# New Perch/Swing I made



## MeanneyFids

the two love it. put a wiffle ball in the net with carrots and brocholli in it and attached some raffia toys and they play on it a lot. just made it yesterday. made from an old rope perch that the screws wore down. used jute to tie it and make the netting to hold the wiffle ball. raffia as an additional touch.


----------



## tielmom

You are so creative...just watch those strings


----------



## Annie

Hey, can you tell me how you join the rope perch to form the circle? I'm about to replace Sunny's current rope perch because, as you said, the screws have worn down, and I would like to try and make what you made but I'm not sure how I would make the circle. You are so creative!


----------



## MyDestiny

OMG Dally!! That is fantastic!! I went to go buy some new toys yesterday and you put the pet store toys to shame!!!!! 

I think I'll just come shopping for toys at your house next time!!

Kudos to you!!!

~MD


----------



## MeanneyFids

well the circle parts not hard, if the rope perch has a wire in it, which normally they do. bend it into a circle, and the part where u screw the nob onto, attach those together. i buy the walmart rope perches cuz theyre cheap and good, but the screws wear down fast. the screw part of it should have a space between the two sides. interlock the two screws. if you cant, get them as close together as you can and wind cotton twine, hemp, or jute around them to secure them together.

as for the string, its jute ive read that its bird safe but there is the concern of the fine little threads like the sisal. im watching the jute for wear, any sign, it will be replaced. they dont really chew on it anyways. they like the raffia a lot more lol

and i got some ideas for toys randomly around. this thing i randomly thought of and im prolly gonna add onto it as my other rope perches wear. i tend to recycle a lot of my supplies as i cant afford new toys so often so i make them.

another fun toy idea is a lava rock. Tsuka LOVES them. i took a lava rock meant for chinchillas and strung raffia through it and attached some beads. they love that toy a lot. my two dont really play with store toys. the few i had originally bought, i took apart and made into other toys lol they play with them now


----------



## Annie

MyDestiny said:


> OMG Dally!! That is fantastic!! I went to go buy some new toys yesterday and you put the pet store toys to shame!!!!!
> 
> I think I'll just come shopping for toys at your house next time!!
> 
> Kudos to you!!!
> 
> ~MD



Yeah I agree. Can we just buy bird toys through you? Just promise you'll charge less than the pet stores.


----------



## MeanneyFids

lol i wish i could. but payment for shipping may be a concern. remember, that costs too on top of product.... id say, pay shipment full. id have no problem with that. u pay for shipment prices, i have no problem making toys for anyone in Canada. it also depends on supplies i have lol


----------



## MeanneyFids

but, its prolly best for everyone, cheaper too, if i just tell you guys how to make them lol. i may as well start up some youtube videos for you guys telling u how to make them. this way, its free for everyone. ill get on that lol and theyd be step by step!


----------



## MeanneyFids

ill try to get some up soon.


----------



## Annie

YEAH!!!!!!!! :clap: Please do it soon. It'll be a great help. Looking forward to those YouTube videos. :thumbu: And start with how to make the one with that rope perch and the one with the lava rock.  You can call them "the DallyTsuka's Bird Toys for Dummies series". :lol:


----------



## MeanneyFids

lol ill have to take apart my swing toy and remake it for the video that means.... lol that one may be a bit complicated. its easy to put it together but im not all that sure how to dissasemble it properly. that one i will draw a diagram for, ok?


----------



## MeanneyFids

wait, tielmom i just realized what strings ur talking about. ya dally likes to preen those. they were part of another bird toy that i disassembled. it was a kabob toy originally but my two dont like the kabobs


----------



## Annie

DallyTsuka said:


> lol ill have to take apart my swing toy and remake it for the video that means.... lol that one may be a bit complicated. its easy to put it together but im not all that sure how to dissasemble it properly. that one i will draw a diagram for, ok?




No no no don't take apart the one you already made.  Just make a new one for the sake of the video, and once you are done with it, I will be happy to take that second one off your hands for free ...no need to thank me, just happy to be of help. :innocent:

:rofl:


----------



## MeanneyFids

lol i DO have an extra rope perch lying around. ill see how much it costs for shipping and i can send it if its not too much. i have the supplies for one. my other rope perch is going anyways. i took a good look at it. its screws are loose and it wont hold to the bars well so that can be used. ill let you know after i look into it.


