Protect Your Parrot – Learn the Benefits of Natural Parrot Toys

You already know that your parrot is an intelligent animal. It's capable of problem solving, playing and interacting with people and toys. Providing toys for your parrot is an important part of keeping them happy and engaged. Unfortunately, not all toys are appropriate or even safe for your parrot.

Natural Parrot Toys Are Chemical Free

Many parrot toys are jam packed with chemicals. Now, that might not surprise you if you're buying rubber or rope toys. However, what might surprise you is the type of chemical in these toys. We're talking about chemicals that cause cancer.

But leather toys are safe, right? They're not actually. Many leather parrot toys, commonly made outside of the States, are treated with Formaldehyde and Formalin. These chemicals can cause nasal tumors, rashes, inflammation and respiratory problems.

Chain links and metal are also often dangerous. In addition to offering dangerous to offering choking hazards, metal can be painted with lead based paints or coated with zinc. These two chemicals can cause serious health complications and death. The risks include:

• Feather plucking
• Excessive urine in droppings
• Weight loss
• Weakness
• Anemia
• Gastrointestinal problems
Hyperglycemia
• Seizures
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Blindness

Wood based toys often contain arsenic and toxic stains or varnishes.

Natural parrot toys are 100% safe from any of these deadly chemicals. They do not contain chemical adhesives, toxic paints, arsenic or formaldehyde. They will not kill your beloved parrot.

Natural Parrot Toys Use Natural Dye

Leather toys are made using natural vegetable colorings and dyes. This is 100% safe for your parrot and will not cause health complications. Leather toys are fun and generally long lasting toys. This means they're great for your parrot. Make sure all leather toys use natural dyes.

Natural Wood toys for your parrot will also have natural vegetable dye. Vegetables are 100% safe for your parrot and the dye made from them is too. Beets, carrots, and other vegetables have strong colors and make great dye. However, make sure the wood toys are not flavored. Flavored wood makes birds want to eat the toy rather than play with it.

Natural Metal Parrot Toys

Stainless steel or iron toys are okay for your parrot as long as they're not covered with zinc or lead based paint. And please make sure when you're buying a metal toy that there are no small parts that can come off and choke your precious bird or inadvertently strangle them. This happens often with bells, chain links, rings and other small metal objects. Your bird's beak and feet can also become caught. Also avoid galvanized metals because they're dangerous to your parrot.

What Are Natural Toys Made From?

We've stated that wood, leather and some metal toys are okay however, there are some really great materials natural bird toys
can be made from. These ingredients include:

• Coconut Fiber
• Coconut Shell / Husk
• Bamboo
• Palm Leaf
• Corn Cob
• Oyster Shells
• Cuttle Bone
• Handmade Sisal Cord
• Straw

If you take a good look at this list, you'll also notice that not only are these materials safe for your parrot, they're renewable and recyclable. And toys that are made from Oyster shells and Cuttle bone offer calcium, a valuable nutrient.

Natural parrot toys offer a number of benefits. They keep your parrot safe, they protect the environment, and they can improve the health of your bird. Perhaps most of all, natural bird toys give your parrot the opportunity to learn, explore and be a bird without endangering them. They're safe to explore and engage their environment. Parrots with natural toys are happy, healthy birds.