Hi all, can you please tell me how to dye the wooden toy pieces and cotton rope for bird safe toys? I'm in the hoopball homestretch! Thanks!

You can use the gel food coloring that cake decorators use. Some people use Kool aid, but I heard this is not good because it can produce mold.
The absolute best bird safe coloring is a product called Vita Critter. Do an internet search. It produces dark rich colors.
Personally, my birds don't seem to like rope or wood better if it is colored, so I don't color anything. That is the easiest and safest way to make toys.
Congratulations on your new baby.

[quote=ElizabethC;43943]The absolute best bird safe coloring is a product called Vita Critter.


Vitacritter - Exquisite Colourant Toy Color Concentrates

I use nothing but the Vittacritters. Very vibrant and it goes a long way. If your just starting out, there is a trial pack with a small bottle of each color you can buy. I think it runs around $30 and there are nine different colors, red, pink, orange, yellow, light green, dark green, blue, purple and teal. I have them memorized because I use them every day. You have the option to mix them with water or rubbing alcohol. I use the rubbing alcohol because it dries faster.

Toy making is fun, and way back when, I used to color my wood also, but now, with the flock I have, I simply don't have time. They love the natural wood and chew it up in no time, but, dying the wood is lots of fun.
I don't use cotton rope at all. I only use Sisal - which you can dye.
The Sisal s a natural fiber which won't get caught up in the crop if the bird happens to ingest some of it. I have heard that cotton rope can stick in the crop and cause problems. - yes, I know, almost every single toy out there has cotton rope.
I have seen many many bird toys over the years, and some of them obviously can cause a problem, and others, the problem potential is not as evident, but remains anyway. Something as simple as the chain and quick link - they aren't stainless steel, which is quite expensive. The toys with chains and quick links that we buy probably have zinc in them. I do keep a supply of stainless quick links and some chain and switch the toys out when I get them home.