CHAINS

[billysprout]

There is someone on another forum that has lost a young amazon today as he got his beak stuck in a chain that was on a proper parrot toy, she only left him for an hour. Please make sure toys are safe and chains wherever possible replaced with leather. 

[lezab]

Great Debbie, something else to worry about. 

[billysprout]

There is always something. Saturday she managed to pull an ivy leaf through the double glazing and this morning its the dishcloth, my vet sees me coming. 

[lezab]

I suppose that's the one advantage of Bandit being in a cage.

[billysprout]

At least you know hes safe without checking up constantly. 

[lezab]

Except for the chains, poisonous metals, eating things, paint fumes, potential smells from carpets, smoke blowing in calcium deficiency, not eating fresh food, falling in cage, hurting himself by flinging about the cage etc etc 

[billysprout]

Point taken,  the cage is probably less safe than free in the lounge. Where do we draw the line about being safety concious? How do they survive in the wild with no one to take dangerous things off them or make sure they eat correctly? 

[sandisbirdsitting]

Where do we draw the line ? now there is a good question..

[billysprout]

Its an impossible question, short of sticking them in straitjackets and taping their beaks shut they will find danger. They seem to have a homing instinct for it! 

[jules]

i wonder if the toy was too big for the amazon. i've just ordered jasper some new toys and have sent a message asking if they can be made smaller for him as he's only a small bird.most parrot toys are so big no wonder some parrots are scared of them.

[billysprout]

It was the chain to tie it to the cage, we all have them in our parrots cages, Bella has several. They think he got the top part of his beak stuck in it. This woman is very knowledgeable about parrots and has been breeding several sorts for years. It was just a freak accident. 

[jules]

  poor little mite,i'd be so upset if it were jasper,but what do we do other than take all of their toys away?
maybe in the wild it's instinct that keeps them safe or safer and they somehow avoid dangerous things.in our homes there are things always in their paths that maybe unsafe.

[billysprout]

It doesnt bear thinking about but can you imagine what our lives would be like if we didnt let them play with anything!!!!

[lezab]

Mine doesn't play with anything as it is, he must be bored out of his mind. 

[billysprout]

Have you tried small pieces of pine, not toys as such so not big scary things with bells and rattles, try a couple of pieces of pine in his food bowl or put a hole in it so you can hide a seed in it. Its working for Billy, at least he picks them up even if he doesnt play with them.