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Food colouring to colour wood ?

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Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby Toggsy » Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:43 am

All the shop bought wooden toys seem to be brightly coloured was wondering wether using food coloring I could create the same effect using it to stain the wood like a wood wash effect also would be safe to use.
I can't see any reason why it shouldn't be ok as food colourings have to be safe for human consumption
Toggsy
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby Pajarita » Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:06 pm

It's safe but I don't think it would last, right? I mean, wouldn't it wash out when you wash the toys?
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby Toggsy » Sat Nov 07, 2015 12:46 pm

Any other suggestions on what else to use that's not toxic bit dubious about using paint on colour stains another sure if there's preservatives in it
Toggsy
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby seagoatdeb » Sat Nov 07, 2015 2:45 pm

You should use food coloring that is safe for humans, for cake decorating, icing etc. There is more than one method for getting depth of color. You dont have to worry about cleaning them if you have a bird that chews them up. If your bird doesnt they can be removed and redyed after cleaning. you can use a gel color and mix it with a little water and paint it on....you can use a soak to color too...some peole use vinegar to set the color, it does smell though. google has lots of recipes for dying bird toys. I make most of my own toys. There are also groups on facebook of people that make toys and have lots of info. Many of them donate thier toys to rescues. Pm me if you want a link to the bird toy making group I am in.
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby Chantilly » Tue Nov 10, 2015 11:58 pm

You could probably use certain vegies, herbs and plants?
Purple carrot, Indigo leaves (Don't know where youd get your hands this one..), Tumeric. Food colouring would be safe, but probably won't last, nor would this but they might like the flavour...
Food colouring would be easier though :thumbsup:
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby Wolf » Wed Nov 11, 2015 9:34 am

I think that food color is your safest bet for dying your wood, I would avoid adding anything to flavor the wood as it could encourage them to ingest some of it which is not good for them.
I am a member of other parrot forums and know someone who makes colored toys for her Palm cockatoos, let me check with her to see what she uses and get back to you a little later.
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby Toggsy » Wed Nov 11, 2015 11:02 am

Wolf wrote: I am a member of other parrot forums and know someone who makes colored toys for her Palm cockatoos, let me check with her to see what she uses and get back to you a little later.

Greatly appreciated :thumbsup: my stand could do with a bit of colour as it looks a bit bland
Toggsy
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Re: Food colouring to colour wood ?

Postby seagoatdeb » Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:44 pm

You might end up like me with buckets of things being dyed... lol.I make my own toys, and I always have something on the go, I use coffee filters and cup cake liners to make foraging toys. I use cotton ropes to make Atoms. I cut up pine to make slabs. I use gel food coloring for cake icing. I usually soak mine in a mixture of the dye and water. For some items like perches, and coffe filter, I use a mix of the gel and water and paint it on. A lot of peolpe use isopropyle acohol to help set the dye, and they say it evaporates, but I am too cautious. Some people use vinegar, but it does make a strong smell. A stong mix of dye and water work and thats what I use.
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