DIY Bird Toy: Master Guide
Are you searching for creative, budget-friendly ways to keep your parrot happy, healthy, and mentally engaged? DIY bird toys are the perfect solution! Homemade bird toys fulfill your parrot’s natural instincts to forage, chew, shred, and explore, helping prevent boredom, behavioral issues, and inactivity.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover everything you need to know to design and build safe, effective toys tailored to your bird’s unique personality, size, and preferences. From choosing the right materials to crafting wood blocks and perches, to understanding different toy styles and safety tips, we’ll empower you to provide enriching, personalized play experiences that deepen your bond and enhance your bird’s quality of life. Best of all, you don’t need expensive supplies, just a little creativity and care to transform common household items into treasured toys your parrot will love.
Table of Contents
- Understanding Parrot Behavior and Enrichment Needs
- What Makes a Good DIY Bird Toy?
- Make Your Own Wood Blocks for Bird Toys
- DIY Bird Perches
- Exploring Every Type of DIY Bird Toy
- Choosing the Right Toy for Your Bird’s Personality
- DIY Bird Toy Toolkit: Supplies You’ll Want On Hand
- Bird Toy Safety Guidelines
- DIY Toy Rotation: Keeping Things Fresh
- Mistakes to Avoid When Making DIY Bird Toys
- Where to Find Inspiration for DIY Bird Toys
- Made with Confidence
- FAQ
Understanding Parrot Behavior and Enrichment Needs
In their natural environment, they spend hours each day foraging, climbing, socializing, and exploring their surroundings. When kept in captivity without proper enrichment, they can become bored, frustrated, and develop behavioral problems such as:
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Feather plucking
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Screaming or aggression
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Apathy or depression
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Obesity due to inactivity
DIY bird toys are vital enrichment tools made to mimic natural behaviors. Homemade bird toys give your parrot opportunities to:
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Shred, chew, and dismantle (natural foraging & destruction instincts)
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Manipulate textures and shapes (fine motor skill development)
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Solve puzzles (mental enrichment)
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Interact with you (bonding and trust-building)
And perhaps best of all? You don’t need expensive tools or exotic materials to start. You can create meaningful enrichment using common household items—safely and creatively.
Homemade bird toys are a fun way to:
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Encourage natural behaviors like foraging and chewing
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Provide enrichment using safe, non-toxic materials
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Bond with your bird through play and interaction
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Reuse items you already have at home
What Makes a Good DIY Bird Toy?
A successful bird toy strikes the perfect balance between safety, engagement, and accessibility. Before crafting anything, it's crucial to prioritize safety by choosing only bird-safe, non-toxic materials, and avoid anything treated, sharp, or toxic. For those ready to buy bird toy parts, here are some reliable supply stores and resources to get started.
Natural, Non-Toxic Woods:
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Balsa – soft and easy to shred (great for small parrots)
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Pine – lightweight and affordable
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Birch, maple, ash – suitable for moderate chewers
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Maple (hardwood, use for birds that love to chew)
➡️ Avoid: cedar, redwood, walnut, or any pressure-treated or painted wood
Paper & Cardboard:
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Crinkle paper, cupcake liners, shipping paper
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Toilet paper rolls, paper bags, cereal boxes
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Paper cups and egg cartons
➡️ Avoid: Glossy paper, foil-lined boxes, magazine pages with toxic inks
Natural Fibers:
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Seagrass mats
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Poly rope
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Sisal and hemp rope (natural only)
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Palm leaf and raffia
➡️ Avoid: Nylon rope, synthetic twine, frayed fibers that can entangle toes
Other Safe Items:
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Untreated leather strips (vegetable-tanned)
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Bird-safe acrylic parts (no sharp edges)
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Popsicle sticks
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Wooden beads and spools
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Stainless steel hardware
Make Your Own Wood Blocks for Bird Toys
Creating wood blocks at home is an easy and affordable way to keep your bird entertained. For step-by-step instructions to create custom wood blocks perfect for your parrot’s playtime.
Steps:
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Use bird‑safe, untreated wood like pine, balsa, or birch.
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Cut into blocks, drill holes for threading, and sand all edges smooth.
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Optional: Color with non‑toxic, food‑grade dyes.
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Let dry fully, then string onto sisal rope or leather for homemade toys.
This gives your bird safe chewing options and endless playtime variety.
DIY Bird Perches
Handmade perches keep your bird’s feet healthy and add cage enrichment. “Want to customize your bird’s cage? Learn how to build safe and sturdy DIY perches with our step-by-step instructions. Here’s an overview of the key steps, before you dive in:
Steps:
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Pick a safe branch (apple, birch, or manzanita) and sanitize it by baking at 200 °F or soaking in vinegar water.
