The cage for my new Quaker should be here in a few days and yup I'm nesting...Anyway I need advice on what to hook the toys and tight-rope type perches up with. I have read that self-locking wire ties are safer than hooks. I need input on what is the safest thing to use as soon as possible. Thanks

I'm a bit confused on what a self locking wire tie is, but if it's made of anything with zinc, copper, or lead, no way! I've read that the plastic self locking ties work well, but I just use the quick link things that come on the toys. Actually, after Simon had a heavy metal poisoning scare last week, I bought a package of those quick link things that my vet sells because he said that while most of the ones that the pet shop sells are fine, there are some that do have zinc in them, so he sells ones that they use there that he is sure are safe. I replaced all the ones we had here with the new ones just to be on the safe side. If you have any doubts, get a package of the plastic locking ties at the grocery store and replace them with those. Neither of my birds show any interest in the quick links, but I did read on this forum that if they like to chew on them, they can get them unscrewed and become beak-impaled on the hook part.

I use the plastic zip ties and also quick links that are stainless steel. The quicklinks tend to come lose if your bird plays with them, so every morning before I bring my birds out to their day cage I make sure all are tight.
http://www.birdsjustwannahavefun.com/parts..._quicklinks.htm
http://www.9thtee.com/zipties.htm

We use the plastic zip ties, also called cable ties.

NO WIRE TIES if your bird chews them (and he will) he could end up very sick...

After finding Spirit hanging by his beak from one of the quick links because it was stuck, screaming, I changed everything over to cable ties. He had managed to loosen it and had it stuck between his bottom beak and the hole under the beak in the throat area. We were both pretty traumitized after that.

Von, you must have been terrified when you saw & heard that.
Good to hear Spirit is OK.

Donut doesnt care about any of the things used to hang his toys.
But after reading this I will change them over to cable ties/zip locks.

Tricia

OMG Yvonne - I'm so glad that Spirit is OK
How terrible poor little dude.

I also use zip ties & will be sure to use nothing else after reading this

Your right, I shook for an hour afterwards. To think after all I had gone through to help him into the world and then lose him to something like that........scared me half to death. I have changed anything on the quick links in ALL the cages over to cable ties. Even the greys don't chew through them as long as I make the tie tight with no hanging room. The parrotlets I leave a big loop in them and they sit in the zip ties like a swing at the top of their toys.

Thank you all so very much for your advice, because of all of your quick replies I've decided to go with the zip ties, which actually is what I meant, but was not sure what they were called. I'm now changing all of my links with the zip ties. Thank you for helping me keep my new baby safe. Hopefully about a week and a half and counting until I bring Marley home!