prater

I've heard that pressure treated wood isn't good for birds. Is it bad forever? Or once it dries out, is it OK? We have all these little pieces left from replacing the wood spindles on our porch. They are the perfect size for stringing together into a fun toy, but not if they will be dangerous. What are your opinions?

Thanks,
Toni

debbie krug

I've heard that pressure treated wood isn't good for birds. Is it bad
forever? Or once it dries out, is it OK? We have all these little pieces
left from replacing the wood spindles on our porch. They are the perfect
size for stringing together into a fun toy, but not if they will be
dangerous. What are your opinions?

Thanks,
Toni

Pressure treated wood is bad choice for bird toys. It is injected with
chemicals to prevent rot and insect infestation.

--
Debbie, Dusty (CAG) and Casperella (U2)

dave sibbett

Arsenic to be exact, it will be present for decades.

Dave

chuck chopp

Chromated Copper Arsenate is what was used in pressure treated lumber to
make it resistant to pests & rot from dampness. However, in the USA, this
substance is being phased out and something that is supposed to be less
toxic is being used to replace it. Regardless of which type of pressure
treated lumber you purchase, there will be a small plastic tag stapled on to
it [again, this is in the USA] which identifies the wood as being pressure
treated and lists the precautions to take when handling & machining the
wood. Very specifically, do not inhale or ingest the sawdust or shavings
from this wood. Given that allowing a bird to chew on wood produces a lot
of splinters and chips of wood, allowing a bird to have toys made of
pressure treated lumber is a *BAD* idea. It should be fairly easy for the
bird to ingest dangerous amounds of both chromium and arsenic, both of which
are very toxic to living animals. I'd expect you to have a very sick or
even more likely dead bird on your hands shortly after allowing it to chew
on pressure treated lumber.


--
Chuck Chopp

prater

Thanks,
Toni

Thanks for the info. I knew the wood wasn't good when it was still fresh but didn't know if all the chemicals left it when it cures. No pressure treated toys for Glacie. But it has given me some ideas for toys made from regular wood.