Building My Own Toys / Interesting (reading)

[cneuhauser]

I've been reading quite a few books on, and hopefully acquiring a baby Eclectus sometime soon. So after reading information both in books and online I found it interesting to know that heavy metals are very toxic to birds (they're toxic to humans anyways).

So no galvanized anything, zinc plating, or copper... but I was surprised to see that nickel and aluminum were "ok". Though it seems like stainless steel is the preferred choice?

Regarding types of wood, I've heard multiple places that Pine is bad for parrots? Just want to confirm, and also find out if there are any other types of wood to stay away from?

Maybe I'm being paranoid about it, but I'm not going to put any synthetic/plastic chords or toys in the cage, only wood, paper (organic pigments), and leather... which is my last question for the time being. Is leather really "ok" for them to chew on? It seems so elastic, like it could get stuck in their airway or in their digestive system.

Thanks all... sorry for all of the questions, just want to make sure my future bird gets the best life experience possible.

 

[Jen5200]

No such thing as paranoid - birds find creative ways to create havoc and health issues .

This is one of the most comprehensive resources I’ve found about wood for birds. There is a paragraph about pine at the bottom although it is listed as a safe wood. https://mdvaden.com/bird_page.shtml

 

[cneuhauser]

No such thing as paranoid - birds find creative ways to create havoc and health issues .

This is one of the most comprehensive resources I’ve found about wood for birds. There is a paragraph about pine at the bottom although it is listed as a safe wood. https://mdvaden.com/bird_page.shtml

Oh wow... YOU ROCK! Thank you very much.

 

[Jen5200]

I have a couple more that I have used regularly - feel free to take a look and see if they have additional info about wood, etc.

Toxic and Safe Plants/Trees for Birds - Household Poisons (Includes plants, not just wood, and household toxins)

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/plants-safe-for-birds (Just plants, and includes some wood)

List of Safe Plants for Your Bird.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/management-of-pet-birds (Included this one because I’ve just found it to be a useful resource from time to time when I had a concern - not specifically because it has anything to do with building toys)

 

[Scott]

Stainless Steel far superior to "plated" metals as the entire alloy is safe and does not flake or chip.

I purchase untreated Douglas Fir 2 x 4s and use a circular saw to cut into desired lengths. Ideal chew toy for adult parrots, might need something smaller initially for a young eclectus.

My preference is to avoid leather due to potentially harmful residue from the tanning process. Another suspect yet popular item are bells. The "clapper" is typically cast metal of dubious origin, often lead. If the shell is desired, the clapper can be easily removed. You might find more costly bells constructed of 100% stainless.