In a couple of the other parrot groups I visit, there's been discussions about which rawhide/leather chews might be good for parrots...as the discussions progressed, it was noted that most of those available for dogs were manufactured in South America or Asia and that quality control was possibly seriously suspect. One poster advised that her Avian Vet advised her to NEVER allow her parrots to chew on rawhide, as the chewed off pieces are often swallowed and get caught in the crop where these pieces swell and start to decay, causing the bird's death.
Apparently this vet has treated several birds, all of which could not be saved, for rawhide/leather impaction. While no numbers were offered in any of the postings, a major surgery like that could, I'm sure, easily reach the $1,000 to $2,000 range or even higher.....
While I had never thought much about it, my vet lost a macaw several years ago, that had chewed off a piece of rawhide tie that had been used to hang a toy in its cage...the piece got stuck sideways in the bird's throat and it had spent part of the day (unknown how long), stressing & when his owner returned from work and was finally able to contact our vet & get the bird to him, it was too little too late.....like I said, I'd not really thought about it before, but after reading the posts on the other groups, I called him this morning & asked him about it.....he said the piece he removed from the bird's throat was abut 1/2 inch long, but had been lodged sideways & the bird had not been able to cough or otherwise dislodge it...he indicated that he had been surprised that the bird had not already died.....
Apparently this vet has treated several birds, all of which could not be saved, for rawhide/leather impaction. While no numbers were offered in any of the postings, a major surgery like that could, I'm sure, easily reach the $1,000 to $2,000 range or even higher.....
While I had never thought much about it, my vet lost a macaw several years ago, that had chewed off a piece of rawhide tie that had been used to hang a toy in its cage...the piece got stuck sideways in the bird's throat and it had spent part of the day (unknown how long), stressing & when his owner returned from work and was finally able to contact our vet & get the bird to him, it was too little too late.....like I said, I'd not really thought about it before, but after reading the posts on the other groups, I called him this morning & asked him about it.....he said the piece he removed from the bird's throat was abut 1/2 inch long, but had been lodged sideways & the bird had not been able to cough or otherwise dislodge it...he indicated that he had been surprised that the bird had not already died.....
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