Are stuffed toys safe?

Question
Hi, I am a new owner of a 6 week old baby yellow nape amazon.  Is it safe to keep a stuffed animal in the cage with him?  Since he is so young, he likes to cuddle with a stuffed toy I put in his cage.  There are no pieces he can bite off and swallow, however I just want to make sure he won't get sick from the fibers or anything.

Answer
Hi, Nicole,

If this baby is able to tear up any toys, do not allow her/him to have these toys.  I mean it's OK for them to tear up things when they are older...this is exactly what amazons (and big birds do)...they love to destroy things they can destroy.  However, an older bird is less likely to actually consume these items because they've learned they are not edible.  Yes, the fibers can make the bird sick if they are consumed.  And often times, this material may have to be surgically removed because a bird's body cannot metabolize anything that doesn't dissolve in the crop.

I like to keep a stuffed animal with single hatchlings.  However, as the hatchling grows, you might have to remove the stuffed animal to ensure the bird doesn't ingest any part of the stuffed animal.  It's good to substitute healthy, nutritious food items when a baby bird wants to chew something up...this gets them used to eating a variety of foods and also gives them something to occupy themselves.  There are also "bird safe" toys available.  Visit www.drsfostersmith.com.  I buy from them regularly and they offer a large variety.  What I like about this website is their catalogs are filled with tips and advice on raising/keeping parrots, so if you don't buy from them, at least get on distribution for their product catalog for birds for continued advice on raising aves.

Chrys