Toy Danger

[Buddytheconure]

Hi! I have a green cheek conure who is 18. I am hyper aware of the dangers of just living for birds in a human's world. I almost lost him in April. Long story short, he bit off a piece of metal from a "safe" toy bell. He's fine now; it took $3500 and 2 months of medication before he got better.
I am posting this to ask if this has happened to others and also to say that I've become so much more diligent with what toys my sweet baby has. If he had died, I would have been devastated.
Thoughts?

 

[GaleriaGila]

I have thoughts. Paranoid ones. But I stick by 'em! It is always a choice between enriched environment vs. dangerous environment. My poor Rickeybird has involuntariiy joined in the latter. He has lived a less-than-enriched/free lifestyle in favor of my paranoid/suspicious/protective nature... and... he's 40 years old.
Risk? Worry? Freedom? Cruel restrictions?
A very personal thing.
Thank you for sharing.
Stick with us.

 

[Buddytheconure]

I have thoughts. Paranoid ones. But I stick by 'em! It is always a choice between enriched environment vs. dangerous environment. My poor Rickeybird has involuntariiy joined in the latter. He has lived a less-than-enriched/free lifestyle in favor of my paranoid/suspicious/protective nature... and... he's 40 years old.
Risk? Worry? Freedom? Cruel restrictions?
A very personal thing.
Thank you for sharing.
Stick with us.

Thank you for your thoughts. I'll be honest though, I'm confused. My bird has LOTS of safe toys. He ate metal which almost killed him so I'm cautious. I'm not paranoid. I just make sure that I know what is dangerous and what is not for him. I didn't like the phrase you used of "cruel restrictions" because that's not the case here. I just wanted to know if anybody else has had that experience where their bird got into a toy that was dangerous to them. I'm genuinely confused. I appreciate you responding I just don't understand it.

 

[Shoegoo]

My 9 yr. Squeaky got into some trouble with the wing nuts on some of her perches. Long story short. She rubbed a big sore on her neck. Drew some blood and got infected. I reengineered them so hopefully it doesn't happen again. The vet bill was over $1000.

 

[Buddytheconure]

I’m so sorry your Squeaky was injured by wing nuts! That’s unfortunate and I’m sure you were very scared! We try very hard to make sure there’s nothing that will hurt them; it is difficult sometimes because there are things that we don’t even think about that would hurt them. I’m glad your bird is OK!

 

[GaleriaGila]

Life with parrots!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAIEEEEEEEKKKK!

 

[texsize]

I bought a plastic foraging toy meant for millet seeds.
One of my Cockatiels got his head stuck inside.
This pic is close to what the toy looked like.
Ignore the improperly scaled macaws.