squirrel toys?

[Carlala]

what are good toys for a squirrel?

[acorniv]

what are good toys for a squirrel?


I can't believe no one has responded to this!

They all love plush animals.

Mokus has a plush squirrel named Boing Boing, Boing Boing was originally intended to be a pal, but Mokus found him threatening, so I ran cord elastic from Boing Blong's head and ran it about 5 feet to a branch in the upper regions of his cage. Boing Boing hovers an inch or so over a log, and Mokus spends much of the say pouncing on him and rolling on the gorund with him, and trying to kick the stuffing out of him :jump He gets a LOT of excercise this way.

Schmootie dearly loved building nests and stashing things. She had her own room, which was my art studio, where i followed her lead and provided her with toys that were similar to whatever she stole from me. She adopted a set of classroom flags ( twigs & leaves) a box of pipecleaners (twigs - fold the tips in) and a box of kleenex. She woudl pull sheet after single sheet of kleenex out of that box, stuff it under her chin, and run to a selected spot to stash it, and then run back She would spend entire days doing this. Periodically I'd empty the nest back into the kleenex box and she'd enthusiastically start over.

She also loved hiding nuts. I keep a tray - a litter box tray will do fine - of dirt in Mokus's cage It should be changed about once a week, because they do eat the dirt and get nurtients - both minerals and living things, from it, they hide nuts in it and they also use them as litter boxes. Squirrels should not eat too many nuts but you can give them some that they can't get into and they'll have fun with them.

I mentioned the log. Both my squirrels were passionate about fresh logs. They attack them and they get under the bark and eat thingss.

A rope hammock makes a great climbing structure, and so does large mesh fabric. You can swag it around their enclosure or better yet, hang it from the ceiling in your house for when they are out.

I have a parrot who shares his toys. all parrot toys are fun for squirrels too. Mokus likes a half coconut with wood disks and shaggy hemp laced through holes drilled in it. My parrot had a heavy rope covered perch that is filled with wire. It's about 6-8 feet long and snaked inside his cage. But Milo doesnt really use it, so I put it in Mokus's cage. He loves this thing and it has become his favorite perch also. It's warm in the winter and easy to grip with his back feet.

Try to rotate these things so you prevent :squirrel1 boredom.

Looking forward to hearing other ideas!

[sage4dylan]

Flip has his little stuffed animal toys his size that he wrestles with. He has a belt looped and hanging from the top of his cage that he loves to swing on. he also has a belt hanging straight down that he plays with. I have heard someone mention old pocket books hanging that they can hide in. He likes shiny things like the bird toys with bells on them. He loves a coke bottle, empty with the lid on it. he chews it , wrestles it.

[Squirrel Girls Mom]

I ordered items from Auntie MM's Custom Boutique for my squirrels for Christmas. They have played and swung and hung nonstop since I got them in their cages. Look on her thread to see all the choices. Of course, I just happened to post pictures of my babies enjoying all their new stuff. :shakehead

http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37850&page=7

[Fireweed]

By toys, I'm assuming you mean 'anything to keep a squirrel entertained and from licking his or her fur off out of boredom'. :D Acorniv gave lots of great ideas. Here's a few more:

A rug on the wall. The kind with short pile--like in the entry way to an office, for example. They will run and zig and zag like lightning all over it. Here's an example:


http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/whobyfireweed/Lone%20Baby/1b41c522.jpg

*Fresh logs are great, too, like acorniv mentioned. Real tree limbs, or smaller tree trunks, as bridges and ramps.

*Thick rope tied in knots at intervals so they can hang, climb, swing etc. Also use them as bridges, ramps.

*Boxes of snow or dirt or sand etc to dig in (bake first if you are worried about pests).

*Grow some grass for them to dig up and eat---gets moldy fast so only good for a day or two once grass starts to grow.

*Real trees to climb in, hide in, hide stuff in. Hose them down before bringing in, if worried about pests.

