# Everybody Must Read!!



## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

Mods maybe this should be a sticky.
Guys this really worries me. It's about rope toys for birds. The people I got my tiel off wrote this. 
Lets get one thing clear, I DON'T WANT YOU TO STICK YOUR BIRDS IN PLASTIC BUBBLES, I JUST WANT TO WARN EVERYBODY, gosh I thought I could warn you guys without having people disagree and whine!!!! 
Thanks Gromit99squi for just being grateful for the info. 
http://www.bazzalon.com/Precious.html


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## Gromit99squi (Dec 22, 2012)

Thankyou for posting this. It's sad to see a bird killed by his/her favourite toy. I guess it's a mistake that anyone couldv'e made, even me, even you, even anyone who has a bird. Certain things go unnoticed and the only way to take note that they're a danger is to see that danger happen for real. Until then we seem to buy what looks good to us, whether our bird likes it or not. A lot of the bird toys I give my birds are ones I make as I am trying to get out of the habit of 'that looks good to me therefore the bird will like it', which is a common habit that many new and even experianced bird owners fall for. I secretly get annoyed at my neighbour who wants a play gym for her bird. I showed her a picture of one that looked natural that the birds would love to chew and she said 'No' and wanted a plastic one instead. Who wants to walk on slippery, thin plastic over fun, shreddable, chewable, natural wood? Not my birds thats for sure! 

Anyway, sorry about rambling everyone, I would be very thankful if anyone could answer my questions below.

Do you think that the rope perch I got my budgie would be a threat? It has no loose threads at all and I have never seen her chew it, only perch on it. Also do you think that jute could be a danger in the same way as the rope toys?

Yet again, thanks for posting and thanks in advance to anyone who can answer my questions for me.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The vast majority of birds use rope perches with no problem at all. But like any object in the environment there is a potential for danger. Keep loose threads trimmed (less than one inch long); the biggest danger with rope perches is that a bird will get tangled in a long loose thread and be injured or even killed. Most birds that like to chew on thread and cloth won't actually swallow it, but there are a few that will so pay attention and take appropriate action if your bird is a habitual nibbler.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

My disabled bird uses only rope perches, and that's not changing. It is up to us to be vigilant and responsible bird owners, making sure everything in their environment is safe. My birds don't shred their ropes, and I trim the threads when they come loose. Overworn rope goes on the outside of the cage so the 'dangerous' ones are used only under supervision, and when they're too far gone I throw them out completely. 

Keeping our birds 100% safe would be sticking them in a plastic bubble to live, because everything they're exposed to (perches, toys, ropes, etc) has the potential to be dangerous. I choose to live with birds, and therefore, I choose to be extra vigilant with all they come in contact with.


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## WhiteCarnation (Jul 14, 2013)

That was very sad to read about 

I've heard about thinks like that happening before, i think it's just up to the owner to pay attention. Though some things may slip through the cracks because the bird can't be watched 24/7, so it's understandable how things happen.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its happened before and it'll probably happen again. Can't keep our birds locked up in a bubble you know? I've never had this issue with rope perches and its up to us as owners to make these decisions for our babies and what works best for them.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

It is sad, but I agree with Bailey and Roxy. Birds are just like kids, they'll get into mischief and cause trouble (And look for it too), but as the owner, it's always important to keep one eye open for them, and make sure they are exploring the things around them, but safely. They like to nibble on things to check them out, but sometimes they chew on things they shouldn't. That is when the owner should step in


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

i think you don't want to use rope perches if your bird is visibly chewing and eating them. but for many of us, our birds are just sitting on them, and not ingesting fluff. it's a bird owner choice - we all take risks (big or little). sad story though  i'd hate for that to happen to mine.


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

Gromit99squi said:


> Do you think that the rope perch I got my budgie would be a threat? It has no loose threads at all and I have never seen her chew it, only perch on it. Also do you think that jute could be a danger in the same way as the rope toys?


