Favorite Toys

[Joan]

What is your furball's favorite or most-used toys/exercise objects? What do you see as its Pros and Cons? Is it homemade or store-bought? Share anything you think others may benefit from.

[FLYNSQRL]

OK, I'll start this off...I am probably the worst person to begin since I am a very new HOF and have little experience, but what the hey...

#1. Wodent Wheel
My only complaint with this item is that it is a tad noisy - I would love to find a heavy-duty stainless-steel wheel with a sealed roller-bearing. But I am a dreamer...

#2. Sisal rope, 1/2" dia. and 3/4" dia.
As with the child who ignores the toy and plays for hours with the box it came in, the simple joys of "rope running" can entertain a flyer for hours. And it is easy to rearrange the web of ropes to provide a new challenge every so often.

#3. Branches and limbs
Strategically placed, these natural items allow for much excercise, jumping and resting points.

#4. IKEA hanging hampers
Simple, cheap and somewhat ugly, you can't really go wrong with these.

#5. Porsche 911 Carrera
OK, this one is for me!
:mrgreen:

[Joan]

[quote="Steve Patterson"]OK, I'll start this off...

#1. Wodent Wheel
My only complaint with this item is that it is a tad noisy - I would love to find a heavy-duty stainless-steel wheel with a sealed roller-bearing. But I am a dreamer...
Yes, Wodents get noisy and dirty too. Leah's right ... the Stealth Wheels are super.

#2. Sisal rope, 1/2" dia. and 3/4" dia.
I have this strung in their "tree" and they climb all over it.

#3. Branches and limbs
I have a small bare tree in a Christmas stand ... it has bird houses hung in the branches and I place nuts inside them.

#4. IKEA hanging hampers
Simple, cheap and somewhat ugly, you can't really go wrong with these.
I tried to order this on line, but it's only an in store item ... closest store is Atlanta, GA.

I have one of those cement perches in the cage. Mishi has already gone through one ... she's my chewer.

[Joan]

I also hung a child's mitten on the tree and fill it with nuts. I have a couple of plastic cable grippers snapped around small branches of the tree. Mishi is bond and determined to remove them. LOL

[Moca]

What is your furball's favorite or most-used toys/exercise objects? .

1. Wodent wheel.
Mine is not loud.

2. Cat toys made with rabbit fur. Nugget loves these things.

I plan to add more chew toys for rabbits,rats and mice for Nugget next time I'm ready to order stuff.

[Joe]

Dear Fellow HOF's: Well Ginger's favorite toy.... Well I have to keep it around all the time, what a hassle. It seems whatever she is doing, it will stop when I come around. Yes I belive I am Gingers favorite toy. She will jump off the wheel to see me. She even drops her new favorite treat,( thanks Leah ) acorns and just enjoys me.
Of course hiding those new treats in different pockets probably has nothing to do with it. Nowif I could just get the wild squirrels to leave me alone when I am outside that would be great. They keep trying to bury me Guess I am nuts Sincerely Joe and Ginger

[gwsgrand]

My crew love this cotton rope that Meghan found at a cloth store. You can cut the strings and the cotton starts coming out. They are really having a great time pulling the cotton and taking it to their nest. As for wheels mine think they are to chew on and really wish they were not in their condo's. The other big hit is getting fresh oak limbs with leafs on and getting to see if there are any little bugs they can find. Little Ms. Tinker does not seem to know that she is suppose to sleep in the day time and is up and playing and nibbling on that oak branch all day. She will go back in her little pocketbook to take a short nap.

[Kath]

Sorry everyone - I did later find out that I couldn't order from IKEA when they sent me an email letting me know.

So, I found them at Lillian Vernon as Leah posted above. I just got them in the mail yesterday! I hung it up in Boo's room from the bare tree I have in there and he wouldn't go near it at first - I'm hoping he will soon though. :P

[katiedid]

Lillian Vernon has those hanging hampers even cheaper than Ikea - 3 for $10.

http://www.lillianvernon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=43517&addOn=485&categoryId=&catTree=&clearance=&sid=eas

Awesome!!! I'm ordering some asap!!!

[Joan]

Not yet, because I remember you said you were going to order us some from Ikea before I found these. I didn't know that the order went belly-up 'til you just posted it!

I ordered 2 sets today!

[Joan]

[quote="Darra"] ...I have hanging close to her hat. She likes to take the ends of the string into her hat to chew on.

I have several baseball type caps hung on tree branches and a light pole. Mishi especially loves to get inside them and open nuts. I just take them to the garbage can and empty out the shells every now and then ... it's easier than picking up the floor. :P

[Moca]

I ordered 2 sets today!

