Happy Hut Horror

[Freedomoflight]

So scary.. the one item that birds really love can pose such a danger!

[hollyhawkz]

I checked out the cozyparrot.com ones and they look much safer. I even tried to order one...no shipping option to Canada! Argh.....

[denise811]

This is the one I have. Haven't had any problems with it. Shadow sleeps in it every night.

Prevue Hendryx: Snuggle Hut Bird Tent by Prevue Hendryx at PETdiscounters.com

[Sashagirl]

I have heard so many stories about Happy Huts.Some of them did not have happy endings.I'm glad I decided against buying any of them.I'm glad that you were able to get home and find it before anything serious happened.

Marcia

[xafsmom]

I won't use them. Absolutely will not. I give my birds cockatiel nest boxes and remove the sides so they're closed in but not entirely so. Conures love deep boxes for breeding, and the cockatiel ones are shallow and with the peek panels removed, they don't exhibit all the nesting behaviour. They all happily sleep there at night.

Though, if I have pairs in a cage - as some of my birds are friend bonded to each other, like Xaf and Kiva; I don't put a sleepy box in at all, as they will snuggle together on a high perch they like for sleeping. My CAG and B&G both have bird snugglies I attached to the cage walls for them to lean on while they sleep though. I make them myself though, and use industrial velcro to hold them together so there are no strings. I use non-toxic (to birds; ask your vet what to use in your area) glue to affix the velcro to the snuggly and I fill it with stuff that won't hurt the bird like shredded blank newsprint.
All it takes is a few minutes of not watching and there goes your friend! My Sun Akiva has a propensity to get his toes caught in everything and we even had to cut him out of a cotton rope boing once because he managed to slip his toe beneath a string. I'm amazed that bird has any toes left!

[Icednova625]

Glad Wawa is ok. I'm sure that would of been a terrifying sight. Happy huts are totally not safe for birds. I wish they would stop mass producing them.

[DarwinTheSun]

I am so glad you found Wawa in time! How terrifying!

I won't use the Happy hut brand for these exact reasons, plus the fact that they can chew the fibers and impact their stomachs. But I also get a homemade hanging tent that is made from fleece and is much safer then the brand itself. I wish they would take them off the market too. :(

[Nurd_boy]

Mom once close the dishwasher door on my peachfront conure (had the playstand to close and didn't see her climb onto top rack while she was finishing loading...PFC was ok, so know how you feel.

I have used a happy hut with my severe for 7years now and no problems, no shredding, or loose threads. the floor piece is cracked inside so one end V's a bit...

how did mine stay together? simple...I don't leave it in the cage, in the morning it gets removed and only put back at bedtime...no exceptions, I've been hearing about these things happening for years so I make sure it doesn't happen to me and mine.

the bird has learned that the hut is for sleeping, knows what is goiong to happen when I take out to put in the cage and even says 'cugh-ber'(cover) when he wants to go to bed as he climbs back inside and stand near the usual spot I always mount it.

they really are like 2-3 year olds and can get into trouble just as quick.

Its a natural behavior though, IF they where wild. I was watching a documentary and caught sight of red-bellied macaws roosting in a palm tree and shredding their canopy from the inside. Play? Idle breaks? but the behavior was very similar to what my mini tries to do with the drapes, furniture, pant hems and (if I let him, but I don't) his hut.

[hollyhawkz]

Ironically Wawa doesn't sleep in the Happy Hut at night. He is a Black Capped aka Rock Conure, and he prefers to sleep on the ground. I have two corner buddies set up, one atop the other on the floor in a corner and he climbs between the two. He only ever used the Happy Hut on occasion for afternoon naps. At least his bed isn't gone. I have an acquaintance that is a seemstress, I might go talk to her.

[dlaura]

I have read of similiar things happening so I don't use the happy huts either. Glad to hear that Wawa is ok.