Dog toys for birds?

I was visiting my local pet store yesterday. My two birds LOVE rope. They swing on it, preen it, wipe their beaks on it, just downright play with it. I went to the dog section to get an *actual* clicker and saw all these rope toys for dogs. The same rope ball in the bird section was $8.99, in the dog section it was $1. Is there anything different from dog rope and bird rope? Doggy rope gives me enough money to get a whole differnent toy or treats. Anybody else use dog toy rope? It seems harmless...

I have been wondering the same thing!

I have a simple piece of doggy rope, nothing special. My birds love it! I'm getting my girlies rope from there now on. Saves money for more toys. It's convenient.

Ive used some dog toys for my fids. It doesn't seem to have harmed them. They are great for my alexandrines as they break through everything. And the dog toys one seem to have lasted longer than the bird ones.

There's no difference and some of them are even made by the same companies. Just like with any rope toys, make sure to check them daily for loose strings. Oh, and make sure you don't get the flavored ropes, they started making them in flavors like chicken and beef for dogs, personally, I wouldn't even give them to my dog, who knows what chemicals those flavorings are made with. Yuck...

IcyWolf said:

There's no difference and some of them are even made by the same companies. Just like with any rope toys, make sure to check them daily for loose strings. Oh, and make sure you don't get the flavored ropes, they started making them in flavors like chicken and beef for dogs, personally, I wouldn't even give them to my dog, who knows what chemicals those flavorings are made with. Yuck...

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Good info! As stated, watch for loose strands. Most of the doggie rope toys I've seen are made with rope that will allow long strands to be pulled out which can cause entanglement.

I turn dog toys into bird toys all the time! U have to watch any strings for entanglement on any toy so they r no different then any other bird toy! Save the money!!!!

If I had a dog, no way would I give it chemically flavored rope. Eww? Thanks for the helpful info guys. I do check for loose strings, but so far, the rope is proving sturdy.

I was wondering this, but about Kongs! My dog has a kong that she never ever uses, and I was thinking about hanging it in Sugar's cage. Kong's are considered the closest thing to "indestructible" as you can get for dog toys...

Ya, I was wondering about Kongs too. It seems they are safe, but I can never be sure...

get the black kongs. my pitbulls cant even destroy them.

god61021 said:

get the black kongs. my pitbulls cant even destroy them.

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I've had a red one for YEARS. When Onyx did play with it, she was much younger. She's a Boston Terrier and they are pretty destructive for such small dogs, you should see some of the pictures other BT owners have posted! Yowza!

I'll get a black one if she even seems remotely interested in the red one. One thing I love about Kong's is that you can hide treats inside them (I used to put dog biscuits and sometimes peanut butter in it for Onyx), so it can be used as a foraging toy as well, depending on how and what you put in there!

JW Pet makes dog and bird toys..same product. Difference is the chain and quick link on top. I have right now one of the rubber holee balls and what you do is stuff it with paper krinkle and treats and it's a forage toy.

I've noticed the same thing and I have gotten stuff in the dog section for the birds a few times. I just have to be careful that it doesn't actually resemble a dog toy because then the dog will claim it and once she's slobbered on it, I don't give it back to the birds. Some of those little twist on portable bowls are cheaper in the dog section than the bird section too. Very same thing. Usually I look over the fine print on the back to make sure its made by the same manufacturer and same materials.
Melissa

Cool, thanks. You guys have helped lots. =)

I would assume that if it is safe for a dog it should be safe for a bird KEEPING IN MIND a bird's sensitive respiratory system though.
Ropes and safe rubbers should be good. Like kong toys. One of those unbreakable plastic dog balls should be durable. Also the JW Hol-ee ball.
Dog toys are more durable, because they are made for dogs, do they are cheaper than constantly replacing bird toys.

The thing about bird toys, is the market understands that birds are destructive and use it to their advantage. They make toys cheaply and more expensive. Most Macaw toys that are 30+ dollars only last 3 days.

This is a reply to an email I have on file. Hope this helps.

Dear Rosalyn,

Thank you for contacting The KONG Company. There is a long supply chain in the rubber process. The KONGs are made from a natural rubber and the raw rubber is collected from rubber trees in Asian countries normally. We have also worked with some suppliers in Vietnam. There is some processing that is involved to "bale" the rubber. That processing is normally done near the rubber plantations. Then the natural rubber is sent to the rubber mixers we work with. The rubber mixers are here in the US. California, Ohio, and Florida. The rubber mixers will then mix everything together based on our specifications and needs. Basically they make the rubber into the strips that are red, black, orange, puppy colors, etc. We then get the rubber strips ready to mold into the toys from the rubber mixers. Toys are molded here in Golden and at a rubber molder in Ohio. We then sell toys to a variety of countries. KONG does recommend and sells the KONGs for birds, rats, ferrets and other little creatures who need to play. We also make donations to Zoos and Rescue Organizations with the KONGs. So to answer your question, there would be no harm in using the KONGs for a bird. The only thing I would caution on is that the owners purchase the correct size. As an example I would recommend the X-Large or XX-Large for a Macaw. I would also recommend that the owners inspect the toys for cracks, separations and/or missing pieces. Worn and damaged KONGs should be replaced.

Thank you,


Pam Clift
Consumer Relations

Kong Company
16191 Table Mountain Parkway
Golden, CO 80403

Thank you, Quakerella!

I have also gotten a stainless steel dog chain which Rbird enjoyed.