| | Dollar Store Finds |  |
|
+3patdbunny ScooterNScotty VickiNumbers 7 posters |
| Author | Message |
|---|
VickiNumbers
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-21
Age : 56
Location : Denver, CO, United States
My Birds : Allie ~ Yellow Sided Green Cheek Conure
Mickey ~ Turquoise Green Cheek Conure
Sam ~ Blue Front Amazon
Caesar ~ Bronze Wing Pionus (actually my HUSBAND's bird *grin*)
Mack ~ Lutino Cockatiel
Forté and Duncan ~ Budgerigars
_____________________________
Posts : 1521
 |  Subject: Dollar Store Finds  Thu Jan 05, 2012 2:22 pm | |
| So, the more birds I've gotten, the more I've started evaluating EVERYTHING I see for its bird-toy potential, especially at the dollar store (thanks for that Roz!). I've stocked up on lots of toy parts that I haven't used yet, but when I do I'll be sure and share pics.
In addition to the silk plants I used in my now "Finch Habitat," two of the of the more useful dollar store items I've found are the dog-rope tug and their selection of paperback books.
When unknotted, the dog toy extends to well over 30 inches and when secured to cages with zip ties (also. $1), they make amazing rope perches! What's more, I'm not even bothered when the birds chew them up and destroy them within a week. Its a lot easier to replace than a $14 rope perch. On the downside, they're not moldable and can only go from one side to the other, but I'll bet they'd make good swings if hung from the cage top... Hmmm, I'll be trying that next!
The paperbacks have been amazing! I used a saw and cut them in half. Then I used my Dremel (If you're not familiar with it, google it. Its another handy little tool.) to put a hole in each half, then I sawed those parts into 1/4 inch portions and used a twist-tie to secure it to the cage. My birds are going NUTS chewing all that paper!!! They absolutely love it! That ended up being pennies per cage because depending on the size of the book, you can get close to eight chewies out of it.
| |
|
 | |
ScooterNScotty
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-24
Age : 63
Location : Southern California
My Birds : Scooter
* "Normal" male Green-cheeked Conure
* (hatched 3/2010)
Scotty
*male Cape Parrot
*(HD unk ~2008)
Blanco (Caballo Blanco)
*Whitefaced male cockatiel
*(HD unk, found 4/2012)
Posts : 2248
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:04 pm | |
| I grew up believing if you dropped a book you should kiss it... I don't think I could bring myself to cut up books for toys! But another cheap paper chew toy is adding machine paper (the plain paper not the thermal stuff) rolls. Tie to the bars or get more creative, lots of chewing fun!
Is there a rule of thumb as to which plastics are safe for chewing? | |
|
| | |
patdbunny
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-18
Age : 53
Location : San Diego County, California
Posts : 2083
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:30 pm | |
| Oriental Trading Co is awesome for bulk parts, foot toys, etc. Like a million chinese finger traps for $6, etc. http://www.orientaltrading.com/("Chinese" finger traps? What?! Every kooked out thing is "Chinese"?! Chinese yo yo, Chinese checkers, chop suey. . . What the heck is chop suey? I'm not offended in the least bit. I think it's hilarious.) | |
|
| | |
VickiNumbers
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-21
Age : 56
Location : Denver, CO, United States
My Birds : Allie ~ Yellow Sided Green Cheek Conure
Mickey ~ Turquoise Green Cheek Conure
Sam ~ Blue Front Amazon
Caesar ~ Bronze Wing Pionus (actually my HUSBAND's bird *grin*)
Mack ~ Lutino Cockatiel
Forté and Duncan ~ Budgerigars
_____________________________
Posts : 1521
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Thu Jan 05, 2012 5:30 pm | |
| - ScooterNScotty wrote:
- I grew up believing if you dropped a book you should kiss it... I don't think I could bring myself to cut up books for toys! But another cheap paper chew toy is adding machine paper (the plain paper not the thermal stuff) rolls. Tie to the bars or get more creative, lots of chewing fun!
I grew up that way with books too - between hubs and I, we've got BOXES AND BOXES of them in storage. But the books I see at the dollar store I'd be more inclined to leave on the floor. Not all stories are literature you know... Old checkbooks are good as well... Anything with bound paper is a great chewy! | |
|
| | |
Margaret
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-18
Age : 51
Location : Chicago
My Birds : • Budgies: Mango, Blueberry, Plum, Sunny
• Cockatiels: Chico, Mickey
• Linnies: Venus and Mars
• Amazon, who was with us: Lucky
Posts : 1418
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Thu Jan 05, 2012 9:40 pm | |
| Vicki, this type of rope? and the site: http://www.my-budgies.com/toys.htmlToday on my way from work, I stopped in a $1 store in downtown and I have pink-red bakery cups(perfect for 02.14) and baby's clothes plastic pins 12 in package  I shop in a dollar store a long time ago. Check baskets before Easter: perfect shredding toy for my fids. | |
|
| | |
ScooterNScotty
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-24
Age : 63
Location : Southern California
My Birds : Scooter
* "Normal" male Green-cheeked Conure
* (hatched 3/2010)
Scotty
*male Cape Parrot
*(HD unk ~2008)
Blanco (Caballo Blanco)
*Whitefaced male cockatiel
*(HD unk, found 4/2012)
Posts : 2248
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:21 pm | |
| - VickiNumbers wrote:
- .. Anything with bound paper is a great chewy!
