Don't Take Toys for Granted!

[Caitnah]

I know we are probably very diligent when it comes to inspecting new toys for our birds; but I just learned a valuable lesson to not take ANY item for granted.
I am in the process of replacing all my Conures bells with SS ones. Some that I have ordered were NOT SS even though they were advertised as such.
I finally did get a few and cleaned them as always. But while drying them off, I actually got cut by one of them.
There was a piece of metal sticking out from the edge of the bell.
Can you imagine what might have happened if my Conure played with this?
I then inspected every bell I had and found some to have sharp edges on the bottom.
I won't take inspections lightly again.

 

[noodles123]

Sound advice.


How did you test what the metal was made of? I know sometimes it is obvious if something isn't (like if the package says it isn't or if it's copper lol)

 

[wrench13]

Stainless steel ( the 300 series alloys commonly used) is non-magnetic or at best very feebly magnetic. Reacts much differently than a steel bell. If you think something is brass (also nonmagnetic) scratch it deeply - brass is yellowish.

 

[noodles123]

Stainless steel ( the 300 series alloys commonly used) is non-magnetic or at best very feebly magnetic. Reacts much differently than a steel bell. If you think something is brass (also nonmagnetic) scratch it deeply - brass is yellowish.

True-- I just didn't know if the metal was tested or something-- I've always been curious about that process.

 

[Caitnah]

Sound advice.

How did you test what the metal was made of? I know sometimes it is obvious if something isn't (like if the package says it isn't or if it's copper lol)

Tested with magnet. Just SLIGHTLY magnetic. Junky bells are very magnetic.
What baffles me is the tube style SS bells are completely non-magnetic. They are larger, have a lot more material and yet are fairly inexpensive AND have a long chain which are also SS. The liberty style bells are thin, light, smaller and are similar in price but are NOT completely magnetic.
Doesn’t make sense.

 

[Laurasea]

I'm with you i don't trust most bells on toys from china, or anywhere.. I thow most away ..
Great catch, so glad your burd didn't loose its tongue or get hurt...

 

[SailBoat]

Commonly, bells are made from scrape or leftover material from building other equipment. With near zero material costs and low labor rates (the kids need to do something while mom and dad are working), on open presses (not allowed in North America or EU), their cost to make is low.