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Post by flossy on Apr 27, 2012 18:44:48 GMT 10
Hello Strangers
Long time no talk! Hope you are all well and everything is going great. Life hasn't been too good for me lately, but I guess it's all sent to try us!
Just wanted to ask a couple of questions please.
1. Does anyone remember who the girl was on here that was selling bird toy parts? I think it was TWR? or something like that? I thought she also had an ebay shop? but I can't find her or any info out, so if you are there! lol...or anyone knows what happened to her? Please direct me that way?
2. How do you make seed sticks? I've got several recipes here, but just wanted to see what everyone else found was most successful please?
Is gelatine ok? I've read SO many recipes with PVA glue, but NO thankyou! Corn syrup? I don't know....any help would be appreciated.
Thanks guys, and again, do hope you and your critters are all well.
Cheers, Floss xx
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Post by flossy on Apr 27, 2012 18:48:57 GMT 10
Thinking now I owe TWR an apology! lol. Sorry  Thinking it was someone else........any help? Thanks guys...TBT? something like that? |
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Post by avinet on Apr 27, 2012 22:14:09 GMT 10
2. How do you make seed sticks? I've got several recipes here, but just wanted to see what everyone else found was most successful please? Is gelatine ok? I've read SO many recipes with PVA glue, but NO thankyou! Corn syrup? I don't know....any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys, and again, do hope you and your critters are all well. Cheers, Floss xx Hi FLossy, nice to see you back here - now don't stay away so long this time  Can't help with the toy source but I've used both gelatine and PVA for seed sticks with no problems Both are very safe - commercial seed sticks can use either of them. Personally I don't bother with seed sticks at all - if I'm giving seed they get it in a dish or not at all. The only benefit is for a bit of variety and I prefer to give variety in other ways with other foods. cheers, Mike |
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Gerard
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Hototo
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Post by Gerard on Apr 28, 2012 0:28:38 GMT 10
Mike, what quantity/percentage of PVA wood glue is safe? Therefore I assume it is safe to use it in the construction of their toys and I assume that small amounts ingested don't do them any harm.  Good to hear from you Flossy...been too long. I'll add to this thread for you in a couple of days. I've been busy making some homemade toys from natural resources gathered near home. |
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Post by flossy on Apr 28, 2012 6:16:36 GMT 10
Thanks guys, I've just had a bit of a personal struggle but starting to come good...... I know what you are saying Mike, I don't normally use them either, but have a friend who is just trying to have a small selection of items to sell with her birds/cages etc and seed bells came up. They can't be that hard to make surely....lol. Mike when you used the gelatine, do you remember what ratio you used successfully. I'm assuming, you would mix water, gelatine together, melt and mix into seed - however, it's the quantities I'm having problems with finding. I'm not sure I like the glue idea?  Looking forward to some more toy ideas!! Thanks again. |
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Post by Robyn on Apr 28, 2012 7:48:41 GMT 10
Hey Flossy can't help with the seed bells.
I think the lady your inquiring about is Kali from LOLWUT Burd Toys. She hasn't been around for some time now & her ebay site is no more. I will try to find out if she is still in business.
Chin Up Girl.
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Post by flossy on Apr 28, 2012 8:31:10 GMT 10
Hi Robyn!!
That's her!! Thank you!! I knew it was something like that....lol. (Not even close was I! lol
Aww I wonder if she is still selling her bits on line.......bugger! lol.
All good, hope you are well too!
Thanks hun xx
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Post by avinet on Apr 28, 2012 9:25:52 GMT 10
Mike when you used the gelatine, do you remember what ratio you used successfully. I'm assuming, you would mix water, gelatine together, melt and mix into seed - however, it's the quantities I'm having problems with finding. I'm not sure I like the glue idea? L Another binder that I had forgotten about is egg white - see www.parrotsociety.org.au/articles/art_020.htmI haven't used this method but know of people that have successfully. I can't remember the details of the gelatine - I think we added a packet of gelatine into some boiling water and then added some cold water before mixing with the seed and placing into a mould. Sorry, can't be more exact than that. PVA glue was diluted to about 1 part glue to 4 parts water and just enough mixed with seed to be able to hold the seed together - a crumbly type mix that set when it dried in the mould. cheers, Mike |
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Post by flossy on Apr 28, 2012 10:35:02 GMT 10
Yep I've read about the egg whites, but that seems an expensive way to do it...lol. I'm going to try the gelatine today, found a basic recipe that says 75% seed, 20% water, 5% gelatine.
