Recently while visiting a bird loving friend, I noticed she had gotten several of those colorfu wooden hanging toys for birds.
Some were simple squares, but others were mixtures of wooden balls and rope and bells and knots and a twisted paper pinata.
I wondered about the safety factors of having knoted ropes and these colorful blocks of painted or dyed wood. Are these non-toxic if a bird chews on the wood and eats some of it?
Can the birds get their feet caught in the rope knots?
Do you think these toys are completely safe or do we worry about an accident waiting to happen?
Please share your opinions here.
No bird toy is 100% safe, but those types of toys are generally okay. The dyes they use for the coloring is non-toxic. It's usually just food coloring. The ropes are usually fine as long as the bird's nails aren't in serious need of a trim, and as long as the owner regularly trims any long frayed bits off the rope and makes sure the knots are tight. Bells can cause problems though if the clapper isn't completely soldered in. Some birds have been known to rip out the clapper and swallow it.
All toys are safe for birds if they adhere to these basic guidelines:
1. Use nontoxic dyes, as well as no toxic paints. In fact, paints should be avoided as they can chip off and birds can swallow them.
2. No plastic that can be torn/bitten off. Plastic is bad for birdie digestive systems.
3. Can be torn and ripped, but not sticky. Birds love to rip and tear things. Napkins, newspapers, even lettuce and other veggies make great toys. However, they should not be sticky (there are "bird papers" coated in honey... don't but them!) that can choke birds once they attempt to play with it.
That's really it. Birds, at least in my experience, like to destroy. Your paper pinata might be a great source of entertainment as a foraging toy! Stuff it with some nontoxic paper and treats and your little guy will have a ball. If he's a shredder, the wood might not be of interest to him. However, the ropes will. Please make sure he does not swallow the rope that he may chew off. Clip any frayed ends off of the rope. I'm not sure of the health effects but I believe that nothing should go in a bird's body unless it's food.
Just be careful and watch your bird when he plays to see what kid of activities he enjoys.
