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ER galvanized wires and hardware question

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susand

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Ok, i was just told a gym PoGo use's and has chowed down on has galvanized parts ---

Would he have died by now if he injested some or is this something that can harm him in a couple weeks/months? Does he need to get to the avian ER RIGHT NOW?

Laura called 2 avian vets in the local area now - no call backs as of yet. If anyones awake please let me know???
-Obviously he nor anyone else will get this gym PERIOD. This babes been with us for less then 90 days & this is the 2nd time we've almost killed him? WHAT IN THE HECK!

Posting more - for inital contact to hopefully be made ... Laura has had birds for 10+ birds and never had worries as much as this poor guy alone ... is he doomed, are we at risk of killing him or what? I mean ... really?? She's raised & saved parrots -- and none of her own until PoGo have she had danger ... no vets calling back :/
 

rikkitikki

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I don't know... :( I *think* it would be more of a long term thing... Isn't the metal underneath powder coated cages galvanized?
 

Merlie

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Oh .. whoa and slow down, no panicking . . :hug8:

What type of gym are you talking about? Picture?

Was Pogo actually "eating" the metal, have you actually seen him eat/swallow the metal pieces?

Usually, if a bird does get ill from metal toxicity, <zinc> it's not something that would happen in a week or two, I believe it takes a bit of time for it to manifest itself as an "illness". However, if the bird did actually eat pieces of the metal, truly ingested a piece, that could pose a more urgent medical condition.

The problem involving metal <zinc> toxicity is that if a bird is very beaky on the metal, chews on it, over time it can cause illness.

I know there are many, many breeders who use galvanized wire for their aviaries .. and feel that because the birds aren't eating the metal, it doesn't pose a huge risk. Most breeders could never afford to use all SS wire .. it's crazy expensive.

If your bird<s> are big metal chewers, then I would invest using SS wherever possible. Your gym might be completely fine once you replace the metal parts with true SS.
 
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susand

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Waynes bottle brush gym - no one has seen him actually injest - but he has chewed the wood/toys stuff on the arm ....
 

Merlie

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Waynes bottle brush gym - no one has seen him actually injest - but he has chewed the wood/toys stuff on the arm ....
I truly believe Pogo will be just fine. If you remove the hardware, and take it to your local hardware store, they can probably get the exact same nuts/bolts/screws .. etc. for you in SS.
 

susand

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Oh .. whoa and slow down, no panicking . . :hug8:

What type of gym are you talking about? Picture?
waynes bottle brush small deluxe
Was Pogo actually "eating" the metal, have you actually seen him eat/swallow the metal pieces? no but he IS a huge chewer - and has been seen not swallowing but gnawing the wood to shreads -

Usually, if a bird does get ill from metal toxicity, <zinc> it's not something that would happen in a week or two, I believe it takes a bit of time for it to manifest itself as an "illness". However, if the bird did actually eat pieces of the metal, truly ingested a piece, that could pose a more urgent medical condition.
Not seen eating - but i know he has chewed around the wire... broken off the eye links at the end of the perchs to hold toys - drops the eye link doesnt play/lick or chew it

The problem involving metal <zinc> toxicity is that if a bird is very beaky on the metal, chews on it, over time it can cause illness.
ok so no direct need to go now ER - but should we set something up in the AM? Is there tests to see if hes infected now?
I know there are many, many breeders who use galvanized wire for their aviaries .. and feel that because the birds aren't eating the metal, it doesn't pose a huge risk. Most breeders could never afford to use all SS wire .. it's crazy expensive.

If your bird<s> are big metal chewers, then I would invest using SS wherever possible. Your gym might be completely fine once you replace the metal parts with true SS.

No one had any clue until just noted in reply about our gym it had Galv. wire. Had thought it was S/S bought it 2nd hand - and by looking at it with the "stink eye" now we should have known its NOT shiny or pretty its a copper color the eye hooks and rolled around peice at the tip of the over lapped toy holder .... i know other people here have these gyms ... someone just posted a link about a waynewayne go away sale on them & there re-placments. I wont (nor is any of the family *while we all 3 sit here now talking about this danger* risk it being a toy again.)

Wondering? Can we de-part it and use the wood only? because that is what he enjoys the bottle brush OR because its touched the Gal. wire is it dangerous on the inside?????
We wonder? After all these years of this loved toy .... do we need to re-evaluate each item we have? Really - i mean should we? For saftey - we've got toys that are old that have never been used *were kinda toy hoarders or gotten good sales/bird show raffle table YES disenfected but just never used :omg:
 

cherrys

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I lost a beautiful pet galah to a brand new galvanized aviary my dad built many years ago.We had no idea it was poisonous. He wasn't chewing on it, but climbing the sides. He was in the cage for about 4 days before he died. It can be washed/treated to make it safe for use. R.I.P. my beautiful little Joe!
 

birdlady

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I have many of his gyms but my birds only chew the wood...I haven't yet replaced the nuts and bolts because they are not chewers. Since yours is, I would definitely find SS hardware to use.

As far as tests, the vet can do blood work specifically to test for lead and zinc. My M2 Nani had zinc poisoning (we think from a curtain rod she perched on during showers for years)....she started showing seizure like episodes and perching issues. She would fall of her perches. It was terrible. I specifically had her tested for lead and zinc and it came back positive for zinc.

SHe had injections daily for about a week. Now she is fine.
 

birdlvr466

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The safest route to go is with stainless steel hardware and if your birds are metal chewers I would stay away from metal hardware as much as possible and have toys with natural wood parts. The SS skewers make great toys that you can thread chewable wood etc on them. Did you get any calls back from the vets? You could have bloodwork done just to make sure.
 
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