DIY Bird Toys: 10 Safe Foraging Toys Every Bird Owner Must Try!

Tiny Treasure Hunt (For Small Birds) 🦜

Materials: Seagrass mat, small vine balls, bird-safe cotton string, millet spray, and mini paper cups.

1. Cut a small square of seagrass mat to fit in your bird’s cage.
2. Tie little vine balls and mini paper cups to the mat with bird-safe cotton string, leaving a bit of space for wiggling.
3. Hide tiny pieces of millet spray inside the vine balls and cups. For a healthier treat option, try stuffing the vine balls with UnRuffledRx Avian Naturals like dried veggies or herbs.
4. Hang the mat inside the cage and watch your small-beaked friend go on a treasure hunt!

This one is perfect for parakeets and lovebirds who love to explore tiny spaces.

Crunchy Corn Chew (For Medium Birds) 🌽

Materials: Corn husks, banana leaf strips, vine rings, bird-safe sisal rope, and stainless steel quick link.

1. Grab some dried corn husks and cut them into long, thin strips.
2. Weave banana leaf strips and corn husks through the vine rings to create layers of texture and fun.
3. Thread the vine rings onto the sisal rope and tie knots in between each one for extra chewing action.
4. For an extra treat, stuff some Avian Naturals treats like dried fruits or seeds into the vine rings!
5. Attach the toy to a stainless steel quick link and hang it in your bird’s cage.

This is an ideal toy for conures or caiques who love to chew and shred!

Leafy Loofa Swing (For Large Birds) 🍃

Materials: Loofa slices, magnolia leaves, wooden beads, stainless steel chain, and leather cord.

1. Thread a stainless steel chain through thick slices of loofa and add a few magnolia leaves in between.
2. For added fun, toss in some large wooden beads.
3. Secure the chain with leather cord, making sure to leave extra loops for your bird to grip with its feet.
4. Hang the swing and let your big-beaked buddy go to town on their leafy, textured swing!

Pod Puzzle (For Curious Birds of All Sizes) 🤔

Materials: Assorted natural pods, banana leaf rope, and cardboard egg carton.

1. Fill a few natural pods with treats like seeds or dried fruits. For an extra healthy option, hide some UnRuffledRx Avian Naturals inside for your bird to forage!
2. Tie the pods together with banana leaf rope to form a dangling cluster.
3. For an extra challenge, poke small holes in the egg carton and hide some treats inside before attaching it to the cluster.
4. Hang this puzzle in the cage and watch your bird work to find the hidden goodies!

Vine Ball Bonanza (For Birds Who Love a Challenge)

Materials: Vine balls, stainless steel skewer, paper crinkle, and dried fruit pieces.

1. Stuff the vine balls with paper crinkle and tiny pieces of dried fruit. You can also pack them with Avian Naturals healthy snacks like dried greens or herbs for a foraging boost!
2. Slide the vine balls onto a stainless steel skewer, alternating with wooden beads or chunks of natural wood.
3. Secure both ends of the skewer, making sure the vine balls are packed tight.
4. Hang it in your bird’s cage and let the foraging fun begin!

A Hanging Chinese Finger Trap Toy

Remember those Chinese Finger Traps from childhood? Well, birds love them too! You can get a pack of these super cheap. Stuff the traps with dried fruit or nuts, then wrap them in bird-safe paper for an extra challenge. Use simple raffia to hang the traps in your bird’s cage, and let them go wild! This one is perfect for smaller birds with tiny beaks, who might struggle with tougher materials.

For a healthy treat option, try stuffing them with UnRuffledRx Avian Naturals dried fruit or nuts!

Coffee Filter Hanger

Got some extra coffee filters lying around? Here’s a cool idea: roll up your bird’s favorite dried foods, fruits, or nuts in an unbleached coffee filter. Tie it up with raffia and hang it from the cage for your bird to shred and explore! Want more fun? Stack a few coffee filters together, with a bit of food hidden between each layer, and let your bird tear through to find the goodies—it's like a coffee filter pinecone adventure!

For extra enrichment, stuff the layers with Avian Naturals treats.

The Dishwasher Foraging Basket

This idea is a crowd favorite and has gone viral on Pinterest for good reason! Grab a Munchkin Brand Dishwasher Basket, secure it to the side of your bird’s cage with plastic zip ties, and stuff it with veggies, fruits, or nuts in the shell. Your bird will love reaching through the slots to pull out their treats. It’s a great way to engage their natural foraging instincts. Just make sure to remove any fresh veggies after a few hours to keep things fresh!

