Need advice on toy chewing and alternatives for snuggle hut

[SkyandHoudini]

Sky loves to chew. I mean, I think it's a pretty parrot thing to do. And he has been doing it for years. But I'm paranoid person. Originally, when the paranoia took over, I got rid of most of his very stringy rope toys and replaced them with colorful plastic (?, I'm actually not sure what material is) toys too hard for him to chew through. (Keep in mind though, those toys also had string on them. But they weren't SO stringy that I worried. He divided up his attention both between the little rings and links on his toys, whilst sometimes focusing on the string.)

Recently, I caved and got him another one of those really ropey toys. A replica of one his old battered ones really. But he really, really, really, had loved that toy, and he really, really, really loves the new one.

So the problem is, he'll chew string off, roll it up into balls in his mouth, and then I'll find the pieces scattered across the bottom of his cage. Which is great, because I know in those instances, he's not ingesting string. What I'm afraid of are the instances I don't know about. I'm scared he'll swallow a piece without my knowledge, and that something bad can happen.

What I really want to know is if there are any good alternative toys that he could, possibly, chew on happily, and if ingestion occurs, I won't have to worry? Wood toys maybe? Or should I just be wary of everything, leave the stringy toys in the cage, and meticulously check all them on the daily?

As for the snuggle hut. Same issue. He's never matted up the bottom of a happy hut so much that I'd worry about him becoming entangled in it. But he has chewed up the sides of his last two huts really badly. I only kept the huts in his cage at night for him to sleep in, but eventually he's taken to chewing them before he goes to sleep. Idk why. He never did it as a baby.

Anyway, that makes me pretty uncomfortable; I'm worried that he'll eventually start matting up the bottom of his happy huts. Right now I've tossed them all, and he's sleeping on one of his perches. BUT, I know he really liked sleeping in his snuggle hut. Its not a big deal if I can't find an alternative, because I'm sure he'll be fine with his perch. But I would really like to get one for him.

I did find this Prevue Sea Grass Hut, and was wondering if anybody had experiences with it?

Prevue Sea Grass Snuggle Hut | Pet Bird Nests & Nesting from DrsFosterSmith.com

Or if anyone has any recommendations on making a safe homemade snuggle hut, which I'm more than willing to do.

 

[OOwl]

Have you seen the big plastic Jolly balls with holes? They make one big enough for a quaker and it couldn't be chewed or shredded easily.

 

[Crazyt123]

I made a paper mache hut for my GCC. Its safe for her to chew and no strings to get caught in. I put shredded newspaper in it for warmth/softness.

 

[BridgetsFlame]

Atti does the same, everything gets confettied. The first happy hut he had (before I realised that he really shouldn't be allowed near them) looked like fish net on the inside by the time he was done with it, and he got tangled in it and lost a toenail.

He uses a few different things now. His favourite is a breeding box (he's an only bird). I layered the box with a really thick wad of paper cut to size, on top of that a thick wad of paper towel cut to size (like an inch thick), and on top of that about an inch of the paper care fresh bedding used for small animals. Atti still chews obsessively and within six months he's chewed down through all the layers and nothing is bigger than a grain of sand in the box and it's all very well mixed together. At which point we start again and I refill the box. As I'm getting another bird the breeding box is about to be put away, which I doubt he will enjoy at all.

He also has a jolly ball, which he does occasionally sleep in. He has chewed that as well so all the edges are dimpled and ridged. I occasionally sand off the ridges and give it back to him.

Finally he has on elf those little wooden shelves, which he also quite enjoys, though he prefers it for daytime naps.

I wanted to try Atti with seagrass but he can destroy a seagrass matt in about an hour so I figured there wasn't much point.

 

[Lullx]

Parrots have a natural need to chew, as it helps keep their beak trimmed and is very stimulating. I always have wooden blocks and toys for all of my birds to chew on, as well as paper toys for shredding. They should always have some wooden toys available.

If your quaker is shredding and chewing string like that, I personally think it's better to be safe rather than sorry. Crop impaction is no joke ):
I switched to using supreme cotton rope and vegetable tanned leather lace for toys for my flock. Much safer, and everyone really likes chewing on the leather in particular.

I highly recommend mysafebirdstore.com for stringing materials. I mostly buy toy parts and put together personalized toys for each of my birds. Cheaper and safer that way! I do buy from drsfostersmith.com as well, but mostly food and some already put-together toys. I think the other shop has better selection for toy bits.

I was also looking at that seagrass hut for my conures, but haven't gotten around to buying it yet. Seagrass is safe and super fun to chew! They also make seagrass rope for toy making, but I don't use it only because it would get chewed through quicker than the toy parts themselves with my birds (everyone is pretty destructive here haha).
A cheaper alternative to the hut would be to just buy a seagrass mat and fold it in half and hang it up. It'll create a little tunnel, which my one conure loves to run and play through, as well as chew. You can easily attach other toys to it and make it even more fun!

