Squawk Box

What's in the box: A themed mix of exclusive bird toys and natural-ingredient treats sized to your bird, plus DIY snack recipes, fun facts and bird rescue stories.

Squawk Box is a monthly subscription built around bird toys and treats. The company says it started in December 2012, after its founder adopted a green cheek conure and had trouble finding good toys for him. Its biggest practical strength is sizing. There are four tiers. Little Birdie starts at $34.99 a month for cockatiels, parakeets, lovebirds and small conures. Middle Birdie starts at $39.99 for quakers, sun conures, pionus and caiques. Big Birdie starts at $44.99 for amazons, cockatoos, eclectus and African greys. Jumbo Birdie starts at $69.99 for macaws and the largest cockatoos and amazons. A toy has to suit the bird's beak strength to be safe and to last, so this sizing really matters. Each box follows a monthly theme and pairs toys with treats. It also includes printed extras like bird-safe snack recipes, fun facts and rescue stories, and the company says each box supports bird rescues. Shipping is free within the continental US, and you can skip or cancel anytime. Prepaid plans are offered for savings, though the site does not state the exact discounts. The main tradeoff is cost. Birds go through toys fast, and at these prices you are paying for curation and surprise rather than bulk value. The site does not say you can choose individual items, so owners of picky birds or birds with dietary limits should keep that in mind.