Pine Cones - Are they all safe?

[iuhuidhiusdhiugh]

I bought a parrot toy recently that had 3 pine cones on it. CAG (Simon)
tore into them instantly. I have a pine trees around my house. Can I use them?

[Moddy]

Well if the toy came with them, I see no harm in it. And parrots have torn up worse. If it hurts them later on they will just ignore them. I would just shave down any really sharp parts that they might not notice. My bird chews up absoultely anything.

[Monique]

I googled it and there were lots of stores that sell them. I also found some other neat links about pine cones and making your own toys. So it sounds like a lot of people use them.

http://www.parrotchronicles.com/janfeb2003/toystory2.htm

I also found one that recommended putting peanut butter on it and rolling it in bird seed for a fun treat. I wonder if that would be more for the teeny little birds though!!! :lol:

[Sticks_n_stones]

No, Monique -- it's not just for teeny little birds. Our grey LOVES peanut butter-coated pine cones. I get the chunky peanut butter and sometimes roll them in sunflower seeds, sometimes in crushed peanuts. Watson gobbles it up. We hang it inside from the top of his cage and after he eats all the goodies, he chews up the pinecone.

Cheap toy, fun to make for him.

[Talon]

I thought it was time to bring this thread back.

Does give these to their greys to use as toys or treats?

[judygram]

Thanks for diving into the cellar for this one, Talon. Very interesting, I hadn't thought of using pine cones for toys/treats for our greys. Stupid me, I have heard of using them for what Monique mentioned for the wild birds. I don't see why we couldn't use them for our greys, of course the only ones I have right now are some giant ones my hubby brought back from California. Some are the size of basketballs.:woohoo:

[Talon]

I wonder about the pine pitch that they can have on them. Very messy and hard to remove. Talon would hate to have a sticky talon!! inch: inch:

[judygram]

Yeah, Talon, she would stick to whatever she was on, I can see her now trying to take a step and clinging to the perch, that stuff is really sticky. LOL :laugh:

[DayosMom]

Peanut butter??? I love peanut butter. I wouldn't have thought of this. We ALWAYS have chunky peanut butter. I'll try it. I mean I'll give it to Dayo, not that "I" will try it. {Feel-good-0002006E}

[Talon]

Talon likes to have a little toast with peanut butter on it for breakfast. She loves it, I only give her a little because there is a lot of fat in it. :S