This is an example of a toy I just made today for my African Grey.
It's just some fun chewable things on a stainless steel kabob. Literally took me a few seconds to make!

 

[JerseyWendy]

Please have a look at this: BTL Bagel Tunnel Large - BIRDIE BAGELS

 

[Flboy]

Take a look at this.
http://www.parrotforums.com/do-your...w-make-bird-safe-paper-mache-pinata-huts.html

 

[rosembers]

I don't have experience with those seagrass huts/mats, but I find them quite intriguing. My only concerns are that maybe a foot or toe could get caught in one of the holes, or that an eye could get poked since it appears rather pokey. But I have not used one so cannot say for sure. They are natural, so I would trust that more than traditional fabric snuggle huts. Critters Choice Small Animal Chubes are AWESOME! They're similar to the Birdie Bagel Tunnel link posted by JerseyWendy. Birds can chew them safely, sleep in them, and they aren't fluffy/cozy like a nest which lessens the chance for hormonal issues and becoming egg-bound (and the dangers of fabric fraying, strangulation, toes getting stuck, or ingesting fibers and crop impaction).

As far as toys, I think yucca wood kabobs are the best thing ever! They also have yucca pieces you can buy to build your own or use as foot toys, and they make yucca wood blocks for bigger chewers. Birds can fulfill their natural desire to chew and shred with these toys and they don't fray or have dangerous materials. Unfortunately any bird could ingest material from any toy, so nothing is hands down 100% safe, but generally birds instinctively know not to ingest wood. Wood is also something familiar to them instinctually that would be found in their natural environment

 

[plumsmum2005]

Sky loves to chew. I mean, I think it's a pretty parrot thing to do. And he has been doing it for years. But I'm paranoid person. Originally, when the paranoia took over, I got rid of most of his very stringy rope toys and replaced them with colorful plastic (?, I'm actually not sure what material is) toys too hard for him to chew through. (Keep in mind though, those toys also had string on them. But they weren't SO stringy that I worried. He divided up his attention both between the little rings and links on his toys, whilst sometimes focusing on the string.)

Recently, I caved and got him another one of those really ropey toys. A replica of one his old battered ones really. But he really, really, really, had loved that toy, and he really, really, really loves the new one.

So the problem is, he'll chew string off, roll it up into balls in his mouth, and then I'll find the pieces scattered across the bottom of his cage. Which is great, because I know in those instances, he's not ingesting string. What I'm afraid of are the instances I don't know about. I'm scared he'll swallow a piece without my knowledge, and that something bad can happen.

What I really want to know is if there are any good alternative toys that he could, possibly, chew on happily, and if ingestion occurs, I won't have to worry? Wood toys maybe? Or should I just be wary of everything, leave the stringy toys in the cage, and meticulously check all them on the daily?

As for the snuggle hut. Same issue. He's never matted up the bottom of a happy hut so much that I'd worry about him becoming entangled in it. But he has chewed up the sides of his last two huts really badly. I only kept the huts in his cage at night for him to sleep in, but eventually he's taken to chewing them before he goes to sleep. Idk why. He never did it as a baby.

Anyway, that makes me pretty uncomfortable; I'm worried that he'll eventually start matting up the bottom of his happy huts. Right now I've tossed them all, and he's sleeping on one of his perches. BUT, I know he really liked sleeping in his snuggle hut. Its not a big deal if I can't find an alternative, because I'm sure he'll be fine with his perch. But I would really like to get one for him.

I did find this Prevue Sea Grass Hut, and was wondering if anybody had experiences with it?

Prevue Sea Grass Snuggle Hut | Pet Bird Nests & Nesting from DrsFosterSmith.com

Or if anyone has any recommendations on making a safe homemade snuggle hut, which I'm more than willing to do.

Hi I am giving a link of a supplier of toys etc that I use time2time here in the UK. I have given it as they give toys by bird type which I hope is of use to you for ideas. It seems toys for Quakers mainly consist of Cactus wood, Wood, Natural Rope and Vine. Would a fleece snuggle hut be any good?

Parrot Toys | Buy Online, Huge Range Of Safe Fun Bird Toys

 

[Flboy]

Parrots have a natural need to chew, as it helps keep their beak trimmed and is very stimulating.
A cheaper alternative to the hut would be to just buy a seagrass mat and fold it in half and hang it up. It'll create a little tunnel, which my one conure loves to run and play through, as well as chew. You can easily attach other toys to it and make it even more fun!

I so missed this the first time through! I get these mats as cheap as 30 cents each, and never thought of this!
Just hung one now!

 

[Piasa]

Sisal rope or woven grass rope won't cause impaction problems like cotton and nylon.