Disturbing info on playing cards

I've been giving Rosie and Kenji playing cards, I know people on the forum have used them for years with no problems.

Well, I just read this on the web site Pine4Parrots, I think I'll go back to only using paper, paper plates, and plain cardboard just to be safe.

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]A good example of unsuitable toxic items used in bird toys, is this toy made of playing cards.[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot] It beggars belief that playing cards are being used to make a bird toy, and just shows how inexperienced these manufacturers are.[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Highly Toxic chemicals are used in the coating of playing cards, and the inks used are strong toxic inks. Playing cards are not an item to give a bird to play with, unless you want to kill it.[/FONT][/FONT]

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thanks for the info I didnt know that! Glad I dont give mine playing cards

That is horrible. I recently got card hanging toy and my baby os chewing that toxic stuff.
No more. Thanks for posting. I wonder about using cards that are made for young kids, like preschool flash or game cards. I will look imto it.

good info....you just have to be so careful these days

Yeah I always stayed away from toys with those... never seemed quite right to me. Too shiny and artificial bleh

grey782163 said:

If people have been using them for years with no reported ill effects, this might just be yet another exaggeration to cause panic in the parrot owner forums. Yes the inks or coatings may be toxic, but at what level of exposure? If the bird has to eat a million cards in one day for toxicity to develop, the point is moot. I wish people would cite appropriate research when making these claims. Right now we are going on a friend of a friend read something that said something else that might be related to birds somehow, but I'm not sure.

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Yeah, it really sucks! I feel like all parrot toys do are make me stressed out because people make me worry about all these things. I can barely look at a toy at the pet store without cringing(is the dye safe, is the metal only plated with SS, can they get strangled, and more).

I like to always be better than sorry though, if one person thinks it is dangerous and I don't know 100% I'll pass

It's the same with color print newspapers, paper ads....I asked several vets about it and they said it's not enough to harm them. Cause I have birds and dogs that gets ahold of them and eat them up while I was freaking out getting those away from them. LoL....

my safe bird store sells them, and i've never heard of people having problems with them. i personally dont believe there is much harm.

the warning also did not give any sources or explain the toxins. they have nothing to support their claims. if they can give articles and proof from owners who have lost birds from this specific cause, then maybe i would take their warning seriously.

as far as i've been told, all inks in North America are soy/veggie based and are generally safe for parrots.

taking a closer look at the site, they make a LOT of claims of unsafe materials, and they don't have any veterinary or scientific research articles to back up these claims. personally, i feel this might be more of a business tactic :/ i'm not concerned.

Well if always used them and big toy makers use them to, so unless toy makers are out to get complaints and people wanting reimbursed for there dead parrots they wouldn't use them, I feel this may just be overkill brought to you by these people. My vet and Many others say they are ok, the same as the drink containers you get from burger king, I seen a post from people stating how harmful they were, well they arnt at all and are amazing toys and many vets say go ahead! I feel many people jump the gun and try to be to safe around there birds.

I know people that have used supposedly toxic wood in there bird cages for years(these are not responsible owners by far let me add), but there parrots have never gotten sick or effected so is all of what you hear truth.. Or people that use zinc coated items and never have an issue, the list goes on.