Cotton Rope for Bird toys??
Ron Frank
ONE made with rope uses 100% Cotton rope. In fact it's stressed over
and over 100% safe cotton.
They I get on Birds and Ways and find an article that indicates that
cotton rope is VERY dangerous for birds, and it should not be used
without supervision.......
Huhhh??
This article recommends Sasal, whatever the heck that is.
I want to make safe toys (or buy safe toys) but one main reason I'm
doing this is to I can leave the bird in the cage alone and help keep it
entertained. I certainly don't want anything in there that can hurt the
bird.
So is Cotton dangerous? If so, why is EVERY manufacture using it? Do
you leave cotton rope toys with your birds unattended?
Comments?
Ron
Marco
> This article recommends Sasal, whatever the heck that is.
> Ron
Hey Ron,
We much prefer Sisal (sp.?) or hemp rope for our bird toys. I think the
chances of birds getting their beaks, toes, etc. tangled in hemp rope or
sisal are lower than when using cotton rope toys.
It might not be as durable (a couple of good bites from Hoppy the U2 and
it's gone) but being so cheap there is no problem replacing it.
Just our experience :)
Marco
--
"Auntie Em:
I hate you, I hate Kansas, taking the dog. Dorothy."
Remove "PANTS" to reply
Gerard Bates
:I just went through three bird mags looking at hundreds of toys. EVERY
:ONE made with rope uses 100% Cotton rope. In fact it's stressed over
:and over 100% safe cotton.
:
:They I get on Birds and Ways and find an article that indicates that
:cotton rope is VERY dangerous for birds, and it should not be used
:without supervision.......
:
:Huhhh??
:
:This article recommends Sasal, whatever the heck that is.
:
:I want to make safe toys (or buy safe toys) but one main reason I'm
:doing this is to I can leave the bird in the cage alone and help keep it
:
:entertained. I certainly don't want anything in there that can hurt the
:
:bird.
:
:So is Cotton dangerous? If so, why is EVERY manufacture using it? Do
:you leave cotton rope toys with your birds unattended?
:
:Comments?
:
:Ron
############
Ron -- I don't have any braided "rope"-type toys in either my budgie's or
lovebird's cages.
However, I have heard of some unsettling incidents (especially with the
smaller birds like budgies), where, over time as the birds play with the
toy, the cotton can fray and unravel, and all kinds of single threads hang
loose. I read where someone's little budgie had the threads wrapped around
its neck and as the bird pulled tighter, it became a noose and suffocated
the bird. The owner found her pet budgie dead the next morning. Quite a
shocker. I've also read that sometimes birds can get their toes
(especially if their nails are somewhat sharp) stuck in the woven
threads. They land up dangling by one foot and quite often break their
legs.
There are many other amusing and safe toys available, that I just avoid
the hanging ropes and braided toys altogether. Personally, I think these
toys can be dangerous and even lethal. Why are they available in so many
pet stores? I guess there are only so many toy ideas that manufacturers
can come up with ... they're always trying something new. Let's face it,
they've probably run out of new ideas for "mirror" and "bell" toys, so
it's on to something else that might catch a consumer's eye. Something
new is not necessarily something better ... or safer. I'm sure a lot of
folks have tried these toys and have found them okay for their birds, but
speaking only for myself, I'll skip over them.
-- Linda --
Parrots for Newbies
the rope are extremely strong. If you get a sharp nail snagged, unless the
bird figures out how to chew through it it will hang until it comes loose.
Sisel is a fairly strong but easily chewed-through rope. It's also 100%
natural. Jute rope is also good to use. I use Booda Comfy Perches in all
my birds cages and those are cotton. I've never had a problem with nails
getting snagged.
Just use your good judgement and common sense. If your birds nails are
sharp then keep them dulled to avoid problems with cotton rope.
Gloria
Linda Ambrose-Bates
:So you do routine maintenance inspections. End of problem. Even though
:my budgie is not a problem in that regard, I give his cage and accesories
:a cursory exam every morning, and a more thorough look when I clean the
:cage bottom, about every third day.
Yeah, I check my birds' cages for anything that might be amiss. I
didn't say I had a problem. All I'm saying is that I don't use braided
cotton toys.
:Over what period of time did those loose threads develop? Days? Weeks?
:Months? A -responsible- pet owner will not allow a fabric accessory to
:degenerate to the point that it becomes a health hazard.
I have no idea. This is a post I read somewhere where the owner
reported finding her bird hanging by its neck in its cage. Maybe she
didn't realize the potential danger, who knows.
:In tandem with the above, easily prevented with regular nail trims, which
:an owner -ought to be doing anyway-.
