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Stainless Steel is a very hard metal. It contains NO zinc.
It will not rust. It will not shave or scrape easily,
causing particles that could be ingested. It's the hardness
of SS that makes it a safer metal for use in parrot toys when compared to
other zinc free metals.
Plain Steel is a hard metal also. It contains No
zinc. Plain steel will rust quickly. It will not shave easily,
but due to the rust, plain steel should only be used for short
term toys or products that are not designed to last long enough
to require regular cleaning.
Zinc is a metal, commonly used for plating or galvanizing steel to
prevent rust, & to make the product more attractive.
Because it is a plating, it could wear off in time allowing the bare metal
beneath to rust. It also will shave off with beak activity & could be
ingested. This could lead to Zinc Toxicity in some birds.
Common Quick Links and much of the metal chain used in the manufacturing
of bird toys, unless otherwise stated, are Zinc Plate. ( Quick Links are
the oval links, not to be confused with Pear Links, pear shaped)
Nickel is also a metal used for plating steel (no
zinc) to prevent rust. It may also wear off in time allowing rust
to occur. Nickel is less commonly used in hardware.
The most common Pear Links are nickel plate (links that are pear
shaped not oval)
Aluminum is a soft metal & safe for birds (no
zinc, no rust)
Brass is a "new metal" generally used
as a plating for appearance in decorative hardware
It is also a soft metal. Although brass is man made from Zinc & Copper,
the term "new metal" refers to the fact that it is no longer 2 metals
combined, but has undergone a molecular change, creating a "New
Metal"Copper is a soft metal. Like brass, it is used as
a plating in decorative hardware.
Although copper is a safe metal, the oxidation on copper is toxic. Copper
may oxidize quickly if you live near the coast.
Plating is a process used to enhance the appearance & or durability
of steel. Zinc, nickel, copper and brass are common metals used for
plating Galvanizing is a process used to coat metals with zinc
only. Galvanized hardware has a dull, rough and somewhat powdery
finish
Zinc, Nickel and Stainless Steel hardware all look the same. You
can separate SS from zinc & nickel with a magnet, SS will not stick.
Please Note
If your bird has a fetish
for quick links or metal in general, or if you buy long lasting toys that
will require regular washing (such as acrylics), you should use only
stainless steel, for safety & durability.
Check all metals on your birds toys regularly for chipping, peeling, rust
& oxidation
BACK
C. Polega/Design-Rite Products/Chopper's Toys/January 2002
(update 2003) |
