Happy huts

[barclay2018]

Hi everyone

So while ordering new toys for bash , I seen these happy huts as a wee bed for parrots. So I was wondering if anyone uses these if they would be recommended by owners. I have read a review saying they can be dangerous if your conur nibbles it threads could cause serious damage. Just want to see if anyone had experience with these and get a get opitions on happy huts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[LaManuka]

I would urge you to say “no!” to the happy hut! They can and do cause a range of issues from aggression all the way up to death. The birds can ingest the synthetic fibres which block the intestinal tract and many birds die this way. They can also get their necks caught in loose threads and strangle themselves.

Because of their resemblance to nesting sites, happy huts can also stimulate unwanted egg laying (and possible egg-binding) in females, and extreme territorial aggression in males. So thanks for asking the question before buying, your bird is way better off without one!

 

[noodles123]

They are terrible- dangerous and massive hormonal triggers..Just say no to happy huts (or any shadowy places in the cage)

 

[Talven]

It goes beyond serious damage to potential death. As far as I am aware there have been several deaths because of the "happy huts". Birds getting heads in loose threads and literally hanging themselves. Amputated legs because of loose threads are also common. Not to mention the behavioral issues that they can cause. Territorial aggression is something that conures already have, to some extent, but with something that they perceive as their nest in their cage and it is so much worse. When I first got Echo he had a happy hut that he roosted in at night. It's been nearly a year out of his cage and we are still dealing with the aggression and hormonal issues. Avoid these things like the plague.

 

[SailBoat]

There is no question that 'as stated above' they represent serious issues and require added attention regarding your Parrot's interaction with them.
That said, we have two larger 'tents' that our DYH Amazon stores (hides) his toys and such stuff in. As stated, he can become territorial around them and they require continuous inspection. If not for providing him at least two known (to us) storage locations, we would not use them.
FYI: We would never place them near or in a cage, that would be a dangerous combination regardless of the size of the Parrot.

 

[wrench13]

If you feel that he absolutely must have a hidey place, I suggest a short length of those very heavy, thick inner rolls from a roll of carpet - no threads to ingest or get tangled in, or a short length of PVC piping of appropriate diameter, also no danger of ingesting or tangleation. Still can be a big hormone trigger though.

 

[Scott]

So-called "Happy Huts" are the first item on our hazardous toy thread: http://www.parrotforums.com/parrot-toys/38678-list-hazardous-toys-here-please.html

 

[Skittys_Daddy]

I had gotten one of these for Skittles years back and he loved it. He actually had his happy hut for almost 4yrs without any significant issues but I still got rid of it. He DID chew on his a LOT and I had replaced it every few months but after learning what I learned about them, I got rid of his hut and did NOT replace it. To me, it wasn't worth the risk. He would regurgitate on it a LOT (a sign of hormonal behavior) and my biggest worry was about him ingesting the fibres and IMO had I waited til it became an issue, it probably would've been too late.

I was terrified of removing it because of how much he loved it, but he adjusted just fine. In fact, it was shortly after I got rid of his happy hut that he started climbing inside my shirt and 'hiding out' for the day. So it was a win-win.

Now, I just put unscented tissues and plain paper towels to make a little 'bed' for him so he can sleep with some cushion.

So my advice is what has already been said, don't get one.

 

[barclay2018]

Hi everyone
Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. Will definitely be avoiding happy huts
Will have a look and see if I can get some nice tissue paper see if he interest in make a wee comfy bed.

Thanks elaine and bash.

 

[noodles123]

Hi everyone
Thank you so much for your advice, I really appreciate it. Will definitely be avoiding happy huts
Will have a look and see if I can get some nice tissue paper see if he interest in make a wee comfy bed.

Thanks elaine and bash.

They don't need beds---part of the problem with the huts (aside from the dangers of entrapment etc) is that they simulate nests and hormones. An adult bird who isn't planning to nest can sleep on the perch. You don't want any shadowy areas in there for them to snuggle in--this is too much like nesting and triggers hormones. Balls of paper, bedding, hollows, under furniture, blankets, pillows, low ledges etc all trigger hormones and can lead to behavioral and health problems. Seriously, unless your bird is disabled and unable to perch, it has no need for a bed.

 

[EllenD]

I'm glad you're throwing out the idea of one of the Happy Huts, Snuggle Huts, Triangle Beds, whatever you want to call them...There is actually a class-action Lawsuit against 2 of the major manufacturers of these things because they've killed thousands of pet birds...If you do a Google search for "Happy Hut Killed My bird" you'll find dozens an dozens of forum discussions and websites dedicated to people talking about how their birds were either killed, seriously injured, or caused to be horribly hormonal, aggressive, and chronic Egg-Layers by these things...

As Noodles mentioned, you don't want to put ANYTHING inside your bird's cage AT ALL that creates a small, dark place they can get inside of or underneath, such as any kind of Hut, Tent, Hammock, BED, Blankets, Towels, nor any kind of "Box" at all. And the same goes for outside of his cage, do not ever allow him access to underneath or behind furniture, behind pillows, under blankets/towels, under your shirt or other clothing, etc. All of this creates a "Nest" type of situation that causes their sex-hormones to rage, and it will cause them all to become aggressive, nippy, cause them to start biting, and sometimes they become extremely violent, and in females it causes chronic Egg-Laying (so if your Conure has not been DNA tested and you don't actually know it's sex, then you're really playing with fire)...

Birds don't need a "Bed", they sleep upright on a perch, hanging on the cage bars (in weird positions), on a toy, on a dish/bowl, wherever they want to, but they don't need a "bed" at all...

 

[barclay2018]

Hi Ellen

Thank you for your reply. I really appreciate the advice. Yeah the more I have read about the issue with these items I cant understand how they are still on sale.
Currently bash doesn't have any dark places in his cage I have just made sure he has his choose of perch.