Are Dog Kong Toys Safe For My Macaws?

Last Updated on February 18, 2022

Macaws are very active and interactive parrots. They like to be engaged and busy more hours of the day. The provision of toys satisfies their natural desire and helps to keep them happy, healthy, and mentally strong. Let’s see what happens if they play with dog kong toys. Are they safe for them?

Dog kong toys are safe for macaws only if you select the strongest one. The rubber toys are beneficial in building calm behavior in macaws. They help keep them physically and mentally stimulated by exploring, chewing, foraging, and playing. They should be cleaned and replaced regularly.

In this article, you can find ways to present a new kong toy to your macaw. How can you take it as a foraging toy? What feed can you fill in this toy? Is it safe for macaws? What if they bite off the rubber? Let’s start without wasting your single minute.

Are Dog Kong Toys Safe For Macaws?

Typically, different dog kong toys are used for other pets as well. Dog Kong toys are PBA-free, non-toxic, durable rubber, hollow inside, and look like a snowman. They are available in different sizes ranging from x-small to x-large.

In the wild, macaws spend most of the day finding food, eating food, chasing other mates, climbing trees, chewing wood, exploring new feed through foraging. So, all of this keeps them engaged, and a lot of interaction is suitable for their physical and mental health.

While in captivity, macaws have less opportunity to satisfy their instinct of exploring, chewing, and foraging. Therefore, the provision of dog kong toys would be a healthy activity that ensures the good health of macaws by keeping them busy for long hours.

Below are the six different dog kong toys widely used for pet birds. Let’s discuss which one should be the best for the macaw’s safety.

Kong Classic

It is the best chewing toy for dogs and is popular among pet birds. It can be used as a foraging toy because you can fill a healthy treat that might be some nuts and fruits before allowing your macaw to play with this toy.

You can select the size according to the weight of your macaw. For macaws, the small and medium sizes would be enough.  As you know, dog kong toys are made for dogs. That’s why they are strong enough and can not be cut by the teeth.

King classic is a good option for macaws because they can serve as chewing and foraging toys.

Puppy Goodie Bone

You can allow your macaw to play with the puppy goodie bone if your macaw does not have any other healthy toy to play with it. It can provide the best chewing facility. 

It has no sharp corners. It looks like a bone that is good to attract the dogs, but macaws stay happy with any activity with a toy. They can chew on its elastic and flexible but durable skin. They can get happiness by playing with this bouncing toy.

Kong Senior

Kong senior is more vital and flexible with hollow space to fill the vegetables or fruits for macaws. Macaws are curious and intelligent, and they feel happy to find out their favorite meal. 

It takes a long time to get their food hidden inside the kong senior after doing physical and mental work. The continuous engagement with this toy makes the macaws relaxed and calm.

Kong Extreme

Kong Extreme is specially designed to make the teeth and jaws of the dogs strong and keep them in good health. If you offer this toy to your macaw, it can chew, bite, and forage depending upon its choice. 

The best is to select the right size for your macaw. It is the strongest dog kong toy made with the most durable rubber. You can fill the hollow space with shelled nuts and grapes or any other fruit to give the macaws more enrichment.

Kong Squeeze Ball

Macaws can play with kong squeeze balls because it can provide a better option to utilize leisure time in a much better way. The bouncing ball will help macaws to play, chase and catch. Healthy macaws should break their energy by playing with these toys and keep them in good weight.

Kong Wubba

Kong Wubba is also safe for macaws because of the nylon fabric that enclosed the tennis ball and one squeaker ball.  It is available in different colors and covered with a nylon sheet to add extra toughness. 

Strips of nylon sheets are provided that facilitate the macaw to tug and fetch and keep them busy for long hours. 

How Often Can You Replace The Dog Kong Toys?

Macaws are smaller than dogs, but their beaks are very sharp and solid to cut open the hard shells of nuts. That’s why keep in mind the toys you’re offering to them must be durable and chewable.

Macaws get bored if they have the same toy for a long time and do not have the activity, making them busy. So, you need to replace the old toys with new ones for their well-being after a week. 

If your macaw is playing with a dog kong chew toy, it would be better to keep it clean and observe daily, either damaged or covered with old feed. Replacing the old with new toys to facilitate foraging and chewing will increase their interest in playing with them.

Benefits Of Dog Kong Toys

Macaws can only play with dog kong toys according to their size. Several benefits of dog kong toys are:

• Keep the macaws busy, active and healthy
• Provide the physical and mental stimulus
• Make them calm and reduce the destructive behavior in some macaws during breeding or any stress.
• Provide entertainment.
• Act as chewing and foraging toys.
• Reusable and easily accessible
• Keep macaw’s beak solid and well-shaped.
• Make them problem-solving.
• Safe because they are non-toxic and BPA-free.
• There are no sharp edges and corners where the beaks, toes, and feathers can get stuck.

Side Effects of Dog Kong Toys

Besides the safe side of using dog kong toys for macaws, there are some issues. You must be careful when you decide to get the dong kong toy because it can harm your macaw in the following ways.

• Some aggressive macaws can bite the rubber toy and get stuck into its throat.
• In this case, a macaw feels difficulty breathing until the rubber parts are removed.
• Rubber has a scent that can be allergic to some macaws.
• Select the right one to reduce the chances of sticking the beak, toes, and head inside the hollow space when a macaw tries to get the hidden food.

Conclusion

Dog kong toys are rubber toys that are safe, non-toxic, and easily accessible. They can be worthy only if you keep them clean and select the right size for your macaws. Macaws remain active, interactive, and healthy for a long time in captivity. Dog kong toys serve as puzzle games, chewing and foraging toys. It is good to offer the used one after washing and disinfecting them with hot water. You can replace the old toys with new ones every week for better- engagement of your macaw.