All long as it has no loose threads I am sure it is fine. I would watch and see if you birds chew on the swing in a way that would put then in danger, if they are then remove the swing.


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

bjknight93 said:


> Keeping our birds 100% safe would be sticking them in a plastic bubble to live, because everything they're exposed to (perches, toys, ropes, etc) has the potential to be dangerous. I choose to live with birds, and therefore, I choose to be extra vigilant with all they come in contact with.


I don't want people to stick their birds in plastic bubbles, I just wish to warn you all because I wouldn't wish this upon anyone's bird.


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## ollieandme (Mar 25, 2013)

Good on you for posting this! We're not attacking or disagreeing. It's very important for all bird owners to know these things 
I once was scared to death when Ollie vomited up a ball of fluff from her rope perch. Scary stuff


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

Thank you, I just don't thinks it's nice if everybody disagrees and whines about the useful info I have shared.


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## urbandecayno5 (Oct 24, 2012)

Thank you for posting this!

its a good reminded that you need to be careful of threads/frayed toys


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I don't want people to stick their birds in plastic bubbles, I just wish to warn you all because I wouldn't wish this upon anyone's bird.


Its a great reminder for everyone, but this is one of those things that is a personal choice for each owner. Definitely good to remember to always check toys for fraying and such!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> Thank you, I just don't thinks it's nice if everybody disagrees and whines about the useful info I have shared.


It isn't really a question of being nice or not nice - it's about sharing all the available facts to help people decide whether to use rope perches or not. These perches are safe for most birds; they're thought to be good for the bird's feet, and they're very helpful for many older or disabled birds who have foot problems and can't sit comfortably on a wood perch. They're potentially dangerous for birds who chew on them a lot, and people need to know this so they can try to prevent problems if they have one of these birds. But that doesn't mean that no one should use rope perches, just that you need to pay attention to what your bird does with the perch and use common sense.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I was thinking that the sentiment in the original post is similar to the anti-grit sentiment that pervades the internet - a few birds have had problems so nobody should give it to their birds. Then I started wondering if the desire to ingest cloth might actually be related to the desire for grit. Wild cockatiels don't just eat stones and sand, they also consume raw wood and burned wood (charcoal). No one knows what the charcoal consumption is about but one school of thought is that it helps absorb acid in the digestive tract. Maybe some birds eat cloth fibers as a substitute for charcoal? Cloth does have some absorption capability. 

Pet birds chew on a lot of things that we don't want them to chew on. But when they start to actually eat this stuff, there are some people who think they're doing it as a quest for grit. At http://web.archive.org/web/20100727122208/http://www.petpublishing.com/birdtimes/articles/grit.shtml an avian vet says "What about giving safe and healthy grit to your pet parrot? In my opinion this is a good idea, if only to keep him from looking for more dangerous objects to consume". The article was about a cockatiel that ate a diamond (not cloth) but the same principle might apply. If nothing else, a little grit would help grind ingested cloth into smaller pieces that could be passed out of the body.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

I was not disagreeing with you; but I was making it clear that I don't believe that rope perches are usually dangerous. However, there are exceptions. And I was also expressing the fact that I and all bird owners need to be vigil with their bird's toys and perches. 

I appreciate the warning, but I wouldn't want everyone to go yank the ropes out of their cages..especially if they have a special needs bird like my own. If I took ropes away from Allie (she has deformed feet) then I would probably end up with some infected foot sores...and I wouldn't wish for anyone's bird to go through that. 

You never know who is reading these threads, so I like to make sure those who do read threads like this won't make their decision based solely on the fact that one bird, out of millions, died because of the item in their cage.


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

tielfan said:


> It isn't really a question of being nice or not nice


Never said it was


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I won't name names lol, but someone on this thread said they thought it wasn't nice for people to disagree and whine about the information on the thread. So I was trying to point out that discussing issues/facts in a polite, rational manner is something that intelligent people do to help themselves and others understand the situation as fully possible. 

