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Quick answer: Sola wood is the soft, feather-light pith of Aeschynomene aspera, a plant that grows in marshy wetlands in South and Southeast Asia. Birds love it because it's easy to grab, carry, chew and shred, and it breaks apart without splintering. That makes sola one of the best natural materials for foot toys, shreddable toys and foraging toys, for birds of almost every size.
Where Sola Wood Comes From
Sola (also called shola, sholapith or "Indian cork") comes from Aeschynomene aspera, a plant in the bean family. It grows wild in marshy, waterlogged areas, especially in eastern India (Bengal, Assam and Odisha) and in neighboring countries. The plants can grow into large shrubs up to about 10 feet tall, and they grow quickly, which makes sola a renewable material.
People have worked with sola for a very long time. In West Bengal, skilled artisans have used it for generations to make wedding headdresses, garlands, decorations and figurines. It's also the "pith" in the classic pith helmet, which was prized for being so light. You can read more about its history in this overview of sholapith.
What makes sola special is its texture. Inside the thin outer bark, the stem is milky white, spongy and incredibly light. It's often described as one of the lightest woods in the world. It feels a little like balsa, but softer.
Our supplier bringing in a bundle of freshly harvested sola wood branches.
How Sola Bird Toys Are Made
Every sola toy starts in the marshes. Here's how it gets from the plant to your bird's cage:
- Harvesting. Workers cut the stems into lengths that are easy to carry, bundle them, and bring them back for processing.
- Washing and sorting. Each stem is washed and sorted by shape and size.
- Peeling and cutting. For many toys, the thin bark is peeled away by hand to show the white pith underneath. Some toys keep the bark on for extra texture. The stems are then cut into slices, logs, cubes and other shapes.
- Shaping by hand. Thin slices are layered, tied and shaped into spheres, crepes and flowers. Each sola flower is built petal by petal around a center bud, so no two are exactly alike.
- Coloring. Pieces that need color are dipped in water-soluble dyes, which soak in evenly.
- Drying. Everything is dried in the sun before packing.
Our sola manufacturing partner holds ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, so the process is consistent from batch to batch.
Creating sola squares by hand.
Why Birds Love Sola Wood
It's feather-light. Even a tiny bird can pick up a sola toy, carry it and toss it. Our sola spheres weigh well under an ounce each.
It's satisfying to destroy. Sola gives way to a beak with just the right amount of effort: not so easy that it disappears in a minute, but easy enough for small and medium birds to make progress. That crunchy, crumbly feel is a big part of the fun.
It doesn't splinter. Sola breaks into soft crumbs and flakes rather than sharp shards.
It's great for feet, too. The soft, slightly textured surface gives feet something interesting to grip and turn, which is why sola makes such good foot toys.
It's natural. Sola is a plant material, and plain sola has no finishes or glues.
Types of Sola Toys
Sola spheres (foot toys)
These are our best sellers, and they're the easiest way to try sola. They're light enough to roll, carry and toss, and they come in sizes for every beak. Our Small Sola Bird Balls #5104 are about 2.4 inches across, a great all-round size for small and medium birds.
5104 Bolas pequeñas para pájaros Sola Pk4 Pk8 Pk12 M&M Union Bird Toys
$5.99
$7.99
Las Pequeñas Sola Bird Balls de M&M Bird Toys son deliciosamente divertidas para triturar juguetes para los pies. Estos juguetes para pies pequeños miden alrededor de (2,4) pulgadas de diámetro cada uno y son muy divertidos para mascotas de todo… read more
For tiny birds like budgies, parrotlets and finches, try the 1.5-inch Mini Sola Balls #5122. For medium and larger birds, the Big Sola Bird Balls #5101 are about 3 inches across. And if you can't decide, the Sola Ball Sampler #5166 mixes sizes so you can see which one your bird likes best.
Sola flowers
Sola flowers are handmade from thin sola slices layered into petals. They're beautiful to look at and even more fun to take apart, petal by petal. Our Sola Shred Roses #5175 come in Mini, Small, Medium and Large, so there's a rose for every bird.
Sola Shred Roses #5175
$5.99
$8.99
The Sola Shred Roses from M&M Bird Toys are a delightful and safe option for pet birds who love to chew, shred, and play with lightweight toys. These all-natural, chewable foot toys are crafted from the pithy stems of the… read more
We also carry six-packs of sola peonies, carnations, camellias, echeveria and more, plus gift-ready Beak Boxes.
