[rec.birds] INDOOR chewing popsicle sticks OK?

rac@sherpa.UUCP (Roger Cornelius) (05/22/91)

Are wooden popsicle sticks safe for birds?  My amazon really enjoys
chewing them and I've always figured they must be OK since humans
are expected to suck or chew on them.  Is this true?  Does anyone know
what, if any, chemicals are used to treat the sticks?

Roger

-- 
Roger Cornelius          rac@sherpa.UUCP         uunet!sherpa!rac

hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov (Dale Hubler) (05/23/91)

In article <590@sherpa.UUCP> rac@sherpa.UUCP (Roger Cornelius) writes:
>Are wooden popsicle sticks safe for birds?  My amazon really enjoys
>chewing them and I've always figured they must be OK since humans
>are expected to suck or chew on them.  Is this true?  Does anyone know
>what, if any, chemicals are used to treat the sticks?
>Roger Cornelius          rac@sherpa.UUCP         uunet!sherpa!rac

I have given my amazons popsicle sticks but I always wash them well
to remove gram negative bacteria common in our mouths.  I've found
a better choice to be small pieces of moulding.  You can go to the 
lumberyard, choose hard or soft wood of various shapes, and then cut
4" or so pieces off for the bird to chew.  They last longer and I
think the bird enjoys the assorted shapes too.

Dale Hubler

--
Dale A. Hubler  --  Sverdrup Technology  --  (216) 977-7014     
                                             hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov
I am logged in, therefore I am.

stewartw@cognos.UUCP (Stewart Winter) (05/24/91)

In article <1991May23.111341.14971@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> hubler@galaxy.lerc.nasa.gov (Dale Hubler) writes:
>I have given my amazons popsicle sticks but I always wash them well
>to remove gram negative bacteria common in our mouths.  I've found
>a better choice to be small pieces of moulding.

   Another nice wooden chew toy is the 'simple' clothes pins (the ones
that have no metal part just a big wooden clip/pincer.
-- 
Stewart Winter               Cognos Incorporated   S-mail: P.O. Box 9707
VOICE: (613) 738-1338 x3830  FAX: (613) 738-0002           3755 Riverside Drive
UUCP: stewartw%cognos.uucp@ccs.carleton.ca                 Ottawa, Ontario
The bird of the day is .... Goffin's Cockatoo              CANADA  K1G 3Z4