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is it safe for my starling to play with dried flowers?

rabbitic

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5/22/23
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Tommy (they/he)
now this may seem like a weird question, and rest assured i'm not giving him the flowers on purpose. but, for a majority of the day, lamarr free flies in my bedroom. it makes him very happy, so i just let him explore and play while i go about my business as usual. thing is, i keep a lot of dried flowers and herbs in my room just because i think they're pretty and i like to make my own tea blends and he loves to steal them. he'll put the flowers in his favorite spots to hang out, tear up and play with the petals, he honestly likes them more than some toys i've gotten for him. i've already gone through the trouble of making sure none of them are particularly poisonous or dangerous to him, but i'm a new bird owner and i thought it really wouldn't hurt to ask.
and, if they are bad for him, what are some alternatives that are similar in texture that he could play with instead? i'd hate to deprive him of an activity i know he really likes, but at the end of the day his health is of the utmost importance to me!!
thanks y'all :smileflower:
 

FiatLux

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Isabelle (she/her)
I am NOT an expert or even close but I am interested in natural foraging for pet birds and I found this:
“European Starlings regularly adorn their twig nests with marigolds, elderberry flowers, yarrow leaves, and even willow bark — all of which are full of aromatic chemicals, which fumigate their nests and are thought to discourage pests and parasites. Scientists discovered that starlings hatched in well-fumigated nests tend to weigh more, and live longer, than those raised without fragrant herbs” from Starlings Say It With Flowers | BirdNote.
So I think if you sourced those flowers from non-fumigated sources and dried them, Lamarr would be happy and safe. Of course this thread requires a photo!
 

Spearmint

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Elk [He/They]
I would assume that if the plant itself is safe for birds, then it'll be fine. :)
 

Lady Jane

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Just be sure you do not put any kind of oils on the dried flowers.
 
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