Jeynonymous
New member
- May 3, 2022
- 10
- 18
- Parrots
- Two conures named Nibbler and Spike
So I wanted to post all the safety info or advice I've learned that might have slipped under some people's radar. I know it had mine. Obviously feel free to add your own.
Poisonous: castor oil, anything avacado, fruit seeds like apple (arsenic)
Dangerous toys or hardware type:
- zinc (poisonous over time and builds up in their systems)
- nickel (potentially a carcinogen, I personally wouldn't use it and opt for stainless steel instead)
- cotton or fabric rope (can cause an impaction through the tiny fibers getting stuck, I believe in some part of birds that mammals don't have)
- cloth they can tear up (same as above)
- most rope at the hardware store is oiled twine or rope (best never to use this unless it's from a pet supply, never get it from a hardware store or blind online somewhere)
Other Advice:
Bird toy companies, especially on etsy, usually use zinc hardware to cut cost and will sometimes make patronizing statements like 'it takes a lot of biting, just watch your bird' or 'you have to remember it's outside the cage'. Hardware is NEVER totally outside the cage. Washers are usually easy to get to the edges of. And no one can watch their bird twenty-four hours and zinc apparently builds up in their system over years and years. My thought is to always ask about hardware or find uncoated stainless steel replacements or a company that outright uses stainless steel. Though I've only found stainless steel replacement parts, not a company that uses that but at least if they use nickel I figure they are likely not knowingly endangering your bird to cut their costs, as information on nickel is hard to come by on it being potentially unsafe.
It's best to keep temperatures in the room somewhere between 68 and 75 and not widely fluctuating. At least for conures. I have two conures so that's my bias on all this.
Stainless steel cages are best.
Recommendations:
- Harrison's is the only bird food I would trust. Period. Anything else I've looked at has sketchy additives like petroleum based ones or sugar.
- Planet Pleasures seems to have mostly a very good catalogue of toys
I'm sure there are a lot more but these are the things I've got off the top of my head and if they keep even one bird safer it was worth the time. I know I would have liked this list for my Spikey and Nibbler.
All my love to your feathered friends.
Poisonous: castor oil, anything avacado, fruit seeds like apple (arsenic)
Dangerous toys or hardware type:
- zinc (poisonous over time and builds up in their systems)
- nickel (potentially a carcinogen, I personally wouldn't use it and opt for stainless steel instead)
- cotton or fabric rope (can cause an impaction through the tiny fibers getting stuck, I believe in some part of birds that mammals don't have)
- cloth they can tear up (same as above)
- most rope at the hardware store is oiled twine or rope (best never to use this unless it's from a pet supply, never get it from a hardware store or blind online somewhere)
Other Advice:
Bird toy companies, especially on etsy, usually use zinc hardware to cut cost and will sometimes make patronizing statements like 'it takes a lot of biting, just watch your bird' or 'you have to remember it's outside the cage'. Hardware is NEVER totally outside the cage. Washers are usually easy to get to the edges of. And no one can watch their bird twenty-four hours and zinc apparently builds up in their system over years and years. My thought is to always ask about hardware or find uncoated stainless steel replacements or a company that outright uses stainless steel. Though I've only found stainless steel replacement parts, not a company that uses that but at least if they use nickel I figure they are likely not knowingly endangering your bird to cut their costs, as information on nickel is hard to come by on it being potentially unsafe.
It's best to keep temperatures in the room somewhere between 68 and 75 and not widely fluctuating. At least for conures. I have two conures so that's my bias on all this.
Stainless steel cages are best.
Recommendations:
- Harrison's is the only bird food I would trust. Period. Anything else I've looked at has sketchy additives like petroleum based ones or sugar.
- Planet Pleasures seems to have mostly a very good catalogue of toys
I'm sure there are a lot more but these are the things I've got off the top of my head and if they keep even one bird safer it was worth the time. I know I would have liked this list for my Spikey and Nibbler.
All my love to your feathered friends.