Sola crepes, chips and chunks
Thin, crinkly sola crepes and small chunks are perfect for tucking into foraging toys, scattering on a play tray, or offering by hand. They're especially good for small beaks that are just learning to shred.
Mini Sola Crepe Chewers #5133
$3.99
$7.99
The 5133 Mini Sola Crepe Chewers Pk4 from M&M Bird Toys are delightfully fun to shred small sized foot toys. These all natural items are loved by pets. Each pack includes (4) mini sola crepe chewers ready to play with.… read more
Sola Moon Chews #5147
$5.99
$9.99
The 5147 Sola Moon Chews from M&M Bird Toys are super easy to chew natural foot toys. These wavy cut moons are loved by pet birds. Each pack includes (12) ready to play with Sola Moon Chews. The chews are… read more
Sola logs, sticks and cubes
Solid shapes like the Skinny Rainbow Sola Logs #5515 give birds something a little sturdier to work on. They're also handy for building your own toys.
Skinny Rainbow Sola Logs #5515
$3.99
$7.99
The Skinny Rainbow Sola Logs from M&M Bird Toys are all natural and easy to chew foraging foot toys. These brightly colored logs are a joy for pets to play with. Each pack includes (4), (8) or (12) ready to… read more
Hanging sola toys and tutu chews
Sola also shows up in hanging toys, often paired with paper, rattan, wood beads or a bell. The Sola Snowcone #1556 pairs a natural sola sphere with a paper cone cup and a bell for a cheerful hanging foraging toy.
Sola Snowcone #1556
$8.99
$9.99
The 1556 Sola Snowcone from M&M Bird Toys is an inviting foraging bird cage toy. This handmade toy features easy to shred parts to thrill beaks and feet. Each pack includes (1), (2) or (3) Sola Snowcones. There is a… read more
Choosing the Right Sola Toy for Your Bird
Sola works for almost every bird, but size matters:
| Bird size | Examples | Good sola picks |
|---|---|---|
| Small | Budgies, parrotlets, canaries, finches, lovebirds | Mini (1.5") and small (about 2.4") spheres, mini roses, crepes, small flowers |
| Medium | Cockatiels, conures, caiques, Senegals | Small and big (about 3") spheres, medium flowers, hanging sola toys |
| Large | African greys, Amazons, cockatoos, macaws | Big spheres and flower six-packs as a quick, fun treat. Strong chewers will go through sola fast, so treat it as an extra rather than a long-lasting toy. |
A good rule: a foot toy should be easy for your bird to pick up and hold, but not so small that it can be swallowed whole.
Using Sola for Foraging
Foraging, or working to find food, is one of the most natural things a bird can do, and sola makes it easy to set up. Try these ideas:
- Hide a treat. Tuck a favorite seed or small treat between the petals of a sola flower or inside a crepe.
- Fill a cup. Put a few sola pieces and a treat in a paper cup or small box, so your bird has to dig through.
- Scatter on a tray. Spread sola chips and chunks on a play tray with a few treats mixed in.
- Start easy. Let your bird see you hide the treat at first, then make it a little harder over time.
For more ideas, read our post on why pet birds need to forage.
Caring for and Storing Sola Wood Toys
- Keep it dry. Sola is like a sponge, so keep it away from water dishes and replace any piece that gets soggy or dirty.
- Store extras in a dry place. Kept dry, sola stores very well, so it's easy to stock up and rotate toys.
- Check toys often. Remove small pieces that are too worn to be fun, and check any hanging hardware.
- Rotate. Swap in a fresh sola toy every week or two to keep things exciting.
- Watch the first time. Most birds shred sola rather than eat it. If your bird seems to be swallowing a lot of it, take the toy out and check with your avian vet.
Have a small bird? See our guides to good toys for parrotlets and canaries.
FAQs
What is sola wood made of?
Sola is the soft, white pith of Aeschynomene aspera, a marsh plant in the bean family. The stems are peeled, cut and shaped by hand into toys, then sun-dried.
Is sola wood the same as balsa wood?
No. They feel similar, but they come from different plants. Balsa is a tree from Central and South America. Sola comes from a shrubby wetland plant in South and Southeast Asia, and it's even softer and lighter.
Which birds can play with sola toys?
Almost all of them. Small and medium birds love sola because it's so easy to carry and shred. Large parrots enjoy it too, but they'll go through it quickly, so offer it as a fun extra.
Why do sola toys sometimes look different from the photo?
Because they're handmade from a natural material, every piece varies a little in shape, size and color. That's part of their charm!