Choosing Safe Toys For Your Pet Bird

You may have a parrot, a cockatoo, or even a parakeet as a pet. No matter what breed a pet bird is, keeping an exotic bird as a pet has grown tremendously amongst families lately. Usually, an inexperienced pet bird handler would mistakenly assume birds are easy to keep as pets and do not need the same amount of care and love as a pet cat or a dog would. Being in cages, birds are more susceptible to boredom, obesity, depression and need a vet, just like any other traditional pets, in case they get injured or suffer an illness. To provide entertainment to the bird, pet companies have manufactured toys for pet birds; we take a look at the toys suitable for your pet bird and other safety precautions.

Just like cats with their stuffed toy that has been stuffed with catnip or dogs and their obsession chasing thrown balls, birds need an equal amount of entertainment, more so than other pets since they are caged, this means their boredom level is higher amongst other pets. It is important for the owner of the bird to get some toys to ease this boredom. However, because birds are of varying sizes and breeds, picking out the right toy could pose much of a problem.

The very first thing to look out for when picking out bird toys is to check and read the label. Birds are highly curious creatures and will chew on everything they see initially so ensure the product does not contain any toxic or harmful material. Toys that are dyed with vegetable dyes or are untreated are safe for the bird. Avoid metal parts as well; some birds get sick when exposed to different kinds of metals.

If your pet bird is small, naturally avoid large toys as they will not be able to play with it, or attempting to play with a large toy could end up hurting the pet bird. Toys that are too large might scare the bird as well, so having a huge toy in a cage that houses a small bird could end up having negative psychological effects on your pet bird. While having a toy too large could pose a problem, a toy too small could be deadly. Having a small toy could end up with the bird assuming it as food, eat it and choke itself. Hence, picking out the right toy is crucial and important, for a start, get several sizes and attach them temporarily to the cage to see how your bird reacts.

How you attach the toy to the cage is an important aspect to the bird’s safety. Always use a hardy string when you attach the toy and avoid clips that could snap off easily. Birds like tugging at things and if clips are used, it could come off and end up injuring your bird terribly. Clips that are made for birdcages are fine but if these are unavailable, use string and wrap around the cage several times so the bird will not attempt to chew on the string while playing with the toy.

The best place to get a toy would definitely be at the vet’s office. You will be able to consult your vet immediately upon getting the toy or it would be recommended to you upon asking. This will give you the added assurance the toy is safe and would not cause any harm to your pet bird. However, in case things do go wrong, have the phone number to your vet close by. Your bird could get injured while playing with the new toy and with a quick phone call; your bird could get treatment quickly and immediately. Have fun picking out the right toy for your pet!