Bondi enjoying a Don’t Break My Heart Crisp from our Holiday Cookbook found at BirdTricks.com/naturalfeeding.

Pets make the most loyal Valentines, don’t they? I sure think so. That’s why it’s important to take holidays to remember why you love your feathered Valentines soooo much. Here are some fun ways you can express your love to your parrot!

Crafts, to me by the way, mean both edible ones and non-edible ones! When I say rope in any posts, I’m referring to ropes like manilla which break instead of fray. OR just keep a close eye on the rope you use if it does fray as birds can catch nails, toes, and beaks in them and get hurt. So just remove them when they begin to show fray.

Craft #1 – Treat Filled Hearts 

Make this bird safe by sewing pieces of paper together and stuffing treats inside. Hang from the cage with thread or rope.

You can use any paper dyed with veggie dyes, or use plain white paper and dye it yourself with some beet juice. Watch out, beet juice stains everything – including your skin! But it works great for turning everything PINK!

Craft #2 – Heart Lollies

A bird safe Valentine’s Day treat!

When you only need one ingredient, you know you’ve got a good idea. These heart lollies make great foot toys and snacks!

Craft #3 – The Woven Heart

Weave paper in and out of itself – no adhesive used, just plain paper and a great toy!

 Here are the instructions for this one – as you will need to print out the pattern. Just don’t use glue or adhesive of any type, simply sew with needle and thread instead or omit the handle completely. I’d fill this with pink cut out hearts, balled up pieces of paper and goodies your bird likes such as leftover toy pieces that can easily be cleaned off and re-used (maybe they were at the bottom of the cage?) and other things to keep your bird busy and entertained!

Craft #4 – Love Letter Mailbox

If you have our BirdTricks mailbox already you can cover it in pink paper too!

Make your own mailbox with veggie dyed construction paper, and a needle and thread! Never use glues, paints, etc. they can be toxic to parrots as well as inks and leads. Sew on the pieces like the front lid and the side flag, and sew the whole mailbox together. There can be holes, it does not need to be perfect. It will just get destroyed anyway. If you’re a terrible sewer like me, cut the pieces and then nicely beg someone else to sew it together. Fill it with love letters to your bird and various goodies that he/she will enjoy digging into!

Craft #5 – Heart Cut Outs

No pen necessary for this one unless you can find non toxic markers!

These are fun and NOTHING gets wasted! Take some veggie dyed construction paper in pink and red and white, and cut out different sized and shaped hearts. Poke a hole through the top with a pen and stick thread or thin rope through and hang the hearts (as well as the paper with the heart cut outs) in your bird’s cage and let them destroy them! You can even hang multiple hearts from one thread or rope. (Safety note: Keep an eye on your bird when using rope/thread especially if your rope frays. Birds can get tangled).

Craft #6 – Not Just For Babies Mobile 

Make this bird safe by keeping it simple; untreated wood circle, thread and veggie dyed paper cut outs.

You can get that circular wooden thing at the top from any craft store, then attach the heart cut outs with thread or rope. Thread will be easier but rope will be heavier duty for the larger birds. You can hang heart cut outs and string things like popcorn and cranberries to go along with the same colors of the holiday! Edible AND play-with-able? Heck yes! (Safety note: Keep an eye on your bird when using rope/thread especially if your rope frays. Birds can get tangled).

Craft #7 – Simple Heart 

Make this pink by using beet juice!

This one is fun and simple and can be attached to the cage bars, placed over the food dish or made into its own hanging toy for your bird. Fun, easy = YES.

Craft #8 – Cut Anything Into a Heart

You can also use molds to make frozen goodies.

You can cut any bird safe food into a heart. Really.

Some foods you can cut into heart shapes (or x’s and o’s):

• Melons
• Leafy greens, snow peas, snap peas
• Whole wheat or spinach tortillas
• Whole grain breads
• Flat pastas like whole grain lasagnas
• Put corn and carrot sticks in x’s and o’s
• Beets
• Freeze fruits and veggies in heart molds for colder treats

Fill strawberries and raspberries with bird safe ingredients like the Feathered Frosting from the BirdTricks.com/naturalfeeding cookbook.

The ultimate bird safe cake!

You can use toothpicks or carrot sticks to stick fruits on, just cut off the sharp part of the toothpick. Make sure to avoid using seeds or pits of fruits as they are toxic to birds (example: pits and seeds of apples).

Craft #11 – The Cardboard Box with Heart Cut Outs 

Oh the joys of cardboard with our parrots!

Pick a good sized box based on the size of your bird and cut out hearts all over it and stuff it with fun things to explore and forage inside! Nothing as simple and easy (and time consuming fun) for our birds as some cardboard. You could also use toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls for the same thing. Use bunched up paper on both opening sides to keep things in as long as possible. Try to pick cardboard without any glues, adhesives or inks and tape on them.

Craft #12 – Healthy Parrot Valentine’s Day Recipes 

Parrot safe recipe from birdtricks.com/naturalfeeding Healthy Holidays cookbook

Another Valentine’s Day recipe from our healthy holiday cookbook (birdtricks.com/naturalfeeding)

Yes, recipes for EVERY size! Birdtricks.com/naturalfeeding

If you already have our Healthy Holidays Parrot Cookbook, you may have noticed I photographed only the pink and white parrots for the Valentine’s Day recipes… I thought it was quite crafty!

We have around 5 Valentine’s Day recipes I believe plus tons of other holidays so definitely check it out and get to makin’ your bird part of your holiday! Nothin’ like having a feathered Valentine!

Photo credits: Auntannie.com, Celebrations.com, Whattoexpect.com, Pinterest.com, Findababysitter.org, By stephanielynn.com,  Etsy.com, Pbs.org.