to create the knot. If you wish to make the knot larger, you can complete this motion a third time. As you work on each knot, you will be pulling the ropes out of the grid pattern temporarily.

    • 6

      Continue the knot-tying step down the rope length, creating knots approximately every 5 inches, where the ropes intersect, to create the net squares. When the first length is done to the bottom, move to the top of the net and begin creating knots down the length of the second rope. If you need to reposition the ropes to create the visual grid as an aid, do so. Look at it closely before continuing to make the knots. If the rope does not lay flat after knots have been made, pull both lengths of rope straight before securing each intersection with the double or triple knot.

    • 7

      Using the rope length left at the top of the net and on either one or both sides, hang the net in the conure's cage and secure it to the sides with double or triple overhand knots.