Parrot Tree

[Dayna]

Does anyone here make parrot tree/stands out of wood?

I know most people are using that PVC stuff, but I tend to worry about fumes coming from the pipes. I know my vet told me not to use PVC tubes for my rat to sleep in, so I figure that I won't use it yet on my birds unless I find out some more information first.

So I am looking for a java, or manzanita, or whatever nice piece of furniture for my living room for my amazon to chill out on. I have a regular stand, but am looking for something more classy for the living room.

[Monica]

I don't build them however Noel and Casey do live cage-free on a large gym I had built them some time back. It does need to be rebuilt however, and expanded to make more room to enjoy, so to speak. I made this one out of elm and apple branches...

Anyway, I hope you get what you are looking for!

[danforth3]

I have one and my birds love it. All of them from the caique to the parakeets. They love to sit on it and try to destroy it. So far no one's made a dent, but I do not have any large birds, just small parrots.

It is easy to clean (I just steam away the poop that appears on it) and so far no bugs have appeared from it.

[CKD]

I have a very small one my husband built. When we cut down a old apple tree from our orchard I took a couple limbs and soaked them in bleach water for 24hrs then peeled the bark off , wash it realy good and let it bake in the sun. We screwed it together with screws then took cotton roping to cover were we pieced it plus it gave it more support.
We didnt know how we would get it to stand on its on so husband came up with the idea of setting the branch base down inside a terra cotta tube then setting it down into a terra cotta pot and filling with cement. Well it worked but the terra cotta pot at the bottom cracked so if you look at the pic it just has the cement shape of it. LOL It stands on its own and the birds love the play on it. I just put the stand where I want and put a big plastic clear mat under it.

[Elizabeth]

I've got a Manzanita, Grapewood and Ribbonwood tree in my living room for Gypsy, Harley and Booboo. They love them. I purchased them from www.exoticwooddreams.com. Check it out.

[Rue]

We made a bird tree too. We cut down a poplar sapling (stripped the smaller branches) and put it in a big planter filled with those large, white, decorative stones to hold it steady. I also made cross branches whereever it was condusive and hung toys all over. It took a while, but now my WC spends a lot of time climbing up and down the branches...great exercise I figure, and as 'natural' as I'm able to provide indoors...

...however, I think we'll need to make a slighter 'tougher' version of it for the Amazon to use...

...plus, I have it in the corner - and only the WC likes it there...I think when we move cages around (my Amazon is ready to come out of quarantine) I'll try and move the tree so it's in the middle...hopefully all the birds will be inclined to use it then...

[dyeman]

Try Manzanita Burlworks, www.manzanita.com. He makes tree stands, but also sells the manzanita pieces separately if you want to build it yourself. I haven't found anyone cheaper, if you find someone else let me know.

I am looking for a source for Grapewood. I have two trees on my Macaw cages, but would like a source where I can buy the pieces to make my own. Please post, if anyone knows of a source. I thought about calling the local NC wineries, but most of them are fairly new and I think most of the Grapewood used for parrot trees is pruned from older grape vines.

[mamalovesrico]

Dayna, I bought a manzanita tree from petstockroom.com about 5 or so months ago. It cost me about $550 with tax and shipping but well worth it for me. I think it's beautiful. Rico loves it and it will probably outlive Rico. It used to sit in the livingroom but now in the birdroom out back. I go out in the morning, put Rico on it and check on him about an hour later. I love it. If you want to see picts, let me know.

[Callistobass]

I bought mine from a vendor that makes and sells Manzanita "trees" on ebay.

I paid a TOTAL (with shipping) of $220, and it is huge, and Lola loves it!

When I got it, I made sure to wash it well, and good thing - they mush not have washed it after sandblasting it and it had a lot of dust on it.

they also sell branches, so just another resource

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

[laylona]

I am relatively new to the board so please forgive me if this is a bad suggestion.


I am an artist and for my 4 year olds room (who just loves winnie the pooh) I made a tree in her room that is tough enough even for my kids to climb on it. Although they are not allowed. I used heavy gauge Chicken wire, drywall mud, and of course decorative paint. The chicken wire provides a base and shape to start your tree on. You can use the chicken wire to make branches and roots as well. After securing your chicken wire in the shape that you are looking for then apply the drywall mud to the entire sculpture. Remember to place cardboard or newspaper on the floor to catch any mud that will fall from the sculpture as you are creating it. After apply the dryall mud I took my fingertips and ran them down the tree across entire base and the limbs so it would look like tree bark. Allow the tree an entire week to dry. The last step is to paint the tree. With something safe for your birds. I used regular wall paint. Then sealed the tree with poly. The tree that I have sculpted looks incredibly life like and only cost me about $75 to complete, it goes from the floor to the ceiling. The branches crawl across part of the ceiling to give an umbrella effect. Then add your leaves in a way you think would be appropriate. It really does make a stunning piece.

Not sure if this will help you or not but maybe it can inspire other ideas that would be better suited for birds.