Make play-time a safe-time

There are an infinite number of "home-made" parrot and bird toy companies selling their products on the Internet and even attending local bird events. While I have no problem with home-made toys, my own company's toys could be considered "home-made" after all, I do wish to raise a word of caution about them

Not all toys are created equal.

Wood:

It is very important for a bird owner to understand that there are many common woods that are toxic to birds. Majority of toy manufacturers know what types of wood are safe and what type to stay away from. No toy manufacturer should be collecting twigs and branches from their backyard to make toys. Always ask a toy manufacturer to identify the wood that they are using, and if it is not a wood that you are familiar with, look it up.

Metal:

Zinc is a toxic heavy metal. Bird toys should never be made with zinc parts. Unfortunately, most of the metal hardware that can be purchased at a big box store, like Home Depot or Lowes, is coated with zinc. This is where my definitions of "home-made" and "hand-made" split. The toys that my company makes are "hand-made" using hardware (chains, O rings and clips) that we purchase from a wholesale distributor that specializes in bird toy parts.

If the person making your bird's toys is using parts that were purchased through a big box store or even a local hardware store, they may be zinc coated and potentially dangerous.

Other considerations:

Many toys come with split rings, or key chain type rings on them. While there is no absolute threat here, a bird could pull the rings apart with its beak and get a tongue or toe pinched inside the split.

Toys that have been played with and chewed up need to be monitored. Broken pieces need to be trimmed or removed regularly. No toy is 100 percent safe and it is up to a bird's owner to keep it safe.