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Safe Toys & Misconception
There is much
controversy over what is safe for our birds.
Toy suppliers & manufacturers will never agree entirely on many issues.
Ultimately it is up to you, the consumer to make well informed decisions
when selecting
the proper toys for your birds, according to each birds particular play
habits
I hope this article will be helpful
To begin with
NO TOY is “SAFE” for Birds!
Although some toys are “safer “ than others, by no means does
the expression
“safe bird toys”
mean that your bird is risk free of serious injury or even death.
It doesn’t matter what it is made of, how well it is made or how reputable
the manufacturer is,
I can guarantee you, there is a bird out there somewhere who will find a way
to injure or possibly kill himself with it.
At best, the word “SAFE” can only represent that the toy is
constructed in a safe manner and the products used in it are non-toxic.
Next is the
issue of materials that may cause serious problem if swallowed by our birds
I can't stress this enough, NO "NON-FOOD" Item is Safe if
Swallowed!
NOT wood, soft plastics, hard plastics, acrylics, leather, fabrics,
cement, PVC, metals,
rubber, latex, erasers, paper, cork,
cotton, cardboard,
grasses, fibers, canes, vines, palm, straw, raffia, bamboo,
corn husks, etc, including nut & seed shells!
When a bird accidentally swallows foreign matter, it's not so much the
material that
is the problem,
but rather the size, unless of course the material is toxic.
If a piece is too large to pass thru the birds system or has sharp or jagged
edges,
there could be serious problems, whether the material is wood, shell or
plastic, etc!
The same applies to foreign materials that may cause a blockage in the crop
Purposely
swallowing
non-food materials is not natural or even common with parrots
although tiny pieces may accidentally end up in their crops or digestive
systems.
For this matter, it is of utmost importance to make certain the products
used in a toy are
non toxic.You should feel free to ask the toy manufacturer any questions or concerns
you may have regarding any particular product used in a toy
When a material is FDA approved, it is verifies that the material contains
no
known toxins, however it does not mean that the product is safe in
situations
such as chocking or intestinal blockage for humans or pets
* Now, having said all of this, I need to add that there are
always exceptions to the rule.
It is extremely important to observe, learn & understand
how your bird plays with
destructible materials, metals and all toys in general. The better you know
your birds,
the better job you can do of keeping them safe.
Each bird is as individual as human children, however, there are two groups
of birds who are
more likely than others to fall into the "exception category"
in regards to eating foreign material.
Baby birds & Abused birds
* Weaning babies, and in some cases as far up as a year or so in
age,
run a greater risk of swallowing non-food materials. This is due mainly to
having been hand raised.
Birds in the wild learn to distinguish food & non-food by observing the
flock. Hand raised birds
may experiment with eating anything, simply out of curiosity.
* Birds who have been abused tend to develop many different behavior
problems.
Physical, emotional and mental damage can easily lead to the destructive
behavior
of eating foreign materials
In closing I would like to say, the toys you give your birds are as
important to their
overall health as the foods you feed and the husbandry you provide.
If we eliminate everything from our birds life, that could potentially be a
risk, our birds
would need to live in a sterile bubble. Birds need to shred & destroy and
their never-ending curiosity needs to be stimulated and satisfied
continuously through out their lives
Remember
Variety is the Spice of Life and it is Essential to your Birds Mental Health
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C. Polega / Design-Rite Products July 2003 |