Have you ever spent $100 dollars on a few glider toys and wondered, “There has to be a cheaper way”? I’m here today to show you that way using ten cheap things that you have around the house that can easily be turned into hours of entertainment and enrichment for your gliders.
Milk Bottle Caps
Before you throw away that milk jug, snag the cap. It can be added to a ball/foraging pit or it can be added to toys as a foraging cup. You can always drill a hole in the middle and add it to various toys much like you would with charms. The edges of the caps have a really fun texture. 🙂
Milk Bottle Rings
You know the little plastic safety rings below the milk bottle caps? Gliders absolutely love these. I’m pretty sure that, besides the wheel, they are Ink’s favorite toy. He’s always carrying them back to his nest (what gliders do with their most beloved things). Recently I saw Cardamom with one of these carried in his tail. He walked all over the cage with it, then took it off and put it on like a necklace. It was there for about ten seconds before Vanilla stole it. 😂
Just be sure to make a cut in them so that they don’t get stuck inside.
Plastic Hangers
Who would have thought that hangers could be the base for such fun? Cover them in fleece and hang them in the cage as a fun foraging branch. You can see my tutorial here. Cheap, easy, and will add hours of entertainment.
Straws
The possibilities for straws are only limited by your imagination. There are so many things that you can do with straws! Run them through a pencil sharpener to make a fun, stretchy toy that gliders love to attack and pounce on. Fill them with honey or yogurt and turn them into a fun, challenging treat. Attach them to the sides of toys or hang them around the cage for décor and nesting possibilities.
Old Plastic Bowls & Plates
Do you have retired children’s bowls and plates that you want to put to good use? Why not turn them into toys! They make wonderful bases and can be turned into swings or hanging ball pits. Drill holes in the sides and attach chain and charms.
Toothbrush Covers
Toothbrush covers make some of the best foraging containers out there. They’re small enough for the gliders to pick up and move around. Hide a small treat inside and watch as the gliders skillfully use their little paws and mouths to pry them open. If you want to give them more of a challenge, stuff them full of fleece or curly straws along with a small treat.
Duplo
If you have old duplos around the house, you can make floor toys out of them. Just be sure that there are no small spaces in which they could get their heads/paws stuck.
Yogurt Lid Tops
Use the lids off of yogurt containers as excellent toy bases – especially for swings and other hanging toys. You can drill holes in them and add charms and plastic chain or rattles.
Plastic Baby Toys
If you have any old baby toys lying around, reuse them for your gliders. They especially love rattles and plastic teething rings. (Just be sure that if you use teething rings that they do not have any gel inside as the gliders will likely bite it open).
Sour Cream Containers
The small plastic containers that sour cream and such foods come in are perfect for small ball pits or as a cozy place for your glider to chill in. Fill with foraging toys or little fleece blankets and let the fun begin! Depending on the thickness of the plastic, can also make them into hanging ball pits or swings, much like you would with the old bowls mentioned above.
And there you have it! Ten household items that can be converted into enriching fun for your gliders.
~Hattush
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