Lumber?

[zazanomore]

I was watching videos on youtube for DIY bird toys, and I came across this video. It seems like a really good idea, and it would be cheaper than ordering blocks of wood from an online store.

I started looking into it, but all other sources say you should never give your bird pressure treated wood.

Do lumber stores sell untreated lumber? Should I even trust their untreated lumber?

I'd really like to build stands, playgyms, and my own toys.

Any advice would be great!

[Roger P]

The lumber stores would absolutely have lumber that would be suitable for these kinds of projects. Make sure you stay away from pressure treated lumber (it has a green colour to it) I would suggest that because your birds are smaller, talk to your local Home Depot or Revy and ask if you could have some leftovers from their cutting area, as they would likely have some short pieces left over that you may not even need to cut. You may even get them for free, as they have no real use and would likely be thrown out anyway. Check out what wood is safe, but they should have pine, spruce, and possibly ash. Others might include mahogany, oak, and cedar, but they will be more expensive. The wood used in the video will most likely be pine.

[greymatter]

Yup - at Home Depot, the main lumber drag has untreated Spruce. There is pine, and it's usually near the back last lumber aisle along with the harder woods (maple, poplar, etc).

Having a Chop saw at home is really useful for this too . CT has a basic one on sale on a rotating basis, and as long as you have the right blade for the wood you're cutting, you should be good. I forget what ours is - I just know don't use the same blade Husband was using on the moulding .

Avoid the green and you'll be good. Never get pressure treated wood due to the chemicals used.

It's also really easy to make a playstand with PVC piping and vet wrap (to avoid slipping for your little ones) - check the As Is section in ikea - we found a large stainless steel plate (2.5 feet wide) there for a playstand, and drilled it onto a stool. we can have all three of our boys on it (well Merlin & Stryder, Merlin & Rosco, or just Rosco - Rosco's a bit of a bully), and they get up & down pretty easily.

Have fun, and be creative!

[Chris&Akilah]

So as long as the wood isn't pressure-treated, it's ok for birds? I've always been leary of buying wood but I'm getting sick of trudging around in the snow with a hacksaw, looking for nice branches.

[TheNzJessie]

So as long as the wood isn't pressure-treated, it's ok for birds? I've always been leary of buying wood but I'm getting sick of trudging around in the snow with a hacksaw, looking for nice branches.

i tend to stick to untreated pine and balsa wood for toys and i use ti tree for perches because its easy to find long straight branches