We had a huge scare tonight!!!!

[ruffledfeathers]

I was sitting on the sofa after Gilbert and I had eaten dinner and i put him back in his cage for some play time, when i heard the most horrible screaming coming from him. Screaming like i have never heard before.....
I RAN to his cage and found him hanging from a C clamp!!!!
He has a lot of toys and his favorite thing lately is unscrewing the clamp and then hanging from the top of the cage to unhook the toy and watch it fall. He must have been fooling with the clamp and had it open and as he was wiggling the hook around, he got part of it jammed by his tongue and the other part jammed under his beak at his throat. It was terrible.
I was having a hard time freeing him and he got so scared he went limp and didn't even make any sounds. Finally i got him out and he has wanted nothing but snuggling ever since.
I called his vet at home and he said that this does happen and the fact that he is free and doing ok, it should be fine and the little abrasions will just heal up.
I am going to fasten those clamps with PLIERS!! i never had a bird who so quickly figured out how to take things apart. I am always tightening things, but somehow i always thought the C clamp was 'safe' for parrots and never thought to tighten any more than 'hand tight'. Definitely NOT SAFE.
I can't explain how much i adore this bird. He is one of my favorite birds i ever knew (no disrespect to any of my other pets i've had) and i'll be darned if i let a stupid TOY injure or kill him!!

 

[Thingamagigs]

There are other ways to attach toys that you might want to look into Quick links wont be safe for him anymore.
Depending on the toy there are several safer ways to attach them to the cage, just keep in mind you need to make sure they are made out of either acrylic or stainless steel.

You can get two versions of this bird safe hanger, one in full stainless steel, the other stainless and acrylic...

Scooter Z Stainless Steel Toy Hanger Small *NEW* - SKEWERS/TOY EXTENDERS by MY SAFE BIRD STORE

For a particularly difficult bird, toys can be hung or placed using a stainless steel bolt, a couple of stainless steel washers and stainless steel wingnut.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Thank you. I will have to find a better way. He is the most funny, monkey-man bird i have had, very smart and eager to figure everything out. My Georgie was suspicious of everything but Gilbert is an intelligent daredevil.

 

[Akraya]

Thanks for this post, one of my two has started undoing C clamps for fun, will be very watchful now!

 

[FineFeatheredFriend]

Great to hear that your bird is okay. Sometimes birds are too smart for their own good. Peace be to you.

 

[ShreddedOakAviary]

C clamps or D rings? I'm assuming the same thing...

We have had to be extra careful because our macaws and larger cockatoos crush them until it looks like they have a beak piercing (never fun). So we have started hanging toys by either strips of leather tied or sisal rope tied the same way. We also often use the plastic baby rings to hang toys.

 

[Aquila]

The Jenday at work does this regularly! He undoes every single one in his cage, even the jumbo ones, and has recently tried unscrewing the bolt that holds the door shut. They're so mischievous but now I'm going to be on high alert!