Let us know how big a hit they are.

[Joan]

... Let us know how big a hit they are.

Sure will ... was think of stuffing each area with soft material and such that they can hide in.

[Moca]

... Let us know how big a hit they are.

Sure will ... was think of stuffing each area with soft material and such that they can hide in.

Ah! I like this idea!
You could piut in some treats as well.

[Joan]

I was replacing 3 of my 4 ceiling lights with red bulbs today. I wanted to try them at night when the flyers are out. I left one white one over the computer. Since the ceilings are at least 10', I had to bring in a ladder. I left it up at the foot of my bed as I'm short one bulb and will have to get it tomorrow.
Later, I heard a noise and looked to see Chuck racing up and down the ladder. He was having a grand time. That made me think that city dwelling HOFs and those who don't want to put up a tree in a Christmas stand, could use a ladder instead. There are lots of places to hang things and you might get lucky and pick up an old wooden one at a garage sale. It sure would be easier to fold up out of the way if you needed to.

[Fini]

Has anyone seen the website for Itty-Bitty Critter Company? They have toys that are being marketed for glider owners, but I really like some of these designs. The make a giant fleece palm tree for the cage.

I ended up ordering a few things, I will post a review as soon as I get them.

Check out their website: http://ittybittycc.vstore.ca/

It's Canadian, so make sure you select the US Dollar when looking at prices, otherwise you will think your shopping at Neiman Marcus for your flyer.

Cheers!
Chris

[Joan]

[quote="Fini"]Has anyone seen the website for Itty-Bitty Critter Company? ... I ended up ordering a few things, I will post a review as soon as I get them.


Thanks Chris ... looks like a nice site.

[Sandy]

Hollow logs with holes in them. They are strung together and hung a few places in their room. I stash nuts in them and they have a ball getting them out.

Generic TP hung up. They'll string it all over the place and then use it for bedding material.

Bird houses everywhere.

Branches tied together and stuffed in an old Xmas tree stand.

Clothing hung around the room.

Wooden peg rack with socks, old hats and misc. items hanging from it.

Dog treat ball filled with nuts and seeds.

And their absolute favorites are the towels on every shelf in the room. They'll play hide and seek for hours on the part that hangs over the shelves.

[Laurie]

My favorite thing to do is swing down the baby department in WalMart, Target and KMart. I can find the BEST flyer toys in there! The number one item I always look for is cheap plastic rings that link together. WalMart usually carries a big pack of 30-40 of them for about $4.00. They are great for linking them together like a chain around the cage and also for an easy attachment for hanging other toys and fun items. The other thing I did was take an old jump rope and weave it around the ceiling of their cage with a big knot every so often. For those of you that have a WalMart - just see if your check out isles have the same items that mine does. We have every 3-5 registers or so a big box on the bottom shelf of dog toys for 88 CENTS! I'm talking tennis balls with ropes attached, ropes with a HUGE rope knot at both ends and so forth. Most have loops at one or both ends for easy cage attachment and I have to say - they are colorful and my babies just love them! For 88 cents, you just can not go wrong! New people that come to my house think I own a pet monkey because there are so many toys and fun things in my cage. Anyway, that's what I do with my free time - hahaha - I shop in the baby isles of discount stores!

[Anita Rae]

Oh Laurie, I just love those 88 cent pet toys at Walmart. Another good place to look is the Dollar Tree. I found some straw houses there the other day. I put it Bullets cage and he immediately started pulling the straw off it. It was kind of cute and it was only $1 so I don't care if he tears it up. I would watch the jump ropes closely for chewing. Most of the jump ropes that I have seen are nylon....but I don't know...hmmm...maybe nylon is ok for flyers.

[Deb]

I love getting my "fix" in wally world and the dollar stores too! There's a great one here called Apple Dollar. Another favorite is Big Lots. I find the best nest boxes there. I used to only have one furball to indulge my vice in ( Ivy K-9 has the largest barette and hair clip collection in the world) But now...!!! GOT TO SHOP

[bjsides]

A lot of time my 16 yo daughter goes shopping with me...she hates it when I buy baby food and baby toys. She says "MOM everyone is going to think I have a baby!" (this school year we changed from public school to private school). She thinks everyone with think that is why she left school! So now before we head out shopping she asks " are you buying baby stuff today!!

