Pencils

[ParrotMommy]

Hi,
My IRN loves playing with pencils.......is this dangerous for him? I just wondered because its actually graphite and not led...

 

[clark_conure]

its fine....

 

[SailBoat]

I fully agree that pencils are fine.
Having said that, they are not anywhere close to being on my list of toys.

With great luck, none of our Amazons have ever shown any interest in them. If they did, I would provide them with the metal and rubber removed based on potential problems with the metal: sharp (cutting issues), plating (heavy metal issues), etc... Second, look for pencils that are not painted. The problem with painted pencils is unless they are produced 'in' North America or Western Europe there is little assurance as to what the paint contains.

If memory serves, Artists pencils are not painted.

Consider small diameter dowels cut to length.

 

[clark_conure]

meh they're fine, I mean don't buy chinese pencils but....otherwise if they were harmful not even wild parrots would be alive....

 

[dhraiden]

I imagine too much of any material accidentally ingested is probably not good, but if in the course of chewing up some thing, most of that thing ends up in slivers and splintered on the ground, and in this case it's just cellulose (wood)...it's probably fine. Mind the tips I suppose.

 

[Talven]

Rather than using pencils find some branches from bird safe trees with similar dimensions and cut into pencil sized lengths. The bird can peel off the bark and chew away and still feel like they are getting to play with a pencil.

 

[wrench13]

I cant think the painted pencils are Ok for parrots to chew ( and possibly injest) . Knowing that the cheapest materials are used, esp if they are made in China. And whose to say that graphite is Ok for them? Twigs of parrot safe wood are much better choice and they are FREE !

 

[ParrotMommy]

Thanks everyone. Its not by any means on my toy list but sometimes on my desk he finds one and shreds it so i just wondered.
also thanks for the wood twigs suggestion but he knows the difference and screams! hahahaha