Create DIY homemade bird toys that are cheap, easy, and bird-safe!
I’ve always loved watching birds—whether it’s wild birds in my backyard or my pet birds chirping happily in their cages. Over the years, I realized that store-bought bird toys can be expensive and sometimes don’t last long. That’s when I started making my own DIY bird toys, using safe and affordable materials from around the house. It’s not only fun but also a great way to bond with your bird while ensuring they stay entertained and mentally stimulated.
In this article, I’ll share simple DIY bird toy ideas, materials to use (and avoid), and how to encourage your bird to play with homemade toys. Let’s get creative!
Why DIY Bird Toys Are Important
Just like humans, birds need mental and physical stimulation. Without it, they can become bored, anxious, or even develop destructive behaviors like feather plucking. Toys play a crucial role in keeping them engaged and active. However, constantly buying new toys can be costly, and some may contain unsafe materials. That’s why DIY toys are a fantastic alternative—they are customizable, affordable, and just as effective in keeping birds entertained.
Safety First: Choosing the Right Materials
Bird-Safe Materials
- Natural wood (untreated, non-toxic) like pine, apple, or birch
- Cotton rope (make sure it doesn’t fray)
- Cardboard and paper (shredded or crumpled for foraging fun)
- Natural fibers like jute, hemp, or sisal
- Stainless steel hardware (no zinc or lead)
What to Avoid
- Toxic woods (cedar, redwood, cherry—these contain harmful oils)
- Painted or chemically treated wood
- Small plastic parts that could break into sharp pieces
- Anything glued, varnished, or with artificial dyes
By using safe materials, you can ensure your bird stays healthy while having fun!
5 Cheap Bird Toys You Can Make in Minutes
If you’re short on time, here are quick and easy bird toy ideas that take less than 5 minutes to make:
- Toilet Paper Roll Rings – Cut a toilet paper roll into rings for birds to toss around.
- Popsicle Stick Ladder – Glue untreated popsicle sticks together in a ladder shape.
- Pinecone Treat Feeder – Smear a pinecone with peanut butter and roll it in seeds.
- Paper Ball Toy – Crumple up plain paper into a ball for birds to shred.
- Bottle Cap Rattle – String up plastic bottle caps for birds to shake.
DIY Bird Toy Ideas Using Household Items
1. Simple Shredding Toy
Materials: Paper towel rolls, crumpled paper, shredded cardboard
Why Birds Love It: Birds love to shred and chew, mimicking their natural foraging behavior.
How to Make It: Stuff crinkled paper or seeds inside a paper towel roll and let your bird tear it apart!
2. Foraging Box or Basket
Materials: Small cardboard box, dried fruit, nuts, and crinkle paper
Why Birds Love It: Encourages their natural instinct to forage for food.
How to Make It: Fill a small cardboard box with treats and crinkle paper. Let your bird dig through it to find hidden treasures.
3. Pinecone Foraging Toy
Materials: Pinecones (washed and dried—avoid ones with pesticides or mold), Natural twine or sisal rope (safe for birds), and Parrot-safe treats (seeds, dried fruit, or nuts).
Why Birds Love It: A natural and stimulating toy that encourages chewing, shredding, and foraging!
How to Make It:
- Prepare the pinecone: Bake it at 200°F (90°C) for 20 minutes to disinfect and kill any bugs or bacteria. Let it cool completely.
- Coat with nut butter: Lightly spread nut butter (or mashed banana) inside the crevices of the pinecone.
- Add treats: Sprinkle seeds, nuts, or dried fruit into the sticky spots so birds can forage for them.
- Attach the string: Tie a strong piece of twine or sisal rope around the top, making a loop for hanging.
- Hang in the cage: Secure it at a comfortable height, ensuring no loose threads where birds can get tangled.
4. Hanging Chew Toy
Materials: Natural wood pieces, beads, and a cotton rope
Why Birds Love It: Chewing is excellent for beak health.
How to Make It: String wood pieces and beads onto a rope and hang it in the cage.
5. DIY Swing Perch
Materials: Wooden dowel, rope, and hooks
Why Birds Love It: Mimics natural branches, allowing birds to balance and swing.
How to Make It: Attach a wooden dowel to two ropes, create a swing, and secure it in the cage.
6. Colorful Fabric Knot Toy
Materials: Strips of fleece or cotton fabric
Why Birds Love It: Great for tugging and preening.
How to Make It: Tie different-sized fabric strips into knots and attach them to the cage. Some owners use Fabric Knot toys as foot toys when their birds play outside the cage.
