Perches

[The Outlaw]

Got an pm from a member regarding perches for a GW. The question regarded PVC as perches.

I think most will agree, though I'm certainly not sure, that birds generally prefer natural perches when they are given a choice. Making a PVC playstand that they are on for daytime play isn't quite the same as sleeping for 10 hours in a cage at night.

Generally speaking, cages should have at least 3 perches. In my house, I provide a rope perch, a sandy perch and a wood perch for every bird. I also have swings for the long tailed birds and most of them are sandy to help dull nails. The medium sized birds have a rope boing in lieu of a swing.

Young big birds do very will with plain old 2 x 4s. In fact, they are easier to grip for many, especially the big macaws.

Provide a variety of shapes and textures so that your bird and relax their feet and change position. It will make for healthier feet and happier birds.