Tangled in Toys
This is a risk mainly with hanging toys such as rope toys or hanging chain toys, but it can also happen with any toy that has a space large enough that your bird can get its beak, head or foot stuck. If a bird gets stuck it can seriously injure itself by thrashing around and can die from such injuries as well as strangulation. Some common culprits:
- Cotton rope toys: these are best used only under supervision because sometime the threads unravel and leave a risk of strangulation or entanglement. Cotton rope is sometimes alo shredded and ingested. Sisal rope is considered a safer alternative.
- Hanging Chains: metal chains with small gaps in the links are a risk for snaring toenails and sometimes beaks. Also watch for links (metal or plastic) that are large enough to trap your bird's feet or head.
- Clips and Rings: lanyard type clips (the kind that are kind of tear drop shaped with the sides of clip overlapping and open by squeezing the sides of the clip and close again when the pressure is released) can trap beaks and toenails. Split rings (key chain rings) are also notorious for trapping beaks on parrots. Parrots are at a much greater risk from these than other birds due to their beak strength and dexterity. C-links or "Quick Links" are a much safer choice, as long as you avoid those containing zinc (see above).
- Bells: spherical bells with slits for openings (and a loose pellet of metal inside that makes a jingling sound) can trap your bird's beak.
- Loose Threads: fabric items like huts and cage covers can have threads come loose and entangle toes and other body parts. Any fabric items must be inspected regularly.
- Holes: any toy with holes or gaps can pose a problem if the hole is just the right size to trap a toe, beak, or head. Be sure to watch your bird closely with a new toy at first and be wary of potential problems such as this.
Swallowing Toys
Again, this is likely to be a problem with parrots as they are usually more inclined to chew up their toys than other types of birds. Bits of toys that are chewed off and accidentally swallowed can cause problems by irritaing the digestive tract, causing a blockage in the digestive system, or even perforating the crop or intestines if they have sharp edges. Various types of toys can cause problems:- Wood: birds love to chew on wood and it is good exercise for their beaks, but watch to make sure they are not swallowing sharp splinters.
- Plastic: stick with tough toys like acrylic, but you still need to watch that your bird is not destroying the toy and swallowing the pieces. For most parrots, softer or flimsy plastic toys will be quickly shredded.
- Bells: make sure the clapper of the bell (the hanging bit that hits the side of the bell to make the bell's sound) is firmly attached as these can be quickly removed and swallowed by a bird (and as mentioned previously, beware of clappers that contain lead). Similarly, spherical shaped bells with slits can be peeled open and the metal piece from inside can be swallowed.
- Fabric and fluff: play huts and tents are becoming more popular, but there have been reports of birds getting caught in loose threads or ingesting the fluffy material from these. Again, if you use these items watch your bird carefully to make sure he/she is not eating it, and inspect it regularly for loose threads.