[Joan]

[quote="bjsides"]A lot of time my 16 yo daughter goes shopping with me...she hates it when I buy baby food and baby toys. She says "MOM everyone is going to think I have a baby!" (this school year we changed from public school to private school). She thinks everyone with think that is why she left school! So now before we head out shopping she asks " are you buying baby stuff today!!

Oh, the angst of being an adolescent ... glad those days are behind. LOL

[Joe]

I found while cleaning my flyer was very interested in the pull cords for our window blinds, well a quick trip to the hardware store for some cotton rope the small stuff and over to the hardware bins for round hardwood unpainted drawer knobs and a new favorite toy! all for less than 75 cents and the hours she spends playing with them, I even have another set to play with her outside of the cage too. Something about the two clicking togather because when I dangle one in front of her she isn't interested. Hope this give other flyers as much enterainment! I suppose a craft store would have all the stuff too. Hmmmm maybe those decorative hardood balls there would be better. sincerely Joe, HOF of Ginger

[Joan]

[quote="Joe"] ... Something about the two clicking togather because when I dangle one in front of her she isn't interested.

That's interesting Joe because mine love to jump on a coat rack where I have a wind chime hanging.

[Cathy C.]

Pootie loves her large size poster mailer. It's 3 inches in diameter. I guess you could get them at a postal mailing place. I forget where mine came from. I have it attached to the top of the window, one end directly enters 1 of her playground areas on top of a cabinet.

[Bricktooth]

You all have such good idea's on how to keep your Flyer happy. I't seems like they love even the most simple things (like a shirt on a hanger)or somthing. My flyer loved to play under the covers when I was in bed,-I would get underneath and make a tent,-she just went crazy for that!!

[laineeden]

I am getting my new baby in a couple of weeks, and have a thousand questions about toys. I LOVE all these ideas for climbing and running toys. The habitat I am putting together for the new baby is LARGE-a screen porch that is 12x 9 with 8 foot ceilings. Can you tell me how high is "safe" to string these running ropes and chains? Also, if plastic a safe substance to put in the cage, i.e. the plastic link chains?

[Joan]

[quote="laineeden"] ... Can you tell me how high is "safe" to string these running ropes and chains?

As high as you want. They climb up 100 foot trees.

Also, if plastic a safe substance to put in the cage, i.e. the plastic link chains?

A number of HOFs use them.

[laineeden]

Thank you Joan-I am just a very nervous nearly HOF!

[voguemamselle619]

i'm a nervous future HOF too... i really should pay more attention to these budget toys rather than just spending hundreds on the expensive toys that will probably just be destroyed anyway
i have this shelf unit in my dorm room that's about 6 feet tall or so. i don't know if batman will like this, but i'm going to take a rope and outline the shelf thing so he can run up and down it. and on the top shelf, put some play things for him... it'll be his little playground.
new rule... go to walmart and the dollar store for any additional toys.

[K0sM0s001]

I'm new to this messageboard and I really want to get a flyer in the near future, but for now I am setting up the cage and learning all I can about these cute little critters! I am really wanting to know where people are getting those stealth wheels, are they really quiet? I'm curious because I want my SFS's cage to be in my room. :P

[BreezieGirl]

Hi K0sM0s001! Welcome aboard! Yes, Anita's Stealth Wheels are very quiet, you won't hear a sound. You can order them here: www.sugaraesattic.com

[Joan]

Yes, they are quiet and they're made by Anita & her Husband and can be ordered off their website: http://sugaraesattic.com/

[koji]

I got this very nice wheel at petco. its a stealth wheel also, with a bearing but Ive never seen him play on it, how could I get him to play on it? I was thinking about offering pecan's on the wheel

[BreezieGirl]

I got this very nice wheel at petco. its a stealth wheel also, with a bearing but Ive never seen him play on it, how could I get him to play on it? I was thinking about offering pecan's on the wheel

You can try that, but keep in mind, Koji, that not all flyers will use a wheel. Some love them, but others never get on them. Or sometimes it just takes a few months for the squirrel to try out the wheel, I've heard of that happening.

[krups1110]

Yeah, all squirrels are different and some will love their wheel, while others won't go near it. I have heard(sorry, but I don't remember who said this) that one flyer never liked the wheel until he saw another flyer enjoying it and immediately, he began using it.

[voguemamselle619]

i think batman's favorite toy is my hair
it's ok... he's a great stylist!

[Joan]

i think batman's favorite toy is my hair
it's ok... he's a great stylist!

Well just wait til you have to pull out all the nuts he'll store there.

[krups1110]

i think batman's favorite toy is my hair
it's ok... he's a great stylist!

Be careful of the things that come out of his rear end. lol