Pepper getting a hideout

[captwest]

If your worried about the "happt hut" get the old man to make a roost box like a descirbed earlier, maybe you could add asmall platform for birds that like to sleep on their backs, i'd be happy to draw a set of plans if that would help.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Look, here's the thing... Logically I can't see why a hut wold be any more risky than any other textile including rope perches and toys incorporating rope or fabric. Can someone explain why a hut would be different in that respect? The only thing I can think of is that the fully enclosed ones are difficult to inspect. The tent ones can be visually inspected pretty easily.

I do recognize that all textile and rope items carry some risk, as do pretty much all toys, and that the risk is typically mitigated by careful inspection... but I don't hear people saying one should eliminate all textiles from their bird's environment. They'd probably be safer if we eliminated all toys, period. But safety isn't the only goal, right? Toys are important, even if they aren't 100% "safe". For some reason, Happy Huts specifically, that brand name usually used, get mentioned over and over as being practically evil, but thus far never with a first or second hand report. Has anyone had this happen to them, or to someone that they have actually know personally? To me it smells a bit like an internet rumor, or the result of a campaign by someone pitching a competing product.

If your worried about the "happt hut" get the old man to make a roost box like a descirbed earlier, maybe you could add asmall platform for birds that like to sleep on their backs, i'd be happy to draw a set of plans if that would help.

Hey, guys aren't the only people who use tools, I don't need my "old man" to make something for me! I'm a hobby/micro-business jeweler, got saws and dremels and oxy-propane torches... Just sayin'...

[captwest]

Sorry, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers out there

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Sorry, didn't mean to ruffle any feathers out there

I should have put a smiley face on that.... and isn't this the place to ruffle feathers? Some call it "Preening".....

[michellet]

IMO pet-parenting is no different to human-child-parenting...there are many tragic stories of children coming to harm when in the care of loving parents that have tried to keep every precaution to keep their baby safe. In Australia there are regulations and laws in place to keep pools fenced, but many children still drown. There's a massive SIDS awareness campaign to teach parents the correct way to sleep their children, and how to minimize other risk factors, but tragically many babies still die. Like young children, birds are curious, playful and often unpredictable little creatures. A little girl my son went to childcare with was out of her parents sight for less than 5 mins and in that time decided her cot/crib looked good to climb....she pulled it on top of herself and was killed instantly Should we ban ALL cots/cribs and make our babies sleep on the floor?? Losing baby McKenzie was such a tragedy...but her parents still used a crib for their next-born.
As bird owners we can only take all reasonable precautions to keep our birds safe, happy, healthy and loved....and hope that the feathered Gods are smiling down on us.

[Natacha]

This is the last time I'll be posting in this thread....but I can't help answering to this.

For some reason, Happy Huts specifically, that brand name usually used, get mentioned over and over as being practically evil, but thus far never with a first or second hand report. Has anyone had this happen to them, or to someone that they have actually know personally? To me it smells a bit like an internet rumor, or the result of a campaign by someone pitching a competing product.

First or second hand report:

It will never be first hand with me as I'll never do have one. However, I know of TWO people personally, as in I've met them in person, to whom it's happen. I also know of a few people online to whom it's happen, and some of these people are people that I've been talking to for a while. And these people were quite pro-happy hut (using that term since everyone knows what they refer to - brand name or not) before the accidents and it's funny how quick these people have switched opinions after having a bird die at the hands of one and some of them have taken on to spread the word of the possible dangers it presents.

And NONE of them were pushing a competing product.

Again, you do as you will. But this is one product that I will keep exposing the possible negative side on parrot forums with people who are new to birds which will buy anything and sometimes won't bother reading about the bad things that can happen.

And sadly, I've heard of more horror stories with happy huts than any other type of toy.

/end of rant.

[captwest]

natacha, i've never had the need to use these products and know little of them, however thankyou for making us aware of their potential dangers.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

Second-hand accounts so noted. I'd be intersted to know how much wear the items had, and what the material was, and if they were the open tent style.

I think it is fine to urge caution with any textile used around birds. All rope and fabric can fray. I've heard stories of birds being killed by being caught in loose thread form their cage covers, as well as by the rope perches, and by stuffed animals. I, personally, don't have a need for cage covers. So I could, I suppose, suggest everyone reduce risk to their bird by not using them. But I do understand that there are circumstances where they are indeed a net positive -- I happen to have a dark quiet room and two birds who do mind a little light from the computer equipment while they sleep.

I really think sleep tents have an unnecessarily bad rap, particularly in this group. By all means, everyone should consider the risks as well as the benefits, and one should understand if they are species appropriate as well. But of all the possible things a person could do wrong... I feel rather beaten up on for trying to put some perspective on this issue.

[captwest]

hey Entranced, we all could use a little thicker skin when dealing with some of these issues in such a public form as this, please don't be offended , i for one always look forward to your logicial perspectives

[lotus15]

Just to respond to the person who asked about my relationship to the person whose parrot chewed through the tent in a day and hanged itself-- I didn't know them in person but rather through a forum, but I had known them through the forum for several months. And yes... there were photos. Graphic ones. They were sobering. I am sure that anybody that had seen them would not ever be able to use a tent again.

Other than that I have met several people whose birds were severely injured through happy hut accidents-- I volunteered at a rescue when I was living in NY that had 2 birds come to us in the year I'd volunteered. Both were surrendered because after the happy hut incidents the owners felt they could no longer properly care for them. Our rescue did NOT use happy huts of any kind because they had had soooo many incidents with them. I have also met a ton of people through Phoenix Landing (big rescue in my current area) that hold the same opinion and have had first hand experience. Finally, there is a big bird store around here that refuses to carry them for the same reason, as well as an online one that feels the same way.


That being said I do think that all these issues are about "knowing" your own bird and making your own educated decision. I'm not saying people should stop using them just because I don't-- if you feel that they are safe, do your own thing, but be aware of others' bad experiences and know that they're not just made up. I don't see why I would waste my time making up stories about this stuff just to scare you-- I'm not that morbid and I don't have that much free time. But I personally do not feel they are safe and would never use them with my flock.