Canes come in a variety of materials and can be many different widths. Canes are sometimes homemade out of of materials such as dowels found at the hardware store. Bamboo should be avoided because when it breaks it splinters, and these splinters can break the skin and cause a great deal of damage.
Because caning can break the skin, care should be taken to avoid this unless the toy used is dedicated to only one person, or is made from a material that can be sterilized. Natural materials, like rattan, cannot be sterilized.