Making a playgym

[FeatherFan]

I'd like to make a new playgym for my Boys but am definitely not gifted in the carpentry department lol. Does anyone know any sites about how to make a gym or any design ideas?

Also, am worried about which glue is safe to use, and whether nails have anything harmful in them as the boys are guaranteed to taste-test them!

Would be grateful if anyone could post pics of their playgyms please...I dont know where to start! :o

Thanks xx

[JPKP]

Well im no expert, but I would sketch out ideas that you have. Or go onto pet sites, and look at their gyms they have for sale to get a couple ideas. Make sure the glue is non-toxic. You could buy dowels at the store too.

[jayjay]

stainless steel nails should be fine. just nail them from the bottom meaning when you build the dropping tray, place the sides on top of the bottom board and nail up into them. this way, they wont have any easy way of tasting them. i see no real need for a large amount of glue, but wood glue is probably fine. just use minute amounts of it on the insides only and take care to wipe off with a damp cloth any that get pushed out as you insert dowels or whatever. and of course make sure that wood hasnt been chemically treated or anything. dont bother tryign to paint it crazy colors, i find that to just be unsafe.

[angelbuck]

I read that if you want to build something for your budgie, and you want it to have some color, you can make dye out of kool aid, if I spelled that rite, and let the wood soak in it for a while. Take the wood out, dry it off with a towel and repeat. It will have a washed out color look, but color all the same, and safe. Just make the kool aid thicker than if you were going to drink it. I hope this helps, and I don't see how this can be harmful, as there is no "paint" with chemicals.

[1scifi1]

I just made a big gym for my birdies for under $30. I got some stuff from the Dollar store and JoAnn Fabrics. I use a Dremel tool, screws/nuts, eyelets and non-toxic glue. It was fun to make. I went on line for ideas of gyms that are for sale and kinda copied them. LOL....They love chewing on the soft wooden platform. The rope perch is a doggie pull-toy and some of the perches were a puzzle game. Both at the Dollar Store. I used a metal tube cutter to cut the dowels down to size.

[FeatherFan]

Think I'll have to take a trip to the US to visit these famous dollar stores, they seem to be great for toy/gym supplies! We have a 'pound shop' equivalent but they just sell watered down cleaning products and tacky ornaments.

Just a question about glue - does 'non-toxic' for humans therefore also mean non-toxic for budgies? Guess Im just an overprotective mother lol.

Now I gotta practice hammering a nail straight...!

[Karla]

I just made a big gym for my birdies for under $30. I got some stuff from the Dollar store and JoAnn Fabrics. I use a Dremel tool, screws/nuts, eyelets and non-toxic glue. It was fun to make. I went on line for ideas of gyms that are for sale and kinda copied them. LOL....They love chewing on the soft wooden platform. The rope perch is a doggie pull-toy and some of the perches were a puzzle game. Both at the Dollar Store. I used a metal tube cutter to cut the dowels down to size.
Could you post a pic of that please? That sounds pretty sweet. I doubt my budgie would play with anything like that though, he's not hand trained yet.

[1scifi1]

I have 10 more shots in the camera, then I'll post some pictures. I'm dying to show everyone my three new babies besides Bert.

[FeatherFan]

"3 new babies" - awww cant wait to see some pics! Hurry :D

[jayjay]

humans can consume more toxic material before feeling ill effects due to our size compared to budgies. human safe glues are generally protein based but still, large dosage of it will still cause problems for us im sure and for a budgie, it takes even less i would imagine to do harm. however, when dried, it shouldnt pose as much of a problem. again, just make sure you wipe off any excess glue so your birds dont get access to it and it should be fine.

[Johnny411]

I can make a gym for you~! Go to parakeettoys.tripod.com or messege me for details!

[FeatherFan]

Thanks for the offer, I went to the site but it said it doesnt exist!?...

[Karla]

I can't wait to see some pictures of your babies!:)

[redgirl]

My Daughters friends Dad made my little girl a wood Gazibo for her Bratz dolls but as my daughter is not into dolls etc now she gave me it for Eddie and Joey, I made some cane perches for them to sit on and its lovely its like a conservatory its got a wooden bench and and table Eddie and Joey love it I think I paid £10.00 and thats all it was money well spent

[1scifi1]

As requested here is a picture of the gym and ladder.

[zarrion101]

It would seem pointless for me to create another thread about play gyms so I'll just add to this if you don't mind.

My budgies get very nervous coming our their cage, 1. because they are not fully tamed and 2. they just very nervous budgies and too attached to their cage.

So is it possible to get an caged play gym, of course if I do fully tame them then I will get a normal one but is there a caged one out there.

I haven't seen many play gyms so wouldn't no. :) Thanks

[1scifi1]

Zarrion, that's interesting about budgies not liking to be out of their cage. My four budgies love being out of the cage, and their cage is huge! I have a small gym on top of the cage and they all climb out of the cage to play on the gym. Two of the budgies will fly out of the cage and then climb the ladder back into the cage.

[Budgiekin]

That was an awesome play gym in the picture 1scifi1! ;)

[zarrion101]

Zarrion, that's interesting about budgies not liking to be out of their cage. My four budgies love being out of the cage, and their cage is huge! I have a small gym on top of the cage and they all climb out of the cage to play on the gym. Two of the budgies will fly out of the cage and then climb the ladder back into the cage.

I see they must love it. I've tried really hard for them to get to know the outside of the cage world but they don't seem to be interested in it. I've tried numerous times and even with me hinting a lot to them they still don't want to come out much.

They have been out but then struggle to get back in, they collide everywhere and now they just don't want to come back out. :(

[Amy]

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e264/lop-eared_bunny/FRONTIMPR3.jpg

There's the play gym me and my Dad made!

[zarrion101]

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e264/lop-eared_bunny/FRONTIMPR3.jpg

There's the play gym me and my Dad made!

It looks wonderful, I have the same type of budgie ladders. :)

[1scifi1]

Nice gym Amy

[Amy]

Note the plastic bird!