Why cuddle huts are OK for some birds!

[StormyPica]

As Fall and Winter are coming up, some parrot owners may be looking into cuddle huts to keep their birds warm. And at the same time, some parrot owners are actively discouraging cuddle huts for ALL birds. And some are in-between, buying huts for some of their birds.

Here's the message I want to put out: Cuddle huts for some birds are OK! If the bird in question is generally not very hormonal or nesty, and has a low chance of chewing the hut, a cuddle hut is perfectly OK! Cuddle huts on their own aren't even remotely dangerous. It's only when you have a nesty, hormonal, and/or moderately destructive bird in with the hut that you get an issue.

My budgies currently have a single cuddle hut (and are getting more). It keeps them warm and cozy, and they love it! They have never chewed or destroyed the hut, or gotten hormonally triggered by it. If your bird is the same, buying a cuddle hut is fine!!!

 

[foxgloveparrot]

That is a VERY good point, Ollie! I would personally stick with seagrass huts anyway, to be on the safe side (if you have other birds, for example, they could go into the cage and chew it) but I agree that cuddle huts aren't always horrible. They're also ok for burrowing species like linnies and patagonian conures (provided they don't chew/act hormonal with the hut).

 

[StormyPica]

That is a VERY good point, Ollie! I would personally stick with seagrass huts anyway, to be on the safe side (if you have other birds, for example, they could go into the cage and chew it) but I agree that cuddle huts aren't always horrible. They're also ok for burrowing species like linnies and patagonian conures (provided they don't chew/act hormonal with the hut).

Yes, seagrass huts are great! However, sometimes it is better to have something a bit more cozy when your birbs are cold.

 

[SailBoat]

Not buying into the: Huts are Okay thing!
Far too General in what constitutes what is 'okay' and what is not depending on how a specific bird interacts with a specific hut. Too know for sure requires one to purchase this or that hut and hope that their bird is okay with it. In todays World, where money can be a major issue. Having to purchase something that can be problematic, therefore faced with more stuff that is hidden away because an individual's bird has problems with it is not great advice. Just my two cents!

 

[Terry57]

I have also used a soft hut for one of my birds. Poor Phoe was so naked, and he got chilled very easily. He never chewed it, nor was he hormonal. However, a couple of my other birds got a seagrass one because I knew they would chew up a fabric one. My Sun, Jazz, has a nest box in his cage. He was 15 when he came to me and always had one so I didn't take it away from him. I've seen no problems with him, but I wouldn't give a nest box to any of my other birds.

I think it comes down to knowing your bird, and keeping a close eye on them if you give them a hut.

 

[aussie_wings]

We were looking at these yesterday and contemplating getting one for Gremlin. We didn't, and decided to do some research about it. He's a kakariki, so he's incredibly destructive, so I'm not sure if he would be the best candidate. I think Starlight would be ideal, candidate, though, after reading this post, so I might try and get on for her. She kind of likes snuggling up next to things, but not necessarily inside of them. I tried to put a small, stuffed bird in her cage one time next to where she usually sleeps, but I think she found it moderately off-putting and wouldn't go near it, so I took it out...

 

[fiddlejen]

When I first got my Sunny I got her a hut, which she loved. Based on advice from This forum, I then got rid of it.

Having observed her over the past... what is it now? three years? is that all? ... i am VERY VERY glad i did so. And here is why:

My own Sunny is very non-destructive. ...MOSTLY, and MOST of the TIME. But, every now and then, she will "discover" and become obsessed with something. And when this happens, she can destroy it completely. This happens most often (and, by often, I mean maybe once or twice in a half-year) with hanging toys which are meant for destruction. BUT it is not limited to those!

I have a couple favorite shirts which each of them, ONE day I was wearing when she decided her goal-for-the-day, was, Holes In Shirts. And, not just any-sort of holes, but Lacey, ENTRAPPING-type holes. Sturdy Necklines turned into lace collars of birdie-leg-trapping loose thread. Each of these shirts were unexpectedly remodeled like this in one couple-hour shoulder-session.

Now, I can still wear these shirts, even with my shoulder-Sunny. Because, I am right here to disentangle her little claws If Needed.

HOWEVER it is very easy for me to imagine, this COULD have happened with a birdie-hut IF i had kept it. Even daily checking could not prevent damage she can do to fabric in One-Hour Session. And as I understand, much of the birdie-hut risk come from entrapment in chewed huts.

SO, i personally am Very Grateful for the advice to get rid of that hut. My bird is certainly the type that would be been Endangered by it --- and, it is only now, several years down the road, that the danger is obvious. Because 90% of the time she is so NON-Destructive, of toys and everything else, that I could have easily thought, "oh, she would never..."

So again. Huts are a risk. Know your bird - know your bird well - and consider the Risk. In my case, my conure, a hut is a Big No-No.

 

[StormyPica]

When I first got my Sunny I got her a hut, which she loved. Based on advice from This forum, I then got rid of it.

Having observed her over the past... what is it now? three years? is that all? ... i am VERY VERY glad i did so. And here is why:

My own Sunny is very non-destructive. ...MOSTLY, and MOST of the TIME. But, every now and then, she will "discover" and become obsessed with something. And when this happens, she can destroy it completely. This happens most often (and, by often, I mean maybe once or twice in a half-year) with hanging toys which are meant for destruction. BUT it is not limited to those!

I have a couple favorite shirts which each of them, ONE day I was wearing when she decided her goal-for-the-day, was, Holes In Shirts. And, not just any-sort of holes, but Lacey, ENTRAPPING-type holes. Sturdy Necklines turned into lace collars of birdie-leg-trapping loose thread. Each of these shirts were unexpectedly remodeled like this in one couple-hour shoulder-session.

