Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently bought a new toy for the young flock to play with. It has a bunch of 'wicker'-type rings and beads, also it had 3 hanging fringe bundles. The bundles of fringe were not wicker or straw, but string. The birds all loved those strings! Every day I would see 2 or three of them hanging on it, chewing on it. Just having a great time. But yesterday, One of the twins got herself all tangled, around her neck! It was just one of the strings, and she was just hanging from it. She would flutter and pull herself up so it wasn't choking her, but it took two of us to get her untangled! Salty was so relieved! He ran to her side and was kissing all over her. She has become his new best girl, and to see her in such danger, he was panicked.

I've since cut all the string fringes off the toy, but the birds are all very leary of it still. I guess I'll just pull it out completely and replace it with a toy that has no string fringes to begin with. What a shame, this toy was marketed for parakeets, and it nearly cost me my youngest girl She is fine now, but how scary, I am just so glad I'm home all day to notice when things happen right away, I hate to think of what would have happened had she been left there 8hours while I was working!
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Dianne,
Mom to a 12 yr old human girl (still in obedience training!)
A 1 year old Aussie/Border Collie mix "Jack"
A 9 year old gray short-hair Korat-looking kitty "Timothy"
A 9 year old black 'n' white short hair kitty "Trouble"
8 parakeets "Salty" m 3yrs, "Sea" f approx 1yr, "Pepper" m approx 1yr, and 5 hatchlings.

I know it seems a lot of toys marketed for birds or specific sized birds aren't completely appropriate. That being said we each also have to know our own birds. Some toys will be wonderful for one bird and the next bird can become injured on it. Kind of like many people give their birds foam on their toys. Most birds have no problems with this but I know of one who liked to ingest the foam instead of just shredding it luckily all it cost was a vet visit and not his life but any toy can be dangerous we just have to keep an eye on all toys. Then of course there are the ones dangerous from the beginning with long ropes (can catch nails, heads etc), long chains with only wood at the end (easily becomes a noose), or non-size appropriate toys.

Glad your baby is safe and that you noticed what was going on before any real damage was done.

Love to see more pics sometimes!