Can't be that hard right? lol!
The things we do!
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Post by Robyn on Apr 28, 2012 13:53:56 GMT 10
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Gerard
Bronze Member
Hototo
Posts: 165
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Post by Gerard on May 1, 2012 19:36:24 GMT 10
Flossy, I recently constructed a swing from a large banksia nut which I put in a wood lathe and turned it into a cylinder 25mm in diameter and about 20cm long. I then hollowed out a couple of extra large gum nuts for end caps and to hide the screws that joined the stainless steel wire to the banksia nuts. Looks awesome and the banksia nut is extra hard so no matter how much my birds chew it they seem to make little impression on it. However, I came up against two problems:  1) my little Hooded Parrots chewed the gum nuts to shreds within a couple of days and these gum nuts were about 40mm in diameter; and more importantly;  2) unbeknown to me, the banksia nut had been ear-marked for the export market so it had been chemically treated with pesticides before it was to be shipped. I would have normally picked this up once I had finished with it on the lathe, but I have had a bad cold which means my sense of smell isn't crash hot at the moment. The consequences were that it gave my birds hay-fever like symptoms. Once I isolated the two probable causes for their symptoms I put the banksia nut to my nose and it even made me sneeze...again! Boy did it stink of chemicals. Between that and the dust from the pellets I was using, it was no wonder the poor little buggers were sneezing.  Other than sneezing they were OK, they ate and drank normally. Once removed and the pellets I was using were changed to Harrison's their symptoms cleared up completely within a couple of hours. I have now sourced some banksia nuts from WA that have not had any chemical treatment. I really liked the design, so once the new banksia nuts arrive and I have gotten rid of this damned cold I'll build another one and post some pics. The lesson I learned here was even when I went to the trouble of using local natural resources to construct a simple swing I STILL got caught out.  However, just like falling off a bike it is important that we don't let these things put us off. Just like catching a fish on a fishing rod, or lure, that you built yourself, it is extremely satisfying seeing your birds having a great time playing with a toy that you designed and built from scratch.  Trust me, you'll get a great kick out of seeing a bird chomping into one of your seed bells or honey sticks, while all the time knowing that just for those few moments you've made that bird very happy. ;D Who knows, maybe you'll come up with a new treat for our avian friends. Maybe even call it " Feather Floss" !!! Now there's a good marketing name for you. Have lots of fun with it and good luck, Gerard. |
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Post by twr on May 3, 2012 1:24:54 GMT 10
Hello Strangers Long time no talk! Hope you are all well and everything is going great. Life hasn't been too good for me lately, but I guess it's all sent to try us! Just wanted to ask a couple of questions please. 1. Does anyone remember who the girl was on here that was selling bird toy parts? I think it was TWR? or something like that? I thought she also had an ebay shop? but I can't find her or any info out, so if you are there! lol...or anyone knows what happened to her? Please direct me that way? 2. How do you make seed sticks? I've got several recipes here, but just wanted to see what everyone else found was most successful please? Is gelatine ok? I've read SO many recipes with PVA glue, but NO thankyou! Corn syrup? I don't know....any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys, and again, do hope you and your critters are all well. Cheers, Floss xx Hi Floss, sorry to hear things have been tough. Hope things start looking up soon. I might have mentioned here that I loved the toys and friendly service from Tai, a lady who owned and made most of the toys on her site. I don't know what happened, but looks like she's no longer in business www.parrotsplaybirdtoys.com/I like this Aussie online store too www.myparrotshop.com/This one is overseas and even with shipping costs, I've found I get more toys for my dollar. The owner, Delta, will usually work with you to keep postage costs down, eg if you ask she will tell you what toys will fit in the same size postal package without jacking it up to the next level in postage costs. I know her through another forum and she's very honest and the toys are great. She'll customise toys for you, if you want. And yes, I have received the refund from her that she promises, if her flat rate international shipping price charged ends up being more than the postage cost. www.parroteeliabirdtoys.com/Another international site I order from (owned by a friend I met on another forum). As long as you keep the total weight down below a certain level, once again you still end up in front over what you would have paid here (even taking into account postage costs) plus there are items I haven't seen here, even if I wanted to buy in Oz. www.persnicketyparrot.com/HTH |
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Thinking it was someone else........any help? Thanks guys...TBT? something like that? 
Other than sneezing they were OK, they ate and drank normally. 
Trust me, you'll get a great kick out of seeing a bird chomping into one of your seed bells or honey sticks, while all the time knowing that just for those few moments you've made that bird very happy. ;D
