Lever Toy - For Pet Budgie

**DESCRIPTION**

Anyone who owns a budgie or parakeet can tell you how curious they are. However, a side effect of this curiosity is that they are also very destructive; caught in the wake of their curiosity are countless items that get knocked off tables or thrown around the room. (They're like cats, but with wings). This simple budgie lever toy is meant for this exact problem. Your pet parakeet can endlessly knock it down, as the lever continually gets reset. This toy is meant for your parakeet; (however, I will admit that I too enjoy fidgeting with this toy).

Although incased in a 3D print, this toy uses electronics and wires, please use caution and do not leave your bird alone with this toy!

**FUNCTION**

• A potentiometer is used to know when the lever is knocked down by your parakeet.
• A servo automatically resets the lever.
• A 3D printed casing protects an Arduino Uno R3 and the other electronics from your parakeet's curiosity.
   

**HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE USED**

For this design you will need the following hardware:

ARDUINO PARTS

• A potentiometer 10K
• A servo SG90
  • Small plastic Servo Arm
• An Arduino Uno R3
• Several Wires

3D PRINTS

• LeverToy_Bottom
• LeverToy_Top
• LeverToy_Cover
• LeverToy_Lever OR LeverToy_Lever_WithStick

The software I used for this design includes the following:

3D MODELING

• Onshape: For 3D modeling the design.
• Prusa Slicer: For converting my models into gcode.

CODE AND ELECTRONICS

• Arduino IDE: For programming.
• TinkerCAD: For creating a wiring guide.

To make this design yourself you only need the Prusa slicer and the Arduino IDE.

**WIRING DIAGRAM**

Nothing too intricate for the wiring of this device. Wire the servo directly to the Arduino with positive to the 5V pin, negative to a ground pin, and the signal to digital pin 8. Wire the potentiometer to the 3.3V pin, a ground pin, and analog pin A3.

**CODE**

The code below can be copy and pasted into the Arduino IDE and uploaded to your Arduino:

/*

Author: @Trev.erse

Date: 3/10/2025

Description: This is the code for a simple parakeet lever toy!

*/

#include <Servo.h> // Include the servo library

// POTENTIOMETER VARIABLES

int potPin = A3;

int potVal = 0;

// SERVO VARIABLES

Servo myServo;

int pos = 0;
 

void setup() {

  myServo.attach(8);

  myServo.write(pos);

  Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop() {

  potVal = analogRead(potPin);

  Serial.print(potVal);

  Serial.print("\n");

  delay(100);

  if (potVal > 640) { // If the servo is down push it up

    myServo.write(180);

  }

  else { // Else if the servo is up return to bottom position

    myServo.write(90);

  }

}

**PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS**

• Print Material: PLA
• Layer Height: 0.2mm
• Infill: 15%+
• ONLY LeverToy_Top requires support. No supports for other prints.

**ASSENBLY INSTRUCTIONS**

1. Wire cables to the potentiometer (it will be hard to do this once the potentiometer is in place).
2. Align the hole on the lever print with the hole on the “LeverToy_Top” print.
3. Push the potentiometer knob through the two aligned holes. (Use hot glue to secure the potentiometer base if it can still move).
4. Attach the servo to its slot on the “LeverToy_Top” print. Mount the small plastic servo arm.
5. Follow the wire diagram above to connect electronics to the Arduino.
6. STOP here to upload the code, and find the right servo positions by either adjusting the code or placing the plastic servo arm at different angles.
7. Slide the Arduino into “LeverToy_Bottom” and click “LeverToy_Top” over top.
8. Place "LeverToy_Cover" on top of the exposed servo piece to hide any additional wires. (Don't worry if this step doesn't make sense. You'll see the exposed servo piece when you assemble it).
9. Celebrate; you're all done! :)

**USAGE INSTRUCTIONS AND TIPS**

You are now the proud owner of your very own budgie lever toy!!! The lever simply needs to be flicked down and should pop right back up! 

**Note budgies although very curious can also be timid at first with new items. To help introduce the toy to your bird, place the casing (no electronics) around where your bird typically plays or hangs out. Give your bird millet - or an alternative treat - any time they interact with the casing.

In the future I think it would be so cool to incorporate this into a mini parakeet puzzle chain / escape room. Please let me know if you have any additional ideas for puzzles or enrichment toys that could be used for this future project.  

I hope your bird enjoys this toy as much as I… I mean my parakeet… fine, WE enjoy this toy. (This lever toy really is where what entertains us overlaps). If you do decide to print and use this toy please upload your makes! I really would love to see your pet budgies interacting with it!