----------



## Annie

DallyTsuka said:


> lol i DO have an extra rope perch lying around. ill see how much it costs for shipping and i can send it if its not too much. i have the supplies for one. my other rope perch is going anyways. i took a good look at it. its screws are loose and it wont hold to the bars well so that can be used. ill let you know after i look into it.


No no don't listen to me, I'm just kidding you  Of course I will not make you pay for shipping as it will cost a few bucks (I am quite familiar because I send package quite often, both overseas to friends and relatives and to some friends within the province). And I will not make you make a toy just for me. Even if you do end up with some extra toys and I want them, I will pay you both for your labour  and shipping.


----------



## birdluv

DallyTsuka said:


> but, its prolly best for everyone, cheaper too, if i just tell you guys how to make them lol. i may as well start up some youtube videos for you guys telling u how to make them. this way, its free for everyone. ill get on that lol and theyd be step by step!


That's a great idea. I have a lot of bird toymaking supplies but not alot of creative idea's


----------



## MeanneyFids

not a problem. i dont have that many supplies but i make do with what i have.

and annie, i honestly dont mind, i have the means to make the perch if you want it. its not a huge deal. i just want to find out how much shipping is. if its not too much, then id gladly do it (may take a bit for me to save up the money or will bug my boyfriend to pay but would have to tell him id be paid for the toy itself for him to consider it lol) and it wont be EXACTLY the same but i can figure it out. i need to see if i have something to weigh down the netting (the ball of rope at the bottom) i think i do though but not the same one. i even have extra wiffle balls lol


----------



## Annie

Ha ha, I am exactly like Birdluv----I bought tons of supplies but don't have a lot of creative ideas!!! 

DallyTsuka, you are too kind. :innocent: But please DON'T waste your money or get your boyfriend to pay for it.  I have a full-time job and make a decent salary (which is never enough as salaries go but it is decent enough  ) and if I really want you to make me a toy and send it, I will make sure I pay for both postage and labour. But for now, why don't we just stick with the original master plan  of waiting for your fabulous YouTube videos. I will try to make my own toys first by watching your videos, and if I turn out to be a complete failure at it  then I will hire you and pay you to be Sunny's personal toy-maker. Agreed?


----------



## busylittlebee

Oh, I love that! I'd love to get some supplies, I'm just kind of afraid I'd buy something wrong that would be harmful to them, so yes I'd love it if you made some videos


----------



## MyDestiny

Annie you're going to have to share Dally with me too ok? I'm about as creative as a rock! 

We keep this up and she may just have to quit her regular job and become a full-time toy-maker!!! :rofl:


----------



## MeanneyFids

haha or become my regular job. im not employed unfortunately.... still live at home.... looking for work. not easy. sadly i tried selling some of my bird toys at a yard sale to no avail. my boyfriends mom (not a bird owner) sat there and laughed cuz she said no one would buy these.  she doesnt know how much birds like shoelaces, shishkabob sticks, beads, and things like that. silly non bird owners who dont know what birds like lol

i also borrow my boyfriends laptop every other week. so expect me to be absent occasionally.


----------



## MyDestiny

Well at least with your creativity and know-how you can experiment with different toys that you make see who likes what! And next time you have a garage sale let me know, I'll drive the 3 hours! lmao 

I bought Zuess a swing. I put him on it and he looks around like a mad-man trying to figure out how to get OFF of it. Don't think it was a hit.

I bought him a "playground" it's a very simple climber that at the top is a "treat" bucket. It also has a swing. Not a big hit.

Bought him leather string thing with wooden stars all over it that hangs. Not a big hit.

What does he like? Oh. Right. Coming out of the cage to clean himself, and eating. That's about it!


----------



## MeanneyFids

hm..... raffia is a big hit with my two. and i mean big. coconut pieces are a hit.... beads. little loose foot toys in a dish such as small wooden blocks removed from other toys.... shoelaces and shishkabob sticks are big too.


----------



## Cockatiel love

Very snazzy  Talented


----------



## MyDestiny

Can I just go to a hobby shop and buy like those wooden "beads" (squares, circles, stars etc.) that you thread onto leather and hang those? Or put them in a dish loose?

I have a hobby shop just a few minutes from my house!


