Parrots and plastic beads?

[ashley]

Hi Everyone!
I just got Tucker this really great toy from work (I work at a pet store). It's an acrylic box with holes in the sides and it's completely hollow and hangable (some do-it-your-selfers could try a destructable version maybe with a thicker cardboard box with peek holes in it with treats hidden inside I was thinking).

It's really awesome as I have been looking for different interesting things to encourage some natural foraging behaviours to put inside it (I'm a big believer in natural behaviours for him) and so I've been wondering if any of you also do this and what kind of things I could put in there. I know food is common for foraging but I'd like to put in some non food items in there for fun as well.

I saw some toys at the shop that have plastic beads on them that said "not safe for parrots" but I've seen them for sale for toy making on parrotdiseperch.com so I was wondering what your opinion is on this? Can parrots choke? Also those rubbery "spider balls" look fun but I wouldn't want him to rip off pieces and choke?

Any thoughts appreciated!! Hope you and your fids are having a wonderful afternoon

Ashley and Tucker

 

[birdcrazy]

I've been loking for a toy like that for Sidney for the longest! Like you I have been trying to introduce toys that are interesting and fun -he has tons of destructibles but I needed some new fun ones. ABout the spider ball I would let him play with them outside his cage first under super vision and see how that goes. I know I am a little curious I got Sidney this toy and have been keeping a close eye on the laytex parts so far he hasn't torn them up if it ever looked like he was getting chunks off I would cut them off though.

http://www.petco.com/product/14342/Prevue-Hendryx-Chime-Time-Tornado.aspx

just keep a close eye out and you will learn what kinds of things your bird will tear up and ignore.

 

[Flyte]

I have let my Macaw play with toys that had smallish beads on them but only supervised because it would be a lot easier for her to accidentally swallow them than the smaller birds.
Do you mean those bouncy rubbery toys, like kongs? My guys usually just chew hard on the rubbery stuff but don't really try and rip it. Like birdcrazy said if you see that the bird has ripped it trim it or remove it.
Personally I am not letting my birds play with anything plastic as so many children are becoming ill from toxic plastic toys with parts/paint from china. Anything you give your bird is obviously going to be in it's mouth and it just scares me. I'm making wooden toys for them. I understand not everyone is able to do this, I'd just watch close.
For the cage toy, I usually put peanuts/almonds in toys like that, maybe you could ball up a paper plate and put that in there? My birds LOVE to rip up paper plates.

 

[Kais2ndmomma]

I only put things in my toys that are made specifically for birds (like marbella beads since they're colored naturally and they're VERY hard and usually big so nothing chokes on them)
I get USA natural rawhide strips, cut them up into tiny pieces and soak them in fruit juice overnight, then put them in the oven at 200 for about 8 min, flip them, then another 8 minutes. They are a FAVORITE of my birds. You can also soak some manzanita pieces in some juice or dye (I like manzanita because it is so tough)
Good luck!