Yucca Toys

[Jan]

I've been making a few Yucca and Pine Toys. All well and good as far as the toy is concerned but my main problem is with the Yucca would be on the way it is so soft that it has such fine particles. What does this mean to me? Considering I have to use extreme caution when handling certain things that produce any sort of dust or particles that emit into the air... it can & will affect my breathing greatly.

I have a big interest in the Yucca but now I am afraid my days are numbered as far as handling it goes. I really do not want to have to sit there with a mask on my face to make these toys.

What about the birds? A bird's respiratory is pretty sensitive too so what does this do for them? For those who have been using Yucca for your birds, do you think or see that this sort of wood poses a threat in any way to breathing? It reminds me of saw dust in many ways. It makes a huge dusty mess when desroying.

Just some thoughts and concerns, what do you guys think?

 

[Birdlover]

I havent had to do anything with it aside from handing a beautiful pre cut & drilled piece to my guys But, it seems when they break it up it is still in chunks and not dusty. I could imagine its pretty dusty to drill though. Is it worse than pine when cutting & drilling it?

 

[Jan]

Yes, when I cut it - it is a extremely fine saw dust like. Actually, you can poke a hole through it in the center with an object with no problem at all so using a drill it is not always needed and I cut down on my dust from it if I poke a hole in it rather than drill it.

 

[Sharpie]

I use a skewer to poke holes in it...no dust that way. Haven't noticed any dusty destruction either. Maybe because the birds chew and grind rather than pulverized? (Sounds like blender settings...)

 

[lotus15]

Great looking toy!!!

One thing I've noticed about yucca is that the way Lola plays with it, there is almost NO dust, but the way Charles plays with it (in much smaller pieces obviously), it is so dusty that he will often sneeze several times. I wonder if this is affecting his respiratory system as well now!!!

 

[Jan]

Well, it does make a difference on how it is destroyed. I can see where a larger bird would tear off bigger pieces and not cause quite the problem but a smaller bird such as a Parakeet has a very small beak so it is much finer pieces.

I was messing with a piece last night and I see how when it is torn a part it is not really dusty but it is when the edges are desturbed that causes problems. I noticed with working with it while assembling some toys, it was bothering me slightly. Considering I have a severe asthma/copd condition... it does not take much for me at all to notice this sort of thing. Knowing how a birds respritory is sensitive as well, I just wonder how it can effect them over time - even balsa being a very soft wood and has a similar properties like yucca.

I've always wanted to go out and collect my own yucca here in the area but like everything you have to have permits to actually do it legally. It is a lot of work to gather. I actually do not have what it takes any more to gather something like that due to my breathing but I do have a few yuccas here on my own property then I can mess with but only about 9-12 stalks a year, that's not much really!

 

[HungryBird]

I like your yucca and pine toy. My birds love yucca and they make a huge mess. Huge. The only thing that makes almost as much of a mess is balsa. My guys are small birds though. They really enjoy chewing yucca up and I haven't noticed them sneezing or shaking their heads. I find it to be pretty dusty but I prefer the mess from yucca over the mess left behind after they eat a stalk of millet.