Dangerous items for birds

[hiriki]

I actually just posted another thread about mirrors for cockatiels as well, I just watched this YT video and I'm reflecting on some items I give my birds.

One item she has on the list that I've always been a bit hesitant about is the fluffy hut. https://www.petsmart.com/bird/toys-...-living-things-soft-fuzzy-bird-hut-52696.html

I personally use this hut for my jenday conure, pictured in my profile picture. I have used it without her ingesting any for roughly seven years, although she does sometimes grind her beak on it and shred it. It makes me somewhat nervous--but when I tried to swap it out for a regular, non-fluffy cotton hut, she ignored it. She's disabled, with toes that kind of twist over each other, and stands on the hocks of her feet. Due to this, she easily develops sores on her hocks. I like to give her as many soft surfaces as possible to keep her comfortable.

What are some thoughts on this? I know that a bird can develop new interest in existing items/toys at any time, or can start to interact with it differently on a whim, and so I do frequently feel uncomfortable about the presence of this hut in her cage, but I would hate to take it away without replacing it with something suitable that she enjoys.

 

[zERo]

Do you have platform perches? I used those for a disabled budgie (splayed leg) I had in the past. Or you could try a sea grass hut which is safe, unless your bird tries to stick its head into small spaces a lot. I wouldn't personally risk using a hut because my quaker had a rope perch in his cage for 8 months, all he did was perch on it, then one day, I came home and he'd chewed half of it up. He didn't ingest any, luckily, but from now on I have to wrap all of his rope perches because he'll chew on them otherwise. All I'm saying is I wouldn't risk it

 

[hiriki]

She has quite a few platform perches, oddly she doesn't seem to prefer them except when napping but they're available to her.

I could try a sea grass hut although I've only seen them finch-size (I have one for my lovebird that she adores). I doubt she would get nearly as excited over it but it's worth trying. Honestly I wish they wouldn't sell those fluffy huts at all because then I never would have bought it in the first place and I wouldn't have this conflict 😅

 

[hiriki]

Here's a slightly different question--if I were to disassemble the bird hut she has and recreate it at the exact same size/shape, do yall think ANY fabric is safe? I don't personally worry too much about regular cotton fabric since it shreds into threads rather than fluffy balls that could compact into the stomach but I don't think I've seen a discussion about that before.

All of the alternative huts I've offered her have been different sizes or shapes so I think if I give her something more similar to what she has I'll have better luck.

 

[zERo]

Here's a slightly different question--if I were to disassemble the bird hut she has and recreate it at the exact same size/shape, do yall think ANY fabric is safe? I don't personally worry too much about regular cotton fabric since it shreds into threads rather than fluffy balls that could compact into the stomach but I don't think I've seen a discussion about that before.

All of the alternative huts I've offered her have been different sizes or shapes so I think if I give her something more similar to what she has I'll have better luck.

Hmm I'm not sure what fabrics would be safer honestly 😅

 

[BirdyBee]

Hi, huts can also make them hormonal so I'd recommend that if you want to give her a soft surface to lay on you could use a hammock that's meant for a rat/mouse/chincilla(as long as it isn't fluffy)😊