raw hides normally for dog, yes or no?

[Fidgit_Green]

is it ok for me to give my irn raw hide treats that are made for dogs, or are there special types that are ok to give to birds?

Fidgit chews everything and it has been suggested to give him a raw hide ho stop him chew m cords

[InTheAir]

I don't think doggy rawhide is safe to use... I'm not sure, but better safe then sorry... Lots of parrot stores sell rawhide strips for making toys and as part of toys. You may have to buy them online depending on where you live though.

Claire

[MissK]

I think the better bet is "clean" processed soft leather strips. Supposedly available from parrot toy suppliers, I have never really found it and been able to tell the difference, which would be the nature of the processing (bad chemicals or no). I imagine undyed and organically processed would be the ideal, if you can find it. I would not give a parrot actual hard rawhide for the same reason I would not give it to a dog - nasty stuff never gets soft, and on a really bad day could cause internal cuts/blockage. Lots of people give rawhide - I'm just extremely protective, and I prefer to take chances where the stakes are not quite so high. Sorry I can't provide a source for anything better.

I'd like to say just buy a parrot toy with that and pay the price instead of DIY, but having seen some of the things offered for sale, I can say they're not all safe either. Sorry to be a downer. How about some of the more sturdy vegetable matter, like carrots? How about dried, pressed seaweed sheets (without anything added, check the label)? How about organically grown (perhaps by a friend) grape vine? How about dehydrated clean vegetables or fruit? Corn on the cob is messy, but very popular, AND if you microwave it too long it gets pretty tough..... (don't ask me how I know.) Hoping someone else has some ideas outside the box.......

-MissK

[Fidgit_Green]

oh ok, i never though of raw hide as in leather straps or cords.

Missk, you have definitely given me a few things to thing about.
i am pretty good at thinking outside the box to solve problems. a little bit of time and ill sus something out.

thank you guy for reply with your advice. it is most appreciated.

[Fidgit_Green]

i have just been on ebay and brought some vegetable tanned leather cords and straps that should hopefully satisfy fidgits need to chew my cords

[allira]

Speaking of grape vines, is it possibly okay for my bird to eat grapes off the vine? They've been washed and he loves to have a mung on a few grapes but he also loves chewing on the vine for some enrichment. Is this okay?
P.s. Zeus has grown up really well and is a very happy boy. Hasn't yet really attempted many vocals though which is a little worrying but i think that may just be his personality, he's very quiet and timid (which I thought was strange for an IRN?) Haha.

[InTheAir]

Allira. Grapes are safe. From what I understand they are not overly nutritious and are very high in sugar so it is best to feed them sparingly.

[allira]

Yes, I'm aware of that. I'm just speaking about the vine though, whether it has any toxicities etc?

[InTheAir]

Grape vine is fine

[MissK]

Hi. All of our fruits grown popularly for human consumption are likely to be human-improved and more sugary versions of what may have originally grown. For example, consider the plantain versus the supermarket banana. That said, the berries, of which grapes are one, *as a group* have less sugar overall.

You might like to consider a less sweet grape. I don't want to sound like an advocate, but I know there are some grapes out there that just seem downright sour to me. Some of the green ones spring to mind. Not sure if the sour is in the skin (which your bird will probably skip) or the interior. I grow some muscadine type grapes which are unpopular with my human friends due to less sweetness.

One or two of my parrot books advocate giving grapes with seeds inside.

Grape vine is always in my bird cages as a toy and perching material. My Budgies have a year-long project of removing the bark from their home grown, home made grapevine wreath. Recall, the pet stores sell big grapevine perches - they're the knobbly ones. I can also assert that hardy kiwi vine has also never harmed my birds if anyone cares.

[Melika]

Rawhide bones are often used in larger parrot toys. I wouldn't worry about giving it, because your bird won't be able to drool all over it and soften it like a dog can. I just don't see the purpose in them, because they cannot be softened by your parrot or destroyed, so they won't keep your bird's attention very long.

Try tying the strips into knots too. Hane likes to untie the knots in those.