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Trim and sand smooth; avoid sharp edges.
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Attach to the cage using a stainless‑steel bolt, washers, and wingnut.
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Add perches at different levels and diameters to encourage exercise.
Clean weekly with a safe bird‑friendly cleaner to keep perches fresh.
Exploring Every Type of DIY Bird Toy
Every bird is unique, what excites a sun conure might bore an African Grey. The key to success is offering variety and rotating toys regularly. Check out our Ultimate Bird Toy Guide for a complete walkthrough, However’s a breakdown of common toy categories:
Foraging Toys
Replicate how parrots find food in the wild. Foraging reduces boredom and improves cognitive function.
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Paper-wrapped treats (hide pellets in crumpled paper)
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Hiding treats in seagrass mats
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Snack skewers with fruit & veggies
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Seed-stuffed cardboard boxes
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Foraging cups with layers of crinkle paper
Pro Tip: Start with “easy wins” and gradually increase the challenge.
Shreddable Toys
These satisfy your parrot’s destructive urges in a safe way. Birds love to tear, rip, and shred soft textures.
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Sola balls
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Corrugated cardboard strips
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Crinkle paper-stuffed vine balls
- Books
Foot Toys
Perfect for birds who love to toss, chew, and manipulate small objects with their feet.
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Popsicle stick
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Tiny cardboard rolls
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Natural cork pieces
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Wooden beads on leather sting
Hanging Toys
Hanging toys offer movement, which adds another level of excitement. These toys can:
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Encourage climbing and beak activity
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Serve as target zones for chewing
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Be layered with textures and colors
Try mixing: pine slats, balsa cubes, vine stars, wood beads, and seagrass.
Providing your parrot with shredding, foraging, and climbing opportunities is essential for their well-being. Check out our article on homemade bird toy for more inspiration.
Choosing the Right Toy for Your Bird’s Personality
Understanding your parrot’s style helps you make toys they’ll actually use:
Toys for Small Parrots (Budgies, Parrotlets, Lovebirds)
1. Mini Cupcake Liner Stacks
Stack colorful paper cupcake liners with a wooden bead in between. String through the center for hanging.
2. Foraging Tube Treats
Toilet paper tubes filled with shredded paper and a hidden millet spray or treat inside.
3. Bead Dangle Charms
Thread pony beads on a safe rope or plastic chain.
Toys for Medium Parrots (Conures, Quakers, Senegals, Caiques)
1. Cardboard Box
Create cardboard foraging box, hide treats in shredded paper inside.
2. Coffee Filter Pom Poms
Coffee filters layered and tied together with a bit of safe rope.
3. Paper Roll Kabobs
Cut cardboard tubes into rings, thread onto a skewer or safe rope with wooden pieces or nuts between.
Toys for Large Parrots (African Greys, Amazons, Cockatoos, Macaws)
1. Wood Block Stackers
Drill large softwood blocks (like pine or balsa) and string them with rope or stainless steel wire.
2. Puzzle Boxes
Repurpose clean, bird-safe containers with latches. Hide treats inside for problem-solving.
3. Chunky Rope Knots
Use untreated cotton or sisal rope with knots, wood blocks, and plastic parts throughout.
4. Destruction Buckets
Drill holes into plastic buckets or bowls (food-safe), fill with wood chunks, toy parts and foraging goodies.
DIY bird toys aren’t just fun—they’re a form of enrichment that keeps your parrot’s mind and body active. Discover other enrichment ideas for parrots here.
DIY Bird Toy Toolkit: Supplies You’ll Want On Hand
Basic Tools for Bird Toy Making (Beginners)
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Scissors: Sharp enough to cut string, paper, and soft wood easily.
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Wire Cutters: For cutting soft wire used in bird toys.
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Pliers: Pliers help bend and twist wire or metal parts safely.
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Awl /Big Bite Crop-A-Dile/ Hand Drill: To make holes in wood or thick materials for threading.
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Measuring Tape or Ruler: To measure pieces accurately.
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Sandpaper (medium and fine grit): To smooth rough edges on wood pieces, preventing splinters.
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Craft Knife (X-Acto or utility knife): cutting or shaping small parts.
We’ve listed our favorite DIY bird toy tools, to help you craft safe and fun creations.
Bird Toy Safety Guidelines
Safety should always come first. Follow these golden rules:
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Always supervise new toys until you're confident they're safe
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Check daily for loose threads, chewed-through string, or sharp edges
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Avoid overcrowding toys, parrots need space to move
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Rotate toys weekly to keep interest high
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Clean toys regularly with mild soap and water or bird-safe disinfectant
DIY Toy Rotation: Keeping Things Fresh
Like humans, parrots get bored of the same toys. That’s why rotation is key:
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Have 3–5 toy sets per bird in rotation
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Introduce “new” toys weekly
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Use variety of materials
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Watch your bird’s behavior with their toys
Mistakes to Avoid When Making DIY Bird Toys
Even with the best intentions, homemade bird toys can pose risks if a few key safety and design principles are overlooked. Here are common mistakes to watch out for—and how to avoid them.