It's not rude to point out that someone's information is incomplete or incorrect, as long as it's done nicely. I'm actually glad when people correct my mistakes, because then I can stop being mistaken on that particular point. It's embarrassing to have been wrong in the first place of course, but hey that's life and it happens to everyone.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

P.S. It was nice of you to try to alert everyone to the potential dangers of rope perches. You had good intentions, and we can see that you're disappointed that the reaction was different than what you expected. We're not trying to pick on you or anything; it's just that rope perches also have a lot of benefits for birds, and we want everyone to know all sides of the issue so they can figure out what's best for their individual situation. We don't want anyone's bird to die from fiber ingestion, but we also don't want anyone to take a beneficial product away from their birds if the birds aren't misusing it.

I think most people here already knew about the risks, and had thought about it and decided whether their bird was using the perch safely or not. But there are a lot of people who haven't heard about it yet, and reading this thread could save their bird's life. So you've definitely done some good here.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

tielfan said:


> It was nice of you to try to alert everyone to the potential dangers of rope perches.


It absolutely was. I wasn't trying to disagree with your advice, it was very informative and helpful to some bird owners on here


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

I would like to say thank you for posting this. 
I generally keep and eye on Skiddles toys - she generally likes to chew on leather and balsa wood. 
But she does have a rope perch that she adores and sleeps on. I noticed on the weekend there were a few frayed bits and just thought...someone's been chewing. 
Now when I get home I will take it out and trim it. Nope, it didn't occur to me on the weekend. I'll be honest.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> I noticed on the weekend there were a few frayed bits and just thought...someone's been chewing.


It's not necessarily chewing - I think the claws tear up the rope over time too. But whatever the reason, loose threads should be trimmed.


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

Yeah it could be her claws. Either way its my first job when I get home.


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## Thelastkiss19 (Jan 11, 2013)

Thank you for the info!!! I just got a rope toy for Lufi, so I will definitely keep an eye on him and what he's doing with it. I would have never thought of this, honestly! This just shows how many things an owner has to think about, it's a lot of responsibility.


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## Hemiboy007 (May 11, 2013)

i have heard a story like this before. In my opinion i like rope perches and i will keep using them BUT i replace mine regularly and i always observe hemis perches. 

Just observe, we cant keep our birds wrapped in bubble wrap.


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

Hemiboy007 said:


> we cant keep our birds wrapped in bubble wrap.


Can everybody stop saying that, it's a really dumb saying and it has been said enough. I get the point :zzz:


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

*Sorry!!*



Mad bird girl said:


> Can everybody stop saying that, it's a really dumb saying and it has been said enough. I get the point :zzz:


Oh man, I shouldn't of said that. I sorry guys:flowers:. Reading though my other comments I realized I have been mean. Again sorry, sometimes I can be a bit snappy witch is because of this guy in my class ( you can read about it in my newest thread ).


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

It's okay, I think your user name suits you.  :lol:


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## WhiteCarnation (Jul 14, 2013)

bjknight93 said:


> It's okay, I think your user name suits you.  :lol:


I thought the same thing!  (no offense!)


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Its OK...I realize it gets annoying hearing the same thing again and again (I didn't even realize Bailey had said it before me!!!) its just something that occurs to everyone at one point or another! But this was a good reminder to keep new members aware of the dangers.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

Mad bird girl said:


> Oh man, I shouldn't of said that. I sorry guys:flowers:. Reading though my other comments I realized I have been mean. Again sorry, sometimes I can be a bit snappy witch is because of this guy in my class ( you can read about it in my newest thread ).


It's ok 

You were just trying to do the right thing; we're all just trying to look out for each other


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## Mezza (Feb 19, 2013)

No one takes it personally here.


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

Thanks guys 
I felt so bad yesterday


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## Mad bird girl (Feb 27, 2013)

WhiteCarnation said:


> I thought the same thing!  (no offense!)


I okay guys. Being a teenage girl I tend to say things without meaning them or not thinking it through.:blush:


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