Ask Lafeber

Question:

March 30, 2021

rope toys


What fibrous materials ,if any, are ok for “rope” in bird toys?


Answer:

Hi Anthony,

Any bird toy is only as safe as the way your bird plays with it. I’ve seen birds get injured on toys or clips that were deemed parrot-safe. With rope, the risk can be higher. In general, natural sisal rope or tightly braided cotton rope is safe. The first rule is the length – the rope part should not be long enough to wrap around the bird’s neck. Then it comes down to how your bird plays. If your bird is the type to snip pieces of rope off with his beak, then rope may not be the safest toy for him. When a bird can snip individual threads from a braided rope, the threads can get wound around a foot or leg or somewhere else. If your bird just chews on the rope, climbs on it or swings from it, then rope is fine. But once the rope gets frayed, it is time to replace it.  With any toy, you need to observe how your bird plays with it in order to determine if that is the right kind of toy for your bird. There is a lot of misinformation. If someone’s bird gets hurt by a toy, the owner jumps on the internet and warns others about how dangerous this toy is. If that was the rule, no bird toy is safe. Some birds seem to get into trouble no matter what they play with. Common sense and supervision go a long way for keeping your birds safe.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda

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