Overcomplicating the Toy
It’s easy to get carried away with beads, knots, chains, and gadgets, but for many birds, simpler is better. Complex toys can overwhelm timid birds or pose tangling risks if not well-balanced.
Start with simple, safe designs and build up in complexity as your bird gains confidence.
Ignoring Bird Size and Beak Strength
What’s safe for a macaw might be dangerous for a budgie, and vice versa. Avoid:
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Giving hard wood blocks to tiny birds
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Offering tiny foot toys to large parrots who could swallow or snap them
Always match toy parts to your bird’s size, strength, and play style.
Using Unsafe Fasteners
Avoid:
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Key rings or binder clips (can pinch or catch beaks/tongues)
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Pear Links (can cut through the mouth)
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Cheap metal clips
Use bird-safe quick links made of stainless steel or untreated leather to secure toys. Zip ties, o-rings and or plastic links with bead are all safe alternative. Before hanging your new DIY creations, make sure they’re safe by reviewing our guide on safety concerns with hanging bird toys.
Avoid Long Strands of Rope or Chain
Long, dangling strands of rope or chain can be dangerous for birds, especially once the toy parts have been chewed away and the material is left exposed. These loose ends can lead to entanglement, foot injuries, or even strangulation. If a toy has long sections of exposed rope or chain, it’s time to remove or refill it.
Where to Find Inspiration for DIY Bird Toys
Inspiration is everywhere, you just need to know where to look!
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Pinterest: A goldmine for creative bird toy ideas, with thousands of visuals to spark your imagination.
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Facebook Groups: Join DIY bird toy or parrot enrichment communities to see what other bird lovers are making and sharing.
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Bird toy shops: Browsing online stores can help you understand how different parts, textures, and shapes are combined to create safe, engaging toys.
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Your bird! Observe what your parrot loves: chewing wood, shredding paper, tossing foot toys, and use that as your starting point.
🛑 Important: Don’t copy someone else’s exact design. Instead, use others’ work as a source of inspiration. Pay attention to how parts are assembled, what materials are used, and how the toy functions. From there, create your own safe, original versions tailored to your bird.
Made with Confidence
Making your own bird toys is more than a cost-saving project, it’s a heartfelt way to enrich your parrot’s life, encourage natural behaviors, and strengthen the special bond you share. With safe materials, thoughtful designs, and regular toy rotation, DIY toys can keep your bird curious, active, and emotionally fulfilled every day.
Whether you’re crafting simple wood blocks, shreddable treats, or intricate foraging puzzles, your efforts show your parrot how much you care. So gather your tools, trust your creativity, and enjoy the rewarding journey of making personalized toys that bring joy, health, and mental stimulation to your pet bird.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What materials are safest for making bird toys?
A: Use untreated, bird-safe woods like balsa, pine, birch, and maple. Avoid toxic woods such as cedar, redwood, and walnut. Use natural fibers like sisal or hemp, and avoid synthetic ropes. Paper and cardboard should be non-glossy and free of toxic inks.
Q: How often should I rotate my bird’s toys?
A: Rotate toys every 1–2 weeks to keep your bird mentally stimulated and prevent boredom.
Q: Can I use household items to make bird toys?
A: Absolutely! Items like cardboard tubes, paper cups, and wooden popsicle sticks can be safely repurposed as bird toys when checked for safety and cleanliness.
Q: How do I ensure my DIY toy is safe?
A: Always supervise new toys, check for sharp edges or loose threads daily, and avoid long dangling ropes or chains.
Q: What if my bird destroys the toy too quickly?
A: Destruction is natural and healthy, but if the toy breaks apart into small hazardous pieces, remove it immediately. Try sturdier materials or different toy types if needed.
Q: What if my bird ignores the toys I make?
A: Try changing toy types, materials, or placement. Observe your bird’s preferences and introduce toys gradually.
Monika Sangar, MSc – Molecular Biology | Avian Nutrition Specialist | Founder: PDSnonprofit | Owner: Pds Parrot Shop
Monika Sangar is a parrot rescuer, bird food chef, and toy designer with over a decade of experience in avian care and nutrition. She is the founder of Prego Dalliance Sanctuary and the author of The Science of Avian Nutrition, a cookbook dedicated to fresh, healthy meals for parrots. Explore more bird care tips and bird toys at PDS Parrot Shop!