Birds and string??

[truelove]

Recently, I have been constructing some new toys for the fids. I use to use string to hang their baskets they love up, and they always liked chewing on the string. I decided to make a simple toy made out of string. All you must do is knot some clean, string together and hang it in their cage. No loops or anything they can get caught in. I found it to be very appealing to them. They love it!

By the way.. Does anyone know of any safe wood that can be found outdoors? I have been thinking about making them a big kingdom out of wild tree branches but I don't want any with harmful chemicals, bugs..etc.

Thanks much!

[goodshep]

Here's a list I found on the net that lists safe and unsafe species of wood.

Safe wood for parrots

I have noticed that all the branches I like (the ones with nice lateral offshoots perfect for perching) come from walnut trees which most lists either say is unsafe or uncertain. We've owned and operated a horse logging and sawmill business and have some experience with various (North American) species of wood. I would tend to think it would be OK but until I do further research I'll not take the chance especially when I have plenty of other species to choose from. If you can find red elm it might be worth working with as it has a natural resistance to splitting if you're going to screw into it. My conure loves the cottonwood branches I put in her cage. I just scrubbed them real good with a hose, then again with vinegar, then a rinse and let them dry. You can put them in a low oven to dry if you're really worried about bugs. In my experience, unless the wood has been down for some time bugs shouldn't be a problem. There are certain species I might avoid such as ash however that seem to have problems with bug infestations. You might call your local dept of forestry and ask them if there are any concerns with certain woods being quarantined for insect infestations. We have our own woodlot so I have no worries about residues from roadside spraying but that would be something to be aware of if you're looking at city/county trimmed trees etc... Hope this helps some

[truelove]

thank you!