Petee my Senegal, and I were very, very lucky this morning that I was home, and I was right beside her cage.  I had bought her this chain toy from the Walmart baby section, and I really believed it was too small for her to get her head into. It is a plastic chain with round, square, triangle, and diamond shaped links in different colors.

Well, I was wrong, big time wrong. About 1 hour ago, I was sitting here downloading mail, and Petee was beating the heck out of this  chain toy, like she usually does. Well, the next second she was screaming, I turn around to see what's up, and she is strangling with her head stuck in one of the links. I was really lucky that I was right here because she wasn't panicking yet, and after a bit of gentle prying and adjusting her neck and head I was able to free her. She was still calm enough to know that I was helping her, and she didn't struggle. If she had been caught, in another 10 seconds or so, she would have started to panic, and I believe if she had, I would not have been able to free her, without her being hurt, or worse dead.  There is no way I could have cut this links, or even open them wide enough to get her out. The only way to get her out  was the way she got in it.

It really freaked me out, how quick they can be in life threatening danger. I still have her cuddled in my arms and she is still a bit upset and freaked out too. I am thankful I was calm, and just reacted the right way, because this could have been a total disaster.

If I had been at work, she would have died, no doubt about that one. Karma was kind to me today, and I am very glad it was. The chain is now in the garbage, and I have just checked each and every toy we have.

People, please check out your toys, and if you have anything that you feel the least bit unsure about, get rid of it. It isn't worth the risk to loose your FID!!

toy6.jpg (189951 bytes) This is the toy that almost killed Petee (click to enlarge)

Editor's Note: Petee was very lucky that her owner was around.  Please, please, everyone look at your birds' toys with an "worst-case" eye, and see the potential harm that could come from them.  We don't need to get rid of every toy we have obtained for our fids, but let's know our birds, know the toys, and WATCH them with any new toy.