----------



## Annie

DallyTsuka said:


> haha or become my regular job. im not employed unfortunately.... still live at home.... looking for work. not easy. sadly i tried selling some of my bird toys at a yard sale to no avail. my boyfriends mom (not a bird owner) sat there and laughed cuz she said no one would buy these.  she doesnt know how much birds like shoelaces, shishkabob sticks, beads, and things like that. silly non bird owners who dont know what birds like lol
> 
> i also borrow my boyfriends laptop every other week. so expect me to be absent occasionally.


Hello DallyT,

Nothing shameful about being unemployed and living at home. We've all been there. You will have a good job with a hefty salary one day and when that day comes, don't forget about us...

Re. selling your homemade toys at a garage sale, you're obviously selling it to the wrong crowd. Non-bird owners will not appreciate them of course! Just look at the few toys you featured on this forum---we are all dying to get our hands on them!!! You should try selling them at a parrot show or something and I'm sure your toys will be gone in 5 minutes. Or better yet, sell them on e-bay or something. I mean, if I'm gonna buy a bird toy anyway, and it will cost me the same whether I buy it from a pet store or from you, then of course I would rather buy from you!!! So don't feel bad. You will be the one laughing when you open your own "DallyTsuka's Bird Toys Store" one day (and you can hire your boyfriend and his mom to work there then). Keep it up!


----------



## Annie

MyDestiny said:


> Well at least with your creativity and know-how you can experiment with different toys that you make see who likes what! And next time you have a garage sale let me know, I'll drive the 3 hours! lmao
> 
> I bought Zuess a swing. I put him on it and he looks around like a mad-man trying to figure out how to get OFF of it. Don't think it was a hit.
> 
> I bought him a "playground" it's a very simple climber that at the top is a "treat" bucket. It also has a swing. Not a big hit.
> 
> Bought him leather string thing with wooden stars all over it that hangs. Not a big hit.
> 
> What does he like? Oh. Right. Coming out of the cage to clean himself, and eating. That's about it!


Wahahahaha, now doesn't that sound familiar!:lol: I totally understand because Sunny is the EXACT same way. He and Zuess should be best friends or something. I bought a swing. Sunny looked at it like it was lift-threatening. I bought him a playstand when I first got him, with a ladder and swing. Sunny climbs up the ladder about once every three months. :blink: Spent money on other "parrot toys" from the pet store. Total waste of my hard-earned money.  And finally....spent even more money on wiffle balls, raffia, sisal rope, beads, popsicle sticks, etc. etc. Made a few toys and tried so hard to be creative but they were not nearly as sophisticated as DallyTsuka's creations so Sunny never really liked them...:wacko: So now DallyTsuka's YouTube videos are our only hope.. :rofl:


----------



## MyDestiny

Ooooh .. a play date! A play date where they can just sit and clean themselves and ignore all the fun toys!!

oooh .. a play date where maybe I will find out my bird is a GIRL and yours is a BOY and they can create Zunnys!!! (Zuess & Sunny) hahahahahahaha!


----------



## Annie

MyDestiny said:


> Ooooh .. a play date! A play date where they can just sit and clean themselves and ignore all the fun toys!!
> 
> oooh .. a play date where maybe I will find out my bird is a GIRL and yours is a BOY and they can create Zunnys!!! (Zuess & Sunny) hahahahahahaha!


Wahahahaha, you're killing me...:rofl: Sunny's sex has never really been determined actually. I've been pretending he is a boy all this time because that was what the guy at the pet shop thought but it hasn't really been confirmed so there's still a chance that Sunny could turn out to be a girl. So if you're not sure of Zuess' sex, and I'm not sure of Sunny's sex, who knows what they will produce if they get together? I guess we'll find out then who is the boy and who is the girl when one of them starts laying eggs!!! Love the "Zunnys". Oh this is hilarious....thanks for the laugh. :lol:


----------



## MeanneyFids

actually its my boyfriends and my goal in life to open a petstore and sell our homemade stuff. he makes hammocs and toys for his chinchillas, i make stuff for my birds. and also we'd be selling a small number of birds and other pets--mostly from local breeders, rescues, and people no longer able to take care of their pets.... well take it in and sell to a good home. thats our goal. and i personally believe in reasonable prices... god who ever wants to buy a small fun bird toy for over $5?? honestly its unreasonable. if i were to make these rope swings to sell, because of the rope perch itself being $5 at first, i'd sell the toy for maybe $7 total. to me thats reasonable for time, effort, and supplies. since they only take me 10 min to make.


