I have had a lot of pets over the years, mostly cats and dogs, and they tend to destroy their toys. Most of my friends and family just go out and buy a replacement from the pet store which always seemed like a waste of money to me. Here are some great toys I've used over the years to keep my pets happy and healthy: Cats: * Cardboard toilet rolls: tape them together and hid treats in them * Fishing rod toys: just a stick with some fishing line and a feather on the end * Secondhand/Unwanted plush toys: different sized teddy bears and old toys to tear into * Old mats stapled to a piece of wood to scratch Dogs: * Old boots to chew on * Sticks around the yard for them to chase * Old rope to play tug-of-wars Any other ideas that would be great to know about?
Awesome DIY bird toy that my little guy loves (he loves food so it's only to be expected ): Thread a large needle with some thick thread (I like to use embroidery thread, four or all six of the strands as it seems safer) and thread a large button. Then thread an almond or two, remove needle and make a knot, leaving a bit of extra thread with which to attach the toy to the top of the cage. Your bird will spend ages nibbling and breaking pieces off the almond and when he's done he'll probably enjoy playing with the button too especially if it's colorful. Birds love it when you introduce new toys for them to figure out, as long as they trust you and are not new to the household and feeling unsafe.
I haven't really made anything fancy for my cat, just crumpled paper or plastic. If I crumple the plastic, I just use a scotch tape to tape it together so that it won't stretch. He used to love playing with them when he was younger. Now that he's a geriatric cat, only lizards and birds catch his attention now.
For scratching my cats use rubber puzzle tiles, the kind that people use for play rooms or exercise. I like to use a laser pointer so they can chase it. It's so fun to watch them run around. Other than that I give them empty boxes every now and then to play with. I don't usually buy toys as in the past when I did they mostly ignored them. I'm going to try your cardboard roll idea.
I'd never thought of the foam puzzle toys, Mariee, but I bet my cat would love scratching those. He likes to reach up to scratch, but I could probably find a way to anchor them to the wall without ruining the paint (which is exactly what my cat is determined to do). Stapling old mats is also a good idea. I used to buy cat toys for my cat. He would ignore them to bat a balled-up receipt around. I found his favorite toy is crumpled up aluminum foil. He'll even fetch it, and it's heavy enough to get some distance when thrown.
I swear my cat loves to play more with random things than toys. I've stopped buying them all together. I don't mind, it saves me money She just isn't interested in them and would prefer to hang out in old boxes and play with bottle caps. Sometimes I tie extra ribbon to a yardstick and she loves to run around and play with that.
Lots of discussion about cats and toys here. They do get bored of them quickly but I find it really helpful to rotate the toys every few days when they become bored of them. Usually, I find cats have a favourite toy and I put that aside and only bring it out every now and then so it doesn't lose it's appeal.