[ozzie3860]

Hello! My name is Maria and I am a beginner parrotlet owner
I want to apologize in advance for my English and mistakes, I am not a native speaker!

I have bought my parrotlet 3 weeks ago and only now she finally started to play with toys in her cage. She has couple of toys which are made from uncolored branches but I find them pretty boring. I understand that they are good for chewing, but I also want to provide some colorful toys just for fun. I have bought her this toy and checked it with water, the color started running. As I understand it means that paint is water-based food dye (or maybe I am wrong). View attachment 47463

The problem is that I tried to find some information about the safety of colored parrots' toys but in all the forums in my country it is written that this type of toys is really dangerous and you should never buy it.

And now I am confused. Can I use colored toys like the one I was writing about and is it safe for my parrotlet? Or should I avoid them and stick to just uncolored branches?
I also want to try to make my own toys (I have bought uncolored wooden beads and sticks already) but now I am not sure that I should make them. I wanted to color them with food dye.

Also I want to know is loofah also safe? Again, it is written in all the forums in my native language that you must avoid it especially when it is painted.

Thank you!

Welcome to the community. Thank you for joining us.
The toy you have pictured should be fine. Anything colored with food dye should be fine.
Loofah are safe. My wife grows them at home and my guys like to chew on them. The only worries would be if they were colored with something bad or sprayed with something for bugs.

 

[ozzie3860]

Since they really do not eat the Loofah I think you are ok if you get one from a bird toy place or if you get it elsewhere as long as it has not had it color changed. I would make sure to soak it for a while to be sure to get anything they spray on it for bugs off.