Build Your Own Bird Toys: A Guide to Safe, Creative Enrichment

At Perchly, we believe some of the best bird toys are the ones you create yourself. Building custom toys allows you to tailor enrichment to your bird's size, personality, chewing preferences, and activity level. Whether you have a curious cockatiel, an energetic conure, or a powerful macaw, creating your own toys can be a rewarding way to provide mental stimulation while saving money on frequently destroyed toys.

This guide covers toy safety, material selection, entanglement prevention, and what birds look for in an engaging toy. If you're ready to start building, be sure to visit our Build Your Own Toy section and watch our video tutorial linked at the end of this post, where we walk through the process of creating safe and enriching custom bird toys using components available at Perchly.

Why DIY Bird Toys?

Birds are intelligent animals that require regular enrichment to stay physically and mentally healthy. In the wild, parrots spend much of their day foraging, chewing, climbing, and exploring. Captive birds benefit from opportunities to perform these same natural behaviors.

Benefits of DIY bird toys include:

• Customizing toys for your bird's size and chewing strength
• Rotating toys frequently at a lower cost
• Encouraging natural foraging and problem-solving behaviors
• Creating unique toys your bird has never seen before
• Reusing toy parts and creating endless combinations

No two birds are exactly alike. A toy that fascinates one bird may be completely ignored by another. Building your own toys allows you to experiment and discover what your bird enjoys most.

Choosing Safe Materials

The most important part of creating bird toys is selecting materials that are safe for your bird to chew, shred, and interact with.

Common Bird-Safe Materials

Many materials found in Perchly's Build Your Own Toy collection are specifically chosen because they are commonly used in bird enrichment.

Examples include:

Natural Shredding Materials

• Seagrass
• Palm leaf
• Vine balls
• Bamboo finger traps
• Cardboard
• Untreated paper products
• Natural loofah

Wood Components

• Bird-safe softwoods
• Pine toy parts
• Balsa wood
• Yucca pieces
• Colored wooden blocks made with bird-safe dyes

Foraging Materials

• Paper cups
• Shredding paper
• Cardboard shapes
• Small untreated wooden containers

Hardware

• Stainless steel quick links
• Stainless steel skewers
• Stainless steel chain
• Stainless steel eye bolts

Whenever possible, choose materials intended specifically for bird toy construction.

Materials That Should Not Be Used

Many household items may appear harmless but can pose serious risks to birds.

Avoid:

Zinc-Plated or Galvanized Metals

Birds can ingest metal particles while chewing. Zinc toxicity can cause serious illness.

Lead-Based Materials

Lead is highly toxic to birds and should never be used.

Pressure-Treated Wood

These woods may contain chemicals unsafe for chewing.

Painted or Varnished Wood

Unless specifically labeled bird-safe, paints and finishes may contain harmful ingredients.

Cotton Rope (Use With Caution)

While commonly used in bird products, cotton rope can fray over time. Long fibers may cause entanglement or crop impaction if swallowed.

Synthetic Strings and Thread

Nylon thread, fishing line, sewing thread, and similar materials can wrap around toes, legs, necks, or beaks.

Glues and Adhesives

Many adhesives contain chemicals not intended for birds.

Small Metal Clips or Jewelry Components

Items designed for crafts or jewelry making may contain unsafe metals.

Household Plastics

Not all plastics are bird-safe. Avoid unidentified plastics or materials that can splinter or break into sharp pieces.

When in doubt, do not use the material.

Reducing Entanglement Risks

Entanglement is one of the most important safety concerns when creating bird toys.

Follow these guidelines:

Keep Loops Small

Avoid creating large loops where a bird's head, neck, wings, or feet could become trapped.

Trim Frayed Fibers

Inspect toys regularly and remove loose fibers immediately.

Avoid Long Hanging Strands

Long strings, ropes, or fibers can wrap around birds.

Use Appropriate Hardware

Choose hardware sized appropriately for your bird.

Small birds may become trapped in oversized components, while large birds can destroy undersized hardware.

Inspect Toys Frequently

Even the safest toy can become unsafe after weeks of chewing.

Check for:

• Broken hardware
• Frayed materials
• Sharp edges
• Loose knots
• Cracked plastic
• Damaged chain links

Replace or remove damaged toys immediately.

Supervise New Toys

Whenever introducing a new toy design, observe your bird's interaction before leaving the toy unattended.

What Makes a Bird Toy Attractive?

Birds often prefer toys that engage their natural instincts.

Things Birds Love to Destroy

Many parrots enjoy:

• Balsa wood
• Palm leaf
• Finger traps
• Cardboard
• Seagrass
• Vine materials

If your bird destroys toys quickly, you've likely found an activity they genuinely enjoy.

Multiple Textures

Birds are naturally curious. Combining wood, paper, seagrass, plastic links, acrylic pieces, and other bird-safe materials creates more opportunities for exploration.

Movement

Many birds enjoy toys that swing, spin, bounce, or move when touched.

Noise

Some birds enjoy toys that create sounds through movement, such as wooden pieces knocking together or plastic components rattling during play.

Foraging Opportunities

Hiding treats within shreddable materials, finger traps, vine balls, or cardboard encourages natural foraging behaviors and mental stimulation.

Bright Colors

Many parrots are visually attracted to colorful toys and enjoy investigating new combinations of colors and materials.

Variety

Even a favorite toy can become boring if it never changes. Rotating toys and introducing new textures, shapes, and challenges helps maintain engagement.

Learn to Build Your Own Toys

Ready to get started?

Visit Perchly's Build Your Own Toy section to browse toy-making components, safe materials, hardware, and enrichment supplies. We also recommend watching our video tutorial, where we demonstrate how to combine different toy parts into a safe, engaging bird toy while discussing material selection, toy design, and safety considerations.

Whether you're building your first toy or designing advanced enrichment projects, DIY toy making is a great way to provide your bird with fresh experiences while creating something completely unique.

Final Safety Reminder

No bird toy is completely risk-free. Always select materials appropriate for your bird's size, chewing habits, and activity level. Inspect toys regularly for wear and damage, supervise new toys whenever possible, and remove any toy that becomes unsafe.

The goal of enrichment is to encourage healthy, natural behaviors while providing a safe and engaging environment for your feathered companion.

With the right materials, a little creativity, and a focus on safety, you can create unique toys that keep your bird active, curious, and entertained for years to come.

https://youtu.be/U40CIiWa_kA