----------



## MyDestiny

And if they BOTH lay eggs - then we have an issue. We'll have nobody to fertilize those eggs and there will be no Zunny's at all! *crying* 

I have no way of telling what Zuess is so I'm pretending Zuess is a boy, but I can pretend its a girl if I can have baby ones! lol Can you tell by looking at my pics whether Zuess is a boy or girl?


----------



## Annie

MyDestiny said:


> And if they BOTH lay eggs - then we have an issue. We'll have nobody to fertilize those eggs and there will be no Zunny's at all! *crying*
> 
> I have no way of telling what Zuess is so I'm pretending Zuess is a boy, but I can pretend its a girl if I can have baby ones! lol Can you tell by looking at my pics whether Zuess is a boy or girl?


I'm no tiel expert so I don't really know how to tell the sex of a tiel. Maybe someone can look at my signature pic and tell ME whether Sunny is a boy or a girl? He(She?) is about exactly one year old right now.

(Or we will sit Sunny and Zuess in front of the TV and see what movie they respond to---Terminator 3 or Titanic? The Bourne Identity or Shakespeare in Love? Wahahahaha...


----------



## MeanneyFids

well he or she looks like a cinnamon split pied. the tail barring say female but its possible that if male he hasnt molted those out. but the barring on the flanks say female and those wouldve been molted. the shorter crest may say female but thats not reliable. pretty bright face though for a female. does sunny sing a lot and actually carry a tune? if not im leaning towards female. actually im pretty sure sunny is female. when drawing the one photo you sent i noticed sunny has spots on the wing feathers... thats female. (tsuka hasnt molted all his wing feathers but you can see the small primaries coming in solid grey. thats male. hes bout 6 months old)


----------



## MyDestiny

Annie: Sounds like we both have unknowns. This is going to make making Zunny's potenially difficult .. hmm.. I guess their playdate will just have to be a real playdate! lol I can't guarentee that Zuess will play, Sunny may just end up watching Zuess preen - thats all he/she is interested in doing once Zuess escapes the confines of his cage. lol

Dally: Good idea about the petstore! But you're a little far for me, can you drive say .. 4 hours closer to me? I'll SO be there for your grand-opening! And since I went cage happy and have too many cages, I might as well buy my second bird now from you! lol

~MD


----------



## MeanneyFids

actually my boyfriend and i are thinking sudbury to open business in. toronto area is too expensive for taxes and living. we will already have to work two jobs each to keep the petstore going. but will do shipping likely lol


----------



## MyDestiny

Hmm.. you'd think that I'd know how far of a drive Sudbury is from St.Catharines, but alas I don't. Epic fail in geography! lol I could get lost in a phone booth!!

I GOT ZUESS' NEW CAGE!! OMG! Going to post in Cockatiel Talk - tell me what you think! It's PERFECT!! He has SOOOO much room!! (so much room that maybe now he/she needs a friend. ahem!) lol


----------



## MeanneyFids

hm..... for u sudbury would likely be 8 hours. its bout 8-10 for me right now


----------



## Cockatiel love

I want one, I might try and make some toys, any tips?


----------



## MeanneyFids

straws. go to a local fast food restaurant and get straws. they make fun chains if you loop and connect them, cut them up and tie a bundle together and hang it or leave it as a foot toy, just watch for wearing down. shiskabob sticks, as long as theyre bamboo are great. cut them up and remove the sharp point they make good chew toys, raffia tied together in a bundle with beads added. wiffle balls with straws through the holes, raffia through the holes, etc. dice. dice make excellent foot toys. place an extra food dish with small foot toys in it. they love throwing them to the bottom of the cage. old wood blocks from other toys, straw peices, raffia loops, dice, LARGE beads, other small chew sticks such as the cut up shiskabob sticks, braided raffia, etc. theres a lot to do. even place another food dish and break up cuttlebone and mineral blocks into little blocks. mine love it and eat the stuff more than if i attach it to the side of the cage. lava rocks strung on raffia, etc these all work very well


----------



## Cockatiel love

Right, I am making some toys  thanks, i will post pics evern ifthey fail


----------



## MeanneyFids

hey even if it looks terrible, it doesnt matter so long as your birds like it. even if charlie doesnt like it, try it with the budgies.