Scooter is currently in the recycling wastebasket next to my desk going to town on a magazine.... | |
|
| | |
crystalsbirdtoys
Senegal
Join date : 2011-05-19
Location : Ottawa, Ontario
My Birds : African Grey - Merlin
Caique - Rosco
Cockatiel - Stryder
Posts : 381
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Fri Jan 06, 2012 1:56 pm | |
| USA dollar stores sound much better than the Canadian ones.
Although ours do have a plethora of Sudoku books! | |
|
| | |
dusty
Scarlet Macaw
Join date : 2011-06-19
Age : 77
Location : near london, ontario canada...out in the country
My Birds : congo african grey (coco)
blue fronted amazons (willie and vasgo)
sun conure (simon)
greencheeked conure (jack)
senegal (walter)
senegal (crockett)
goffin cockatoo (sammy)
moluccan cockatoo (mango)
severe macaw (cody)
quaker (yoshi)
Posts : 838
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Fri Jan 06, 2012 2:52 pm | |
| girls you have some great ideas on here...thanks...i am heading for the dollar store this afternoon for that reason...
dusty | |
|
| | |
VickiNumbers
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-21
Age : 56
Location : Denver, CO, United States
My Birds : Allie ~ Yellow Sided Green Cheek Conure
Mickey ~ Turquoise Green Cheek Conure
Sam ~ Blue Front Amazon
Caesar ~ Bronze Wing Pionus (actually my HUSBAND's bird *grin*)
Mack ~ Lutino Cockatiel
Forté and Duncan ~ Budgerigars
_____________________________
Posts : 1521
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Sat Jan 07, 2012 12:55 am | |
| - Margaret wrote:
- Vicki, this type of rope?
Today on my way from work, I stopped in a $1 store in downtown and I have pink-red bakery cups(perfect for 02.14) and baby's clothes plastic pins 12 in package
I shop in a dollar store a long time ago. Check baskets before Easter: perfect shredding toy for my fids. Yes! That's exactly the kind of rope I was talking about! I see great minds think alike! I also used one today and threaded it through a piece of cholla wood to make a swing for Sam... So far he's not been interested in it, but we'll see how it goes. I didn't expect him to be a "swinger," but I never know what'll be a hit! LOL! And I picked up the Christmas cups on clearance right after Christmas at 2/$1!  - ScooterNScotty wrote:
- VickiNumbers wrote:
- .. Anything with bound paper is a great chewy!
Scooter is currently in the recycling wastebasket next to my desk going to town on a magazine.... If I took any magazines, that would have been a great idea! I'd have never thought of it though! - crystalsbirdtoys wrote:
- Although ours do have a plethora of Sudoku books!
Perfect! And they're probably easier to cut!  - dusty wrote:
- girls you have some great ideas on here...thanks...i am heading for the dollar store this afternoon for that reason... dusty
Yay! Glad you could find some use out of our bargain hunting! | |
|
| | |
GlassOnion
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-19
Age : 32
Location : Vancouver
My Birds : Cockatiel, Budgerigar
Posts : 1209
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Sat Jan 07, 2012 1:32 am | |
| For some reason, I can't do dollar store stuff... I just HAVE to cave in and buy the prettiest toys I can find..  | |
|
| | |
Margaret
Hyacinth Macaw
Join date : 2011-05-18
Age : 51
Location : Chicago
My Birds : • Budgies: Mango, Blueberry, Plum, Sunny
• Cockatiels: Chico, Mickey
• Linnies: Venus and Mars
• Amazon, who was with us: Lucky
Posts : 1418
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Sat Jan 07, 2012 4:20 am | |
| | |
|
| | |
crystalsbirdtoys
Senegal
Join date : 2011-05-19
Location : Ottawa, Ontario
My Birds : African Grey - Merlin
Caique - Rosco
Cockatiel - Stryder
Posts : 381
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:36 pm | |
| | |
|
| | |
Sponsored content
| | Subject: Re: Dollar Store Finds | |
| |
|
| | |
| | Dollar Store Finds | |
|
