Toy Making - Safely Dying

Hello All,

So today I'm going to share with you my experience of how to safely dye for our birds.  The method I used was food coloring, and although some would recommend using Kool-Aid, I am not totally accepting of this method.  My reasoning behind that, is koolaid flavors otherwise inedible substances.   This causes the bird to recognize things like Popsicle sticks, beads and rope as food.  I am not the only one who sees the potential dangers, so I opted for the food coloring method.  Now for the fun stuff!

Ok, so first things first.  Did you get that shopping list on my previous post?  Great! Now I want you to add something on this list, it's very very important.  Gloves.  It took me nearly a week to get the stain out of my nails.  Be forewarned.

My first mistake was in my water-to-dye ratio.  At first, I filled several bowls with water and added maybe 10 drops of coloring in each.  I also added some vinegar to help the color fast to the material.  The vinegar seemed to work wonders later on, but initially I just didn't have enough color.  Another thing I found, it's rather difficult with a paintbrush.

The beads did turn out quite nicely though!

So here's what I ended up doing.  First off, I nixed the bowls.  I traded them in for these shallow desert plates so I would be able to let the items in question sit and absorb the dye.  This proved to be much more effective, once in increased the dye concentrate.  So using just enough water to fill the dish, you're going to want a cap full of vinegar, and about 20 drops of dye.

*Note* - Don't fret for your dishes!  It washes out without a worry, and a layer of paper towel saved me from a big clean up.  Not to mention Willow had a BLAST tearing it up when all was said and done.

For the Popsicle sticks, I found this was the best way to stack them.  It allowed them to dry,  didn't let the ink run and kept me stay organized (a personal issue of mine... organization.)

The bowls worked well for organizing my dowels.

I had some pretty awesome success dying my twine and hemp rope!

Now just a a few tips and tricks and warnings!  I'll put them all point form here for easy reference.

• For the sake of your fingers, invest in some latex gloves.
• Don't be shy with your dye!  When in doubt, add more.  You really don't need much water.
• Vinegar helps!  Just a cap full will do ya.
• Yellow really didn't work for me.
• Red and Yellow, in theory makes orange but I couldn't quite get it.  I'm sure it IS possible.
• Blue and Red, my purple look like horse poop.  This being one of my favorite colors, I was pretty bummed out.  Waking up was like Christmas morning!  All the colors were so vibrant, ESPECIALLY my purple.  So give it a chance!  (I'm kicking myself, as I didn't think to photograph the finished product)

Have FUN!  Send me pictures! Share your thoughts :)

In the Beginning

Well, lets start with a big old welcome!  Here marks the very beginning of my very first blog, and with a little luck I hope to provide some insight on life with our feathered friends.  Yes, this is a blog for parrot lovers, those who live with them, and those who can't live without them.  I am a young professional in the animal industry.  Certified dog trainer, I have been apprenticing and working with animals professionally since March 2010.  It's been a life long obsession, and I am passionate about the proper care of all pets, everywhere.  I have worked in shelters, instructed classes, partaken in a pilot project for psychiatric service animals, participated in behavioral assessments, and work with some of the best trainers in the Canadian industry.  I am a junior, and by no means do I wish to fool anyone.  Having completed my course, and now thoroughly enjoying my role as an instructor, I wish to pursue my true passion.  The love of parrots.

Next week, my wonderful fiance will be joining me on a rescue mission.  We're traveling five hours to go take in our first large parrot, a 7-8 year old Goffin's Cockatoo whose name will someday (soon?) be determined!  We aren't just taking in another pet, no sir, one cannot call these beautiful creatures "pets".  This is the point I hope to make with my blogging, now and in the future.  To follow will be information I have gathered in my years of research, related to the ownership of large birds such as Cockatoos, Macaws and the ever so intelligent African Grey and many more!  This choice is nothing like choosing to own a dog, or cat.  It isn't a hamster who will be easily amused with some pine shavings and a wheel.  They don't go in a litter box, you can't train them not to chew and "quiet time" will never again be on your terms.  You aren't just accepting responsibility for a decade, or even two.  This is a lifetime commitment, and if it is made to be anything less you will damage your loving pet worse than the most crippling divorce.  Too many parrots jump from home, to home, to shelter, to home and back again.  This can result in a plethora of issues.  Screaming, biting, and the most horrifying of all, self mutilation.  You are adopting a toddler, who will never grow older, some species can shake your neighbors windows just talking about the sheer joy of life, they can deliver a powerful bite that lands you in the ER.  Their dietary needs are more complex then our own, no longer will you be able to skip cooking and just do take out.  Vacation? Ha.  Describe the pet I just mentioned above to a potential sitter, and see how many takers you have.  "Would you mind watching this wild animal, with the intelligence of a three year old, tantrums of a two year old, and energy of a jack russell terrier?  I hope your neighbors don't mind when you turn your stereo up full blast... because it might be twice as loud.  Oh no, no.  It can't be stopped, this baby screams for the sheer JOY of being alive.  You don't mind though... right?"

Now I should really get to the heart of this blog.  Our purpose, the mission statement... etc. etc. etc.  The first thing I would like to say.  I am an avid fan, and true believer in the website www.mytoos.com

This blog will be absolutely DEDICATED to the life and love of parrots.  To understand my mandate, please read that website forwards and backwards.  If you are considering life with one of these beautiful creatures, if you live with one, if you know someone who does, if it has ever even crossed your mind, you should read this site.  It is from there that I have adopted my beliefs.  It was an inspiration for my professional career, and now I am going on to study an in depth Parrot Behavior Modification course.  That's right folks, my lifetime ambition is to be a Parrot Behaviorist and help other people in other madhouses nationwide.  How do we plan on doing that?  Well it's pretty simple.  I am a positive reinforcement trainer.  In following articles I will begin to provide you with the basics.  Why Should I Teach My Parrot? What Should I Teach My Parrot? When should I Teach Them? And MOST importantly, how.  I am not in this for profit, I do not believe in perpetuating the sale of parrots in the pet industry.  Bottom line, I am not selling anything.  I will never pay for a pet bird, so never ask me if I'd be interested.  More on this at www.mytoos.com  We will include detailed articles, step by step "How to's", and the most fun of all... VIDEOS!  Oh yes, many many videos to come.  How to make toys, invent games, teach tricks and all the reasons... why, why, why!

So buckle in, sit tight, and I promise to be back in a couple days.