----------



## Annie

DallyTsuka said:


> well he or she looks like a cinnamon split pied. the tail barring say female but its possible that if male he hasnt molted those out. but the barring on the flanks say female and those wouldve been molted. the shorter crest may say female but thats not reliable. pretty bright face though for a female. does sunny sing a lot and actually carry a tune? if not im leaning towards female. actually im pretty sure sunny is female. when drawing the one photo you sent i noticed sunny has spots on the wing feathers... thats female. (tsuka hasnt molted all his wing feathers but you can see the small primaries coming in solid grey. thats male. hes bout 6 months old)


Well, Sunny just whistles and chirps and sometimes makes whimpering noises (as if to tell me "see? You have mistreated me horribly and now I am a poor, sad, lonely tiel crying with a broken heart...oh poor me! Woe is me!!! What a drama king/queen.  ) But he/she has not learned to say even one word, not even hello or Sunny or anything. So at this point I am also leaning towards Sunny being female. Guess the guy at the pet store guessed wrong. Well, doesn't really matter to me but now I can only hope that if Sunny is indeed female, she wouldn't have those egg-binding problems later. I guess if she starts laying eggs one day then I will know for sure.


----------



## Annie

MyDestiny said:


> Annie: Sounds like we both have unknowns. This is going to make making Zunny's potenially difficult .. hmm.. I guess their playdate will just have to be a real playdate! lol I can't guarentee that Zuess will play, Sunny may just end up watching Zuess preen - thats all he/she is interested in doing once Zuess escapes the confines of his cage. lol
> 
> Dally: Good idea about the petstore! But you're a little far for me, can you drive say .. 4 hours closer to me? I'll SO be there for your grand-opening! And since I went cage happy and have too many cages, I might as well buy my second bird now from you! lol
> 
> ~MD


MyDestiny: Ha ha, I'm actually quite curious to see how Sunny would react in the presence of another tiel! Maybe they will both end up sitting and preening together. 

Dally: Yeah me too, I will also be there for the grand-opening!!! :thumbu:


----------



## MeanneyFids

lol ill post it on here when i do


----------



## MyDestiny

Annie: If Zuess can tolerate my bird-stalking-mentally-unbalanced cat - then I think he'd/she'd love another bird. I think it'd be howls! lol (how the heck do I refer to my bird since I don't know the gender!? lol "it" ??!) Maybe Sunny could teach Zuess sone tricks - like how to have a bath, and how to PLAY!! lol

Dally: Annie and I will be the promoters to your store!! Sunny & Zuess can be your PR birds! lol

Hey - anyone know what a "bird pacifier" is? I bought one yesterday for the **** of it. Its a piece of .. well looks like thin metal or Nylon that attaches to cage, with a bell (that doesn't dingle) and then about 2 inches of .. well it looks like a long straight tuft of horsehair that hangs straight down.

What the heck is this? And is it supposed to be fun? lol

~MD


----------



## MeanneyFids

never once heard of it lol


----------



## MyDestiny

Found it online. But I got the "medium" sized one ..

http://www.teskepetandgarden.com/browse.cfm/hagen-small-bird-pacifier-toy/4,317.html

.. Zuess doesn't pluck out his feathers, he only preens when he's outside the cage sitting on my shoulder or couch! lol 

Ah well, another toy bought that he'll just ignore anyways!


----------



## MeanneyFids

my guess its for birds who like preening so this toy may be a big hit for ur fid


----------



## MyDestiny

I don't think Zuess likes preening, I think he just likes waiting until I've cleaned my floors and couches of all his dander, and when he sees that he stores it all up again, waits until I let him out and then he goes to town! lol


----------



## MeanneyFids

haha silly bird. ya dally is REALLY flaky right now from molting. shes getting a bath today after my grocery shopping.


----------



## Jynxstorm

giggles, I can always try making things for birds. I'm going to try out the instructions that Dally gave me next month for my tiels's flight suits I'll even try making my babies ones *the budgies* and if it turns out nice I'll share the photos. I might end up making up my own birdi buisness in the future if my suits look good enough and if you guys like how it turns out giggles. but gonna have to wait till next month till I can make one or I can use one of my old throw blankies if it's streachy enough hehe.


----------



## MeanneyFids

lol id likely make them for the petstore i plan to own one day but theyd be custom order only


----------



## feathers

Nice very creative!


----------