*Pine cones and spruce cones to rip apart--pick only ones still on the tree!

*Tunnels---best to use large, thick plastic, corrugated, flexible pipe/hose you would buy at a home reno place (Click here for image (http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/590469340/Plastic_fire_resister_corrugated_pipe.html)). It comes in all sizes. If you look for it, you can find the kind that bends and shapes to your squirrels obstacle course desires *and* is also smooth on the inside. The ones I'm talking of are thick plastic throughout and do not have lightweight plastic in between the grooves. You can also buy it in extra-long lengths, unlike those you find in the pet stores! These are easy to keep relatively clean, too.

We've also used plastic eavestroughs, although you can't bend them and they tip over unless you secure them down:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/whobyfireweed/Lone%20Baby/b9938980.jpg

You can make your own wood ones, too, and leave the bottom open so that they don't get so dirty:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/whobyfireweed/Lone%20Baby/89f381ff.jpg

[Carlala]

what great ideas everyone! i try to give my lil gabby goo new toys every few days but i was running out of ideas especially because i am going to build her a new home in a month and i wanted idea for all new stuff in her custom built enclosure! =) thank you all for the ideas me and gabby appreciate it!

[acorniv]

Love the carpeted wall. We got a floor to ceiling piece of large diameter plastic pipe and some carpeting to make a cat climbing toy for our cat. I'm going to make it and give it to Mokus first. The wall makes me wonder if my kitties would like a climbing wall too. I'm sure Mokus would!

Yes, not just logs but whole trees. IMO they are a must have in a squirrel's cage. We have several oaks in our yard, so I've been cutting the saplings for Mokus, I swap them out every couple of weeks. They chew on them and like them fresh.

[acorniv]

Love the carpet wall. I'm about to cover 8 feet of 4" pipe with carpet for my cat, and if Mokus had free reign he'd love it too - could run around and around it like a tree. Bummer for him that he gets nervous and attacks whenever he's loose!

Check out my mesh cage under the cage section. Lots of things can be done with that mesh ( it's from Jo Annes), but I made a whole cage out of it that functions like a trampoline. Also, the pink mesh tunnel is the biggest hit ever. Mokus loves to be tickled through it.

[Rhapsody]

Check out the habitat accessories @ Nuts About Squirrels:
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/index.html

[rygel1hardt]

I LOVE the custom squirrel pendants! Stacey



Check out the habitat accessories @ Nuts About Squirrels:
http://www.nutsaboutsquirrels.net/index.html

[mimipapa]

I'm trying to find or figure out some sort of puzzles that the little nuts can work on, you know like they have for dogs. you always see on tv how the squirrels figure out ways to get into the "squirrel proof" bird feeders. something that will keep them busy and earn a treat doing it. I tried a "Kong" you know the rubber thing you put dog treats in. They destroyed it. Any Ideas?

[ALittleNutty]

I was just going to suggest the "Kong" toys but I read your post and see that's a no go, LOL! Mine like toilet paper tubes, climbing robes, stuffies, and their wheel. Of course they are flyers so I have to get smaller toys for them in some cases.

[Zeemiles]

So glad someone said sand. Dirt in the back yard is a no go since there are so many coons. I want to buy a bag of dirt at the Home Depot but wasn't sure and felt sand might be the safer bet.

Also some people have wheels, I just got one and have seen no activity. I did pick up some wooden parrot toys and those seem to be a hit. We have strung a hug rope to the ceiling and run it all around the room for her to play on. She literally wears herself out.

[squirrellove89]

thank you all for the wonderful suggestions gabby says thankyou too!! so everyone knows i posted this under my old name on here but when i changed my email it banned me lol so this is my new one =)

[Abbi's Mama]

Abbi has an assortment of bird, cat, rabbit, rat, and homemade toys. She really enjoys the willow balls and hanging from the wooden bird toys (and batting the bells on them). The sticks in her cage also seem to keep her pretty entertained.