Now, I can still wear these shirts, even with my shoulder-Sunny. Because, I am right here to disentangle her little claws If Needed.

HOWEVER it is very easy for me to imagine, this COULD have happened with a birdie-hut IF i had kept it. Even daily checking could not prevent damage she can do to fabric in One-Hour Session. And as I understand, much of the birdie-hut risk come from entrapment in chewed huts.

SO, i personally am Very Grateful for the advice to get rid of that hut. My bird is certainly the type that would be been Endangered by it --- and, it is only now, several years down the road, that the danger is obvious. Because 90% of the time she is so NON-Destructive, of toys and everything else, that I could have easily thought, "oh, she would never..."

So again. Huts are a risk. Know your bird - know your bird well - and consider the Risk. In my case, my conure, a hut is a Big No-No.

Totally. Knowing your bird is essential, and if your bird has any more beak power than a budgie, I would highly recommend getting a different type of hidey hole if the bird is to be left unsupervised with it. I also wound not recommend any cuddle hut that is just fabric with no hard base, as these are 10 times easier for a burd to chew a hole in.

 

[wrench13]

The problem with these, as I see it, is that by the time you observe that your parrot is actively chewing or destroying the hut material, he may have already ingested some of the hut material. Sea grass is a organic material, that (hopefully) will breakdown in the parrot's digestive tract if any is in fact ingested. Fuzzy, fabric type huts are made from a synthetic man made material and are 100% not going to be digested and there in lies one of the problems, these fibres may become an impaction in the digestive tract. The other issue with fabrix type huts has already been pointed out - the loose threads of the material can trap little parrot feets and when that happens , like most wild animals, the parrot will keep trying to free itself, even to the point of damaging its feet.

Huts are a personal choice for each parrot owner, as had been pointed out. We like to make sure that each one is fully aware of the possible ramifications of this. Me personally - Salty likes warmth in the colder months , so we have a small bird heater he can snuggle against in those times. 100% safe? No, it has electrical wires going to it, but he ignores them, and it has a protective hard cover on the wires.

 

[Beebee0221]

The problem with these, as I see it, is that by the time you observe that your parrot is actively chewing or destroying the hut material, he may have already ingested some of the hut material. Sea grass is a organic material, that (hopefully) will breakdown in the parrot's digestive tract if any is in fact ingested. Fuzzy, fabric type huts are made from a synthetic man made material and are 100% not going to be digested and there in lies one of the problems, these fibres may become an impaction in the digestive tract. The other issue with fabrix type huts has already been pointed out - the loose threads of the material can trap little parrot feets and when that happens , like most wild animals, the parrot will keep trying to free itself, even to the point of damaging its feet.

Huts are a personal choice for each parrot owner, as had been pointed out. We like to make sure that each one is fully aware of the possible ramifications of this. Me personally - Salty likes warmth in the colder months , so we have a small bird heater he can snuggle against in those times. 100% safe? No, it has electrical wires going to it, but he ignores them, and it has a protective hard cover on the wires.

That is a VERY good point, Ollie! I would personally stick with seagrass huts anyway, to be on the safe side (if you have other birds, for example, they could go into the cage and chew it) but I agree that cuddle huts aren't always horrible. They're also ok for burrowing species like linnies and patagonian conures (provided they don't chew/act hormonal with the hut).

My linnie sleeps in a snuggle hut. She doesn’t chew it and it’s only out when I’m putting her to bed. She even likes it when I put a little towel over it so she’s totally enclosed in it. I think this is just a linnie trait.

 

[HeatherG]

I think that they can be really good for Quaker parakeets, too. You mostly want to watch for more aggression or for a female getting eggy/ broody.

 

[SailBoat]

Snuggle huts are Dangerous, and although, like most things, some Parrots choose not to chew on them while others suffer from their strings getting into the Parrot's gut and turning into a ball while the Parrot dies of starvation.

Can they be used by some Parrot Owners with no problem? Yes, but care must always be in place to assure that things do not go bad quickly.

FYI: Remember that the vast majority of them are produced in China where systems are not in place to safeguard against dangerous chemicals being used in the production of the cloth or, its coloration /print.

 

[MistahMan]

Also I don't know how we're supposed to thoroughly clean the insides of these huts. The one I have only has the entrance as an opening and it's very small. Not sure how we're suppose to keep the inside clean considering they poop in there. Which is odd. Why are you pooping where you sleep?

 

[SailBoat]

Also I don't know how we're supposed to thoroughly clean the insides of these huts. The one I have only has the entrance as an opening and it's very small. Not sure how we're suppose to keep the inside clean considering they poop in there. Which is odd. Why are you pooping where you sleep?

Thank you for taking the time tor read back into the history as there is much available.

Reality, birds (Parrots) poop everywhere, it is just a fact of bird life.

You have come to see yet another reason why the huts are not commonly recommended. They are not designed to be easily cleaned and it requires dedication to clean them. Most folks just do not buy another.

 

[MistahMan]

Thank you for taking the time tor read back into the history as there is much available.

Reality, birds (Parrots) poop everywhere, it is just a fact of bird life.

You have come to see yet another reason why the huts are not commonly recommended. They are not designed to be easily cleaned and it requires dedication to clean them. Most folks just do not buy another.

I just threw mine in the garbage. Saw that the back was all chewed up. Didn't think she was potentially swallowing that. So that combined with the cleaning issues... Not worth it.