Thanks for posting that, Saroj. The more info we have the more informed choices we can make for our own situations.
The difference between electroplated zinc and galvanized zinc.....
Electroplated zinc is mirror like and shiny.
The first pic is an electroplated nut in a Wayne's gym. See the reflection of my finger. I do allow this in my bird room but I watch the birds like a hawk when they get on it.
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The second picture is galvanized zinc wire. It is dull and not shiny.
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I do not use this toy anymore.
Kelli, i just ordered 6 new ones from Joe at birdsafe. They were very reasonably priced. Same problem as you...the holders rust out and that style is hard to find locally. I had been making sure to always have a bowl in the ring so they cannot get to the rusty part. On march 13 I took Emily's water bowl out and forgot to put the fresh one in and went off to do something. When i came back she was sitting on the empty ring and I was sure she had been nibbling on the disclored metal. Even as i watched her in worried consternation a sudden change came over her. She started closing her eyes and started open mouth labored breathing. She drew herself in and looked really skinny. Her tail was bobbing. She looked like she was going to die. She could hardly breathe. i ran in screaming to my family...she ate rust she's dying she's dying and they all came running in and everyone was staring at her. There was nothing we could think of to do. I called the emergency vet (it was friday night at 9) but she had to be paged. She was straining to poop too. I thought wildly i should get aloe detox into her. omg i was so panicked. Wildly hoping it was an egg coming I felt her vent but it was normal...no typical swelling. omg i thought i have killed her. Then suddenly while she was still on the perch an egg shot out of her and fell down. omg i have never been so happy in my whole life. it was just an egg. Finally the vet did call and reassured me that even though Emiy was acting still very stressed she would recover shortly and keep her warm.
So since her Lupron shot last year we have had this one egg on march 13 and things are quiet, fingers crossed. I removed the metal bowls and rings and put in lixits instead but they miss their tiny ss bowls so I ordered them two days ago. I think they are 3.92 each.
That was a very scary night.
Unfortunately, this is not true. One of the biggest bird toy companies, in fact, openly admitted to using galvanized wires and other metal parts in their products despite awareness of the dangers. Several others do as well.I think that most sites companies which sell bird items certificate their productsq so we can be sure that our birds are in save