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Do you guys think that it would be safe to shop in there yet?? I have tried not to go in there since they had those sick birds. But we are very limited as to what pet stores we have here that have bird stuff and I wanted to check it out to see if they have anything new there for my Rosie. But if it's not safe to shop there still I will stay far, far away.

Stores like Petsmart that sell birds from many breeding facilities and house them together in large numbers have always had problems with infectious diseases. Cockatiels and budgies can be carriers of chlamydia and giardia without showing symptoms, but their droppings can make other birds sick. The outbreak last fall may have been cleared up in your local store, but when will the next one happen? They have been happening regularly for as many years as the stores have been in business.

There are many excellent online stores that sell an endless variety of bird toys and supplies. Check out the ones whose ads are pictured at the top of this page. I buy frequently from Monica and Carlos at Grey Feather Toys and from Joe at the Birdsafe Store. These are good people selling at good prices. Look for sales at these places, and your Rosie will love you even more

I do buy for Rosie thru mail order as well and thats when I make her $100+ orders. But also sometimes I have an extra $20.00 or so that I wanna go out and spend on her just for the heck of it. I like to do that every couple of weeks and I am limited as to where I can go buy her stuff . And the problem that I have with alot of mail order like "Fosters & Smith" is as much as I like their stuff and I continue to order from them I always end up with tons of stuff that is to big for her and I can't really tell by the book or the website.. But thanks I will look for and check out those 2 sites that you mentioned for a future reference.

Grey Feather Toys divides their toys by sm/med/lg bird sizes. That should improve the chances of getting a good "fit" for Rosie. I've had the same problem when buying elsewhere online, but I have larger birds who are only too eager to have ALL toys come their way. Monica and Carlos also has a Comment space on their online order page. You could add a comment about needing toys small enough for a cockatiel. Monica has emailed me on occasion to ask if I'm sure I realize the size of what I've ordered, so she is being VERY careful to ensure that her customers and our birds are satisfied with her toys.

I don't think it will ever be safe to shop there. Chlamydia is airborne and unless they bleached the store, top to bottom, toys, cages, shelves and all, it can still be present. Also, like was already mentioned, they still buy from that breeder!! The chance of the birds being sick and you not knowing are very high.

Grey Feather is a great place to buy from, and Monica is very helpful there. On Drs Foster and Smith, look at what they say the toy is made for, anything bigger than a conure and the toy is going to be too big.

I actually do look at that little sizing chart but sometimes it just is still to big. Like I bought the little shredder and it is HUGE and I bought this music box toy and the girl said it would be fine for a cockatiel and it's HUGE and it's just a hassel to send stuff back so I just sit it in her big toy box and it rots there lol..

I will definitely take a look at that site that you girls are talking about tho.. Thanks.. I just love the convience of dropping into a store and buying something whenever I feel like it or to just surprise my baby with a toy out of the blue ya know.. Thanks again Girls..

Rosies Mommy wrote:I just love the convience of dropping into a store and buying something whenever I feel like it or to just surprise my baby with a toy out of the blue ya know.

Thank goodness you realize that pleasure isn't worth the risk of bringing home a deadly disease.

What shredder toy? You do realise that tiels can and will play with things bigger than they are. Mine have a pine bird toy that they chew to shreds, it is almost as big as they are. Just give her time to aclimate to the toy.

Mine will chew up to the medium size of this toy:


If it is the shredders that you weave in and out of the cage bars, you cut them to size.


If it is this toy, hang it with some paper out and let her explore, it will take time to get used to it. Keep in mind, they show pictures with sizes and a kind of bird. This is the small toy with a Too, so not a good choice for a tiel.


To be sure toys there are tiel sized, go with ones for small birds, follow this link:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/p ... 5648+12580

Now, if you go to Grey Feather, you can be more assured of sizes and more importantly, SAFTEY. Several toys ar Drs Foster and Smith are not birs safe IMO.

http://www.greyfeathertoys.com/cgi-bin/ ... base_small - Small bird toys, great for tiels.

http://www.greyfeathertoys.com/cgi-bin/ ... tabase_med - Medium bird toys, talk to Monica before ordering any of these. Some will be okay for tiels, others will not.

Rosie's Mom do you know this site: http://www.budgieworld.net/index.htm
they are in Oz so obviously more expensive due to postage etc but they are natural toys which imo is always the better choice but yeah, gotta admit they're not cheap

p.s all of their budgie products will be suitable for cockatiels to play with too

californiabirdnerds.com sells bird toys and also stuff to make bird toys too.As well as 8beaks.com
Button who has never been a big toy player LOVES the toys I make for her with the plastic chains and small natural wicker balls. it keeps her busy from feather picking. They also like toys make with straws amd chew them to bits. Most of the toys I found in stores none of my birds played with. Toys that I had bought at bird marts that were home-made (and I later made) my birds liked the best plus they are NOT made in China!!!!

Some of the best and most enjoyed toys I provide for the flock is nothing more than coffee stirrers, little paper ketchup cups, of course, Q-tips, and other small destructible stuff. As for the bigger toys, I have I think it's called a "globe" perch or something like that which came from Gray Feather Toys, and the kids like it and the boings, both are the medium size. Their most comfortable place is the 1" diameter cotton rope stretched out in 3 different directions in their room. Size is important to a degree, but as long as the 'tiels can chew, climb, swing, destroy whatever the item is, I just say let 'em go for it. You can make very good toys out of stuff that is safe, and like Christie said, NOT made in china. Find some basket grass at a hobby store, or even make stuff out of grapevines or bailing twine. It's strong, safe and all natural.

Sam

Christie, it's the shred master. It's huge for her and her house. But yes she does like to play with stuff that is twice her size, she likes to grab my stuff and carry it around the couch and the bed with her it's so cute..

Sam, your right Rosie also loves the coffee stirers or cocktiel straws. I have bought her all the colored ones (red, blue, green, black) and she loves those. But I like to always buy her different stuff..

Thanks for your suggestions everyone

Rosie's mum,

It seems huge in her house because of what we already discussed quite some time back. Her cage is not made for a full size tiel and toys. Hang it outside the cage.