When making your own, in order of concern,

• Do not make rope toys with loops they can get cought in and hang themselves.
• Do not have sharp or pointed objects that could stick them, re: wire ends, pins, etc.
• Do not worry excessively about items they may swallow like buttons, bell clapers, splinters, etc. they'll play with the pieces crush them and eventually disguard them
• Be concerned about sharp projections in their cages and play areas. (fasteners, nails, wires, in the case of galvenized wire some sharp projections will protrude from the wire when the wire is dipped and removed too quickly galvenize will drip and leave sharp points (like a small icesickle) these will cut their feet when they grab the wire, re: inexpensive chainlink, welded wire mesh.
  
  

Cut blocks from hard woods and plumose(sp?) stone (please no plastic, they will injest the the fine plastic chips and this isn't good for them) bels, large washers, etc. and string them on chains or pure all cotton ropes. Rawhide bones are OK. I buy 1/4 in cotton rope and brade it into lengths and hang it in the cages. They take hours unting the knots and shreading the ropes.

Brad Broadwell - bbroadwe@astro.ge.com