Most bird owners (and for that matter, cat and dog owners) realize they
have to trim nails for their pets' health and safety.
:You sound like such a cynic. :P
And you sound like you got up on the wrong side of the bed.
:It's also possible that a bird might
:prefer a soft perching material on occasion to get away from the standard
:woods and concrete.
Well, you would know ... you seem to have all the answers. Someone
asked a question and I'm just passing on what I've heard about cotton
toys. Simple as that.
:You know your birds and their habits better than anyone else. I suppose
:if I owned a prolific gnawer and chewer, one that would shred a toy or
:perch in a few minutes, I wouldn't have any cloth accessories either.
:
: Jack
:
:--
:aka Keet Visit my web page at http://junior.apk.net/~jac/
:"The civilized man has built a couch, but he has lost the use of
: his feet." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Barbara C.
Parrots for Newbies wrote in message <375D1A3D...@gate.net>...
>Cotton rope is easy, cheap and it makes for cute bird toys. The threads on
>the rope are extremely strong. If you get a sharp nail snagged, unless the
>bird figures out how to chew through it it will hang until it comes loose.
While we're on the subject of cotton rope, how about the Cotton Candy bird
toy? Does NE1 think this toy could be a hazard once the ropes are unraveled
by the bird and the individual strings are hanging? I never gave this a
thought, but this thread has got me wondering now....
Barbara C.
To reply to me personally, please remove "SPAMBLOCK" from return address.
Thanks.
Ron Frank
High Flight wrote in message <7jjf8o$rst$1...@plonk.apk.net>...
>You know your birds and their habits better than anyone else. I suppose
>if I owned a prolific gnawer and chewer, one that would shred a toy or
>perch in a few minutes, I wouldn't have any cloth accessories either.
>
> Jack
>
This is a very good point. I currently have one Tiel. She is just not a
chewer. With her I leave a rope swing in her cage on a regular basis. I do
inspect it. I've also concluded that powder coating is not necessary for
her. A safe enamal would be perfectly safe.
But now I'm going for a B&G. I am just a little more worried about what I
allow it to have. I guess better safe than sorry, take the high road, don't
count your chickens, a bird in hand, etc.
I'll make or purchase some nice wood toys, and see how it goes before
leaving cotton rope around bird.
Ron
Parrots for Newbies
problems.
Gloria
J. Dennen
Mollucan's tongue. Had they not noticed it when they were examining her for a
damaged wing(cage too small 24x24 x45) she might have lost her tongue. They
made an incision on each side to loosen the constiction that formed. No more
rope toys!!!
Jim
Kellie
a result. Others have strangled. Hemp won't knot up like cotton can.
However, my cockatoo prefers to preen cotton rope so I cut 8" sections and
tie it to her cage bars and this keeps her entertained for a long time.
Ron Frank wrote:
> I just went through three bird mags looking at hundreds of toys. EVERY
> ONE made with rope uses 100% Cotton rope. In fact it's stressed over
> and over 100% safe cotton.
>
> They I get on Birds and Ways and find an article that indicates that
> cotton rope is VERY dangerous for birds, and it should not be used
> without supervision.......
>
> Huhhh??
>
> This article recommends Sasal, whatever the heck that is.
>
> I want to make safe toys (or buy safe toys) but one main reason I'm
> doing this is to I can leave the bird in the cage alone and help keep it
>
> entertained. I certainly don't want anything in there that can hurt the
>
> bird.
>
> So is Cotton dangerous? If so, why is EVERY manufacture using it? Do
> you leave cotton rope toys with your birds unattended?
>
> Comments?
>
> Ron
--
Kellie
Mark Schuhmacher
can gnaw through the offending strand in around 30 seconds flat !
Cheers...
Mark
nebul...@gmail.com
> I just went through three bird mags looking at hundreds of toys. EVERY
> ONE made with rope uses 100% Cotton rope. In fact it's stressed over
> and over 100% safe cotton.
>
> They I get on Birds and Ways and find an article that indicates that
> cotton rope is VERY dangerous for birds, and it should not be used
> without supervision.......
>
> Huhhh??
>
> This article recommends Sasal, whatever the heck that is.
>
> I want to make safe toys (or buy safe toys) but one main reason I'm
> doing this is to I can leave the bird in the cage alone and help keep it
>
> entertained. I certainly don't want anything in there that can hurt the
>
> bird.
>
> So is Cotton dangerous? If so, why is EVERY manufacture using it? Do
> you leave cotton rope toys with your birds unattended?
>
> Comments?
>
> Ron