My tiel got tangled up on some string. Could've been fatal

[Free as a bird]

Every morning when Shifty hears me wake up he starts calling for me and pacing around the cage for my attention, it's the same deal after work.

This morning I saw that he was in some distress. A fine piece of string had got caught in his claws and was starting to wrap itself around poor Shifty.
Lucky it didn't happen sooner because if that wrapped around his leg, wing or neck over time then it could of seriously injured him or even killed him.

The toy in question was some paper flowers that came in a Xmas hamper.

You can see the string if you look closely... I guess the lesson learned for me is to be careful what I give my birds to play with. Only bird proof toys allowed. Shifty loves string but no long strings allowed anymore only short strings so that he can't strangle himself.

Here's the culprit on his favourite perch posing for the camera with his head turned back

 

[texsize]

Had similar close calls.
even “safe” toys can be deadly.

had an Amazon get it’s toeclaw stuck in a loop of chain.
I got bitten to hell getting poor Plumas loose.

the worst was a plastic hanging cone shaped device that you put millitet seed in.
one of my Tiels got his head stuck inside.

 

[LaManuka]

Oh, poor Shifty!! My guys are amazing, they manage to find loose threads in the weirdest, and I'd have thought most "bird proofed" of places - just goes to show you can't be too careful! Glad your little guy is ok

 

[Jcas]

Yikes! So glad Shifty is ok! I had one of my budgies, Cooper, get his head caught in a loose string on the twine of his favorite hanging perch. Fortunately, it wasn’t tight, I was right there, and I had a pair of scissors immediately accessible. Cooper is the sweetest bird but he got in some hard bites while I was freeing him! I now periodically check for and trim off any loose strings that I find. Birds seem pretty good at getting themselves in trouble; we’ve even had to rescue some wild ones that have gotten caught up in various things. Thanks for posting; it’s a good reminder for all of us to make sure are bird’s toys are safe.

 

[wrench13]

Thats why any woven product needs to be check frequently for fraying and loose threads. Synthetic strings and ropes are even worse, as the threads and filaments that make up the string are very fine and hard to see sometimes.

 

[Free as a bird]

Yes our feathered friends can get themselves into trouble sometimes if we're not careful.
Recently iv been contemplating on whether I should let my birds play on the floor. My main concern is that I accidentally step on them. Maybe I should enforce a no landing zone on the floor but it would be hard to do. At the moment I'm just careful when I get up and make sure none of my birds are on the floor.

 

[texsize]

Yes our feathered friends can get themselves into trouble sometimes if we're not careful.
Recently iv been contemplating on whether I should let my birds play on the floor. My main concern is that I accidentally step on them. Maybe I should enforce a no landing zone on the floor but it would be hard to do. At the moment I'm just careful when I get up and make sure none of my birds are on the floor.

I had the same worry with my Tiels.

I had a two strike policy.
Land on floor once . Pick up bird and tell it no and set somewhere acceptable.
Land on floor second time and it’s back to the cage.

They learned.

 

[Free as a bird]

I had the same worry with my Tiels.

I had a two strike policy.
Land on floor once . Pick up bird and tell it no and set somewhere acceptable.
Land on floor second time and it’s back to the cage.

They learned.

Hmmmm...
They learned did they...
Might have to try that myself...

 

[Vampiric_Conure]

YEEEEEEEK! Glad you caught the string before it got more serious!