Hanging Fruit Skewer

Sometimes the simplest toys are the best. Grab a stainless-steel skewer, thread it through some fruit like apple slices, grapes, or even chunks of veggie, and hang it in your bird’s cage. Your bird will enjoy pecking at the fruit, just like they would in the wild! Just remember to remove the fruit after a couple of hours to avoid spoilage.

Wrapper Foraging Toy

Time to get creative! Take a large leaf of kale, spinach, or lettuce, place some of your bird’s favorite dried treats in the middle, and roll it up like a burrito. Tie off the ends with some bird-safe raffia and let your bird unwrap their leafy treasure. This is a fun way to give your bird a challenge while adding some fresh greens to their diet!

Bird Toy Safety Tips

Each DIY bird toy offers enrichment, mental stimulation, and healthy chewing action to keep your feathered friend busy and happy! But safety always comes first. When making your bird's toys, it's important to source parts from respected, US-based companies with quality control standards that ensure bird-safe materials. Here are some key things to remember when crafting and choosing bird toys:

🛠 Use Just One Strand

When hanging your bird’s foraging toys, use only one strand of raffia, hemp, or any bird-safe string, and cut it just long enough to tie the toy securely. Using more than that can pose a risk of tangling around your bird, which can lead to serious injury. It’s a tough thing to think about, but being aware of it means you can take the right precautions.

🔧 Choose the Right Materials

Be mindful of the metals you use. Zinc and nickel can be toxic to birds over time, so stick with stainless steel, specifically marine-grade, for any hardware you include. This is especially important if you’re making toys that your bird will interact with frequently.

🍎 Watch Out for Toxic Foods

Always consult with your avian vet about which foods are safe for your bird, especially when adding foraging treats. Some fruits, like apples, have seeds that are toxic to birds, so be sure to remove them before including these in your bird’s toys.

👀 Monitor Your Bird’s Play

Different birds react differently to new toys. Pay attention to how your bird interacts with any new item you introduce. Even bird-safe toys, like coffee filter hangers or finger traps, could pose a risk if your bird decides to chew on something they shouldn’t. Supervision is key, especially during those first play sessions.

🥗 Don’t Overfeed

More food doesn’t mean more love. It’s important to feed your bird the right amount of nutrients based on their size and species. If you’re unsure how much to give, reach out to your vet to make sure your bird stays healthy and happy.

⚠️ Safety First

While these DIY ideas are generally safe when used correctly, it’s up to you to take the necessary precautions. Always monitor your bird when they first start playing with a new toy and make adjustments if needed. Accidents can happen, so it’s important to be aware and proactive in creating a safe environment for your bird.

🐦 Have Fun and Stay Safe

Making toys for your bird should be fun, but safety always comes first. Trusted companies like Bird Toy Parts offer safe, high-quality materials, and when it comes to foraging treats, UnRuffledRx Avian Naturals is a great option for adding healthy, enriching snacks to your bird’s playtime. Get creative, be safe, and enjoy the process of making toys your bird will love!
Read 5 Important Ways To Keep Your Bird Entertained When You're Not At Home.

Related Posts:

Best Cockatiel Toys: Ultimate Cockatiel Fun Guide

Enriching African Grey Toys Your Bird Will Love

Ultimate Guide to Safe Bird Toys for Your Pet Bird

5 Important Ways To Keep Your Bird Entertained

Choosing Safe Large Bird Toys

5 DYI Bird Foraging Toys

References:

ParrotUp. (2021, August 18). 12 household items you can use for parrot toys. ParrotUp. https://parrotup.com/blogs/news/12-household-items-you-can-use-for-parrot-toys

Red Bluff Animal Hospital. (2024, July 3). Homemade bird toys. Red Bluff Animal Hospital. https://redbluffanimalhospital.com/2024/07/03/homemade-bird-toys/

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Diane Burroughs, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in avian anxiety disorders, nervous bird behaviors, and overall bird care. With training in ABA therapy and certification in Nutrition For Mental Health, Diane has authored several books on bird behavior and offers expert consultations for resolving issues like feather plucking and bird anxiety..

Her work has been featured in the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery and presented at Exoticscon. Diane also mediates the Feather Plucking Help group on Facebook, offering support to parrot owners. With over 30 years of experience, Diane has developed thousands of successful individualized behavior plans, promoting parrot wellness and excellent bird care.

TAGS: #DIYBirdToys #ForagingToysForBirds #BirdForagingToys