To Happy Hut or not to Happy Hut? That is the question.

So I have a lovebird that I acquired about a month ago from an animal rescue. He had been living there about 4 or 5 years. I named him/her Sunny. He had a happy hut he had shredded into almost a hammock, it was so bad. It was sort of his security blanket though, so I got rid of that one and got him a new one so that it was clean. He likes this one as well. Anyhow, I'm not even sure it's a him. I plan to get him tested to see, when I take him to the vet next week(if it isn't insanely expensive for the test). He/She chews the wood toy I have in the cage, and sticks the pieces in his/her feathers, then takes some of the bits back to the happy hut...and he also has torn the inside of the Happy Hut some. Also he/she shreds the paper occasionally in the bottom of the cage.

I have read the horror stories of birds getting tangled in the hut, and also how they make females more hormonal and aggressive. Sunny is very territorial, and nips/bites any time I put my hand in his/her cage to change food or water.

My main concern is not stressing him out too much. I would like to just put one of the cozies up on the cage side, near a perch, so that he could snuggle in that instead. I also think it would probably help him better if he wasn't able to hide from me as much.

Anyone have any suggestions? I also plan on asking the Avian and Exotic vet I'm taking him to next week, as well.

Thanks!

We were/are having hormonal problems with our GCC and our vet advised us not to have a happy hut for him as it is like a nest and will exacerbate his hormonal issues. Talk to your vet but I don't know that they are the best idea. If your parrot still enjoys other types of toys, they will probably be fine without it. Charlie didn't miss his although he still likes searching out dark places (discouraged, though, for the same reason). Hope your vet trip goes well and congrats on your new little friend!

It sounds like you have a female on your hands and if that is the case you may want to get rid of the hut for now.....if you don't you will probably end up with her laying eggs. Sounds like she is headed in that direction with the story of putting things in her rump feathers.
What you could do for her to have a place to hid and sleep is try one of those little coconut toys. Thats what I used for my lovebird for awhile....she would curl right up in it but never tried making a nest out of it....good luck

Thank you both for the advice