Bells are Dangerous?

[Crystal Taylor]

Hi All,

I keep coming across the notion that bells are dangerous for lovies. Is this true. If so I am so lost about what toys to buy because my love monster was so all about the bells almost all his toys have them.

Crystal :confused:

[Buy A Paper Doll]

Are bells dangerous?

Yep. Milo got his beak caught in one. Thank God I was home, even though it's not a pretty sight, to look up and see your bird hanging by his beak, flapping, screaming, in a full blown panic. He had broken the little ring that holds the clapper in place. After I got him free, I had to take him in for an X-ray to make sure he didn't ingest any bits of metal. My vet will not sedate a bird unless it's absolutely necessary so they had to tape him to a board to get the X-ray. It was a bad, bad day for poor Baby Milo Lilo.

Admittedly, pretty much any toy you buy comes with a cute little bell on it. I cut them off with tinsnips and put them in the trash. I replace the bell with either a little strip of vegetable tanned leather, or a wooden bead, or something that is OK for them to chew to bits.

There are a couple of bells that will work, let me see if I can find the link...

[bellarains]

Crystal,

Here's a link to toys that are not bird safe. You can find this link and tons more of useful information in the Lovebird Resource Library.

http://www.parrotparrot.com/birdhealth/alerts.htm#toys

There are no federal regulations on bird toys, so we have to use our knowledge and common sense when choosing toys.

[shylevon]

There are several problems with most bells but if you know the risks, you can shop for bells that your birdie will enjoy, and not have to worry about the problems they can inflict.

The small round bells that look like little balls with a cross slit in them can get stuck on a birdies beak if he should bite it (and you know a bird is gonna bite it). If his beak is stuck in the slit, he can hang himself by his beak until death. Or, his beak can break and bleed. A broken or bleeding beak is hard or impossible to treat. Also, the small clacker ball inside these bells is typically a lead or zinc based metal. Lead will kill quickly and zinc will kill slowly if the clacker ball gets swallowed. That is if birdie doesn't choke on the clacker ball first.

The Liberty Style bells have a drop down clacker that is oftentimes not secured safely. It is held in place, on the inner top of the bell, by a small split ring that can open in time causing a high risk of the clacker being swallowed. Many bells are not made of bird safe metals, but are zinc plated or brass (which is very high in zinc). Zinc causes heavy metal poisoning, a condition that can cost thousands of dollars to treat.

If you can find a bird safe bell, like the stainless steel, closed ended bells, I would buy one. It will last forever. Failing that, get the best bell you can find in the liberty bell configuration, and ensure the metal is bird safe and the clacker is held on with a welded ring.

[Mummieeva]

I found what is called a Bullet proof bell. It is a bell inside a huge plastic cover. It is clear but colored too(hope makes sense). It is very hard plastic(i dropped it on foot and it not only hurt but did not even get a scuff. But it was also about 14 dollars for it. I have a toy for birds with a bell but they can only have it when I am there in room with them.


Steph