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Is Cardboard Safe?

MartinAndIndigo

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Recently, I have been toying around with creating my own homemade toys for my budgies: Martin and Lilac. However, while scanning the interwebs for some cute ideas, I have stumbled upon many articles explaining why you should not use cardboard from paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, mailing boxes, and food boxes. Can I get someone to clarify, or explain the correct use? Thank you so much! :)
 

Mizzely

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it depends :)

This is a good article about the glues: Flock Call - Paper Rolls and Glue, is it safe?

Toilet paper rolls I don't use merely because of the bacteria that could be on them. I also don't give my birds used mailing boxes in case of fumes or contact with things during transit. However food boxes and paper towel rolls I have had no issues giving it to my rats or birds.
 

MartinAndIndigo

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Thanks! Will check out the link! Another question, is it possible that my birds can choke on the cardboard? Thanks again.
 
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LSA

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Chloe and George only got paper towel rolls. Their glues have never been a problem. Food boxes tend to have too many inks and some are coated. Instead of giving food boxes and toilet paper rolls to them, I grew transplants in them (Great if you're a gardener!) and planted the entire roll or cut the box prior to planting the entire thing. Shipping boxes are great in your compost bin or between rows to control weeds. My birds didn't even miss them! :hehe:
I found that 1"×2" cut up into cubes and drilled made great hanging and chew toys for them. A larger bird might need a 2"×4". Just be careful to buy heat-treated NOT chemical-treated wood and attached bells to the ends. (My birds loved bells!) Most towns and cities have lumber-cutting yards that are very happy to sell you untreated scraps! These wood chews can easily be dyed with vegetable dyes for color if you must. Usually, dowels are treated and should be avoided unless bought from bird-safe supplier or you can simply cut up unused perches.
I also regularly visit the baby section of our dollar store and the APS thrift store. Remember, a bird can destroy an expensive toy as quickly and easily as a cheap toy! :hehe:
 

Macawnutz

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If your bird consumes materials that are not meant for consumption they can become impacted. It is always best to observe your parrot with new toys before leaving them unattended with them.

I don't have a problem with most cardboard items. Although I would not give empty toilet paper rolls. Some papers are safe and others are not. A lot has to do with the dye used if it's colored. Tissue paper is one that I'm not fond of and you see it in toys quite often. All you have to do is touch to your tongue to know it does not belong in a birds mouth. Newspaper is always a fun toy to shred, a phone book too.
 
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