Birds Of Play was founded 16 years ago with parrot toy safety the prime consideration.  The natural needs of your parrot companion to "shred" and "destroy" materials is the reason we concentrate on making toys of destructable materials.  This interplay between parrot and toy is our prime consideration when designing new toys.

1.	We use only "quick" link type attachments, no spring devices are ever allowed.
2.	All of our chain, hardware, and "quick" links are nickel plated.
3.	Only "food grade" food coloring is used and no flavorings.
4.	All leather is vegetable tanned leather, no raw hide or colored leather allowed.
5.	Wood species such as pine, maple, birch, and balsa are used, never prefinished or with any preservatives.
6.	Pure cotton and sisal rope is used occasionally, trimmed short to avoid entanglement.
7.	Synthetics or woven fabrics are never used.

For those not familiar a word about Balsa Wood. Balsa is a very soft, pithy wood with a stringy grain that is grown mostly in Ecuador.  Even though it is classified as a Hardwood it grows extremely fast and has softwood characteristics.  It has been used in the manufacturing of such things as Skis, Surf Boards, and model making for years.  Balsa is so soft that it shreds more than splinters.  When chewed up the small shreds are not sharp or needle like as is common with other types of hardwood species.  Balsa is listed in the wood industry as NON TOXIC.

Guidelines for Balsa Toy Introduction

1.	If your pet is known to ingest parts of chewed-up toys them Balsa should not be introduced.  Even though Balsa gets even softer when wet it is still not a food.
2.	Keep in mind that typically birds merely chew up wood and allow the debris to fall.  Their instinct is to create nesting or bedding material.  When it comes to wood birds instinctively know what to do.
3.	Chewing helps to promote good beak health.  Birds that are deprived chewing materials may experience overgrown or malformed beaks.
4.	Balsa is one of the few materials that smaller birds can chew.  Hardwoods or plastics may increase the longevity of toys they also prove to be impossible for the little guys to destroy.  Good for the "owner" but at odds for the well being of your parrot companion.
5.	Balsa Buddies (tm) was introduced with the smaller birds in mind.  They also make an excellent choice for the larger but timid bird or those parrots that may have beak deformities.