7. Paper Roll Foraging Toy that parrots love
Materials: Empty toilet paper or paper towel roll, paper that is safe for birds (such as shredded newspaper or coffee filters), Bird-safe treats (like seeds, dried fruit, or nuts), and Scissors
Why Birds Love It: One of the best simple yet diy parrot toys that keeps your bird mentally stimulated by encouraging them to work for their treats.
How to Make It:
- Cut the paper roll into smaller rings or keep it whole, depending on your bird’s size.
- Stuff the roll with bird-safe shredded paper and small treats inside so your bird has to pull and dig through to find them.
- For added difficulty, pinch the ends closed so they have to work harder to access the treats.
- Place the fun foraging toy inside their cage or play area and watch as they enjoy the challenge.
8. Hanging Popsicle Stick Ladder
Materials: Bird-safe popsicle sticks (plain, untreated wood), Non-toxic glue or a drill, and Sisal rope or untreated twine.
Why Birds Love It: This toy provides birds with a fun climbing challenge and something to chew on.
How to Make It:
- If using glue, attach popsicle sticks at both ends to form ladder steps. If using a drill, make holes on either side of the sticks and thread them onto the rope, tying knots to keep them in place.
- Leave gaps between each stick to create a ladder-like effect.
- Tie or attach the toy inside your bird’s cage or play area for climbing and chewing fun.
9. DIY Hanging Ring & Bell Toy
Materials: Plastic shower curtain rings or baby teething rings, Plastic wiffle balls or cat toy balls with holes, Jute twine or sisal rope, Straws (colorful bendy ones for extra fun! and a small bell (optional)
Why Birds Love It: A fun and colorful hanging toy that encourages climbing, playing, and foraging!
How to Make It:
- Prepare the base: Take the plastic rings and link them together to create a hanging chain.
- Add the ball: Thread a piece of twine through the wiffle ball and tie it securely in the middle of the toy. This will make a fun, rolling challenge for birds!
- Straw loops: Cut bendy straws into different sizes and attach them to the rings by tying or threading them through the holes. These provide a fun texture for birds to chew on!
- Secure it: Tie the toy to the cage using jute twine, ensuring it hangs safely at a comfortable height for your bird.
10. Poker chips
Materials: Poker chips, string, leather cord, or strong twine, scissors (for cutting the cord), and drill (optional, for making holes in the poker chips)
Why Birds Love It: It gives your pet a fun way to engage with new textures and sounds.
How to Make It:
Prepare the Poker Chips: If your poker chips don’t have a hole in the center, use a drill to carefully make a small hole in the middle of each one. This will allow you to thread them onto the string or cord.
Customize the Chips (Optional): You can paint the poker chips with non-toxic, bird-safe paint to add color or designs that your bird might find interesting. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly before continuing.
Cut the Cord: Cut a length of cord or twine long enough to create a multi-layered toy. You can adjust the length depending on how long you want the toy to hang.
Assemble the Toy: Thread the poker chips onto the string. Alternate between the poker chips and other items like beads, bells, or small wooden sticks to create texture and sound. Space the poker chips out along the string to give your bird plenty of areas to interact with.
Create Layers: For added interest, create multiple layers of poker chips by tying knots in the cord between them. This will create a more complex toy for your bird to explore.
Add a Hook: To hang the toy from the cage, tie a knot at the top of the string or attach a small hook or loop for easy hanging.
Types of Bird Toys
Various toys can bring happiness to your bird. If you have a bird, providing a range of toys can encourage and stimulate them. These toys consist of:
- Ladders
- Rope
- Swing
- Chewing or chopping
- Bird’s nest toys.
- Items with random sounds.
- Exercise toys
- A wheel-spinning toy
- Simple puzzle
- Knots and tassels that they will open.
Toy-shy bird
Some birds are not familiar with toys, especially baby birds. So when baby birds see a strange toy, they get scared. So, give your bird time to get acquainted with the toy.
Keep a toy in the bird’s eye while in the cage. Just wait and see your bird’s body language. He will look at it when the toy is near. Gently give the toy to him every day. Then, one day, the bird will take the toy, but you don’t have to hurry at all.
Play with toys to increase your bird’s attraction to toys. Show him the toy when your bird is in your hand.
Your phobic bird may take more than two days to pick up a toy, but be patient; your bird will be very happy and not have a boring time.
DIY bird toys are affordable, safe, and fun to keep your bird happy and engaged. Whether you’re repurposing household items or crafting something entirely new, your feathered friend will appreciate the effort. Try out some of these ideas and let me know—what’s your favorite DIY bird toy? Drop a comment below and share your creations! Happy crafting!
