Make your own nearly indestructable branches!

[CRToon83]

Hey everyone,
I'm in the planning phase right now for building a conure cage, and I thought i'd share this tidbit for you all about how to make your own nearly indestructible branches.

Previously I have kept all types of snakes - from rat snakes to green tree pythons. When dealing with the GTP's, I needed something for them to hang from, but my problem was supporting the weight AND supporting a very high humidity environment. My answer? Burnt PVC.

Just go get a PVC pipe the size you want (do not use Schedule 40 if you can help it, the thinner the better), and a butane torch from Home Depot.

Let me give you some safety warnings really quick:
* Do not attempt to do this indoors! The fumes are VERY toxic!
* As always, have a fire extinguisher of some sort handy, just in case!
* Wear heat resistant gloves!
* Use common sense!

What you're going to start to do is cut your PVC to about one foot longer than the required size. Then after lighting your butane torch, holding the pipe away from you, move the flame back and forth over one end of the pipe until it starts to burn, turning brown. Caution, this gets very hot. Turn the pipe around until you have softened the pipe considerably, at this point you can grab it from the ends you have not heated and twist or bend it in whatever shape you desire! If you use sch. 40, it will take a LONG time for this to happen. It will actually brown before it softens.

If you hold the flame on the pipe too long, it will catch on fire.

Please note, as said above, all vapors from melting PVC are very toxic. Do this outdoors in a well ventilated area, and do not hold your head over the pipe. Regular dust masks will not help you; you would need a respirator.

When you get a bend that you are happy with, take a water hose and let the water run down the inside and outside of the pipe. This will cause it to harden rather quickly. (I have heard people up north just sticking it in the snow.)

When you get done, scrub the pipe down with a scotch brite pad and some avian safe soap, then let the pip outgas for AT LEAST 3-4 weeks, to make sure no more toxic odors are being emitted. It's safe to put it in your garage at this point.

Now just cut it to the desired length, install, and enjoy years of hassle free perching!

Here's a picture of some snake cages I made using this procedure. The top is for a Green Tree Python using 2 inch Schedule 40 pipe. Took FOREVER! The bottom is using 1 1/4" thin wall pipe, worked much better and quicker.

[Sorechia]

Do you have a closer picture of the PVC? Those look amazing!!!!

[CRToon83]

Here's the 2" ones up close:


Here's the 1 1/4" ones up close (the spots are from when i had water drops on the outside while it was burning, so it just boiled the water and left the pipe underneath untouched.):

[Sorechia]

That is amazing!! You should sell that stuff at reptile shows!!

[kellywess]

They are really cool looking nice job. I do not however think that this would prove safe for birds. I would not risk it.

[CRToon83]

I'm not sure what would be unsafe about it.. they perch on pvc all the time... i'm not sure of the difference?

[kellywess]

The heat changes it... it releases toxins. I would not trust it.

[Peanutbutter]

I'm sorry but I don't like it either. ...just don't know how safe melted pvc pipe is.

Chewing & Destroying perches is a healthy & fun activity for a bird! ....what good is a 'non destructible' perch?

[Sorechia]

I think it would be fine as long as it can't flake off. Once burned it goes back to the way it was before. Electricians burn and bend PVC all the time and run wire through it for houses. Stores use PVC that has been heated and bent in fish tanks. I think it would be fine. And it looks really cool!!

[Lori~D]

There is a guy that comes to our bird fairs that makes really neat bird gyms out of burnt PVC. Yes toxins are released in the burning process but YEs toxins are released in the original making of the PVC as well. Once its done and dry and cleaned its OK. If you take a Dremel with a cutting wheel to it on edge and run it up and down the pipe lenghth wise (wear long sleeves and safty glaasses - the bits are HOT!) and THEN burn it it comes out really looking like wood and has a nice grippy texture. I dont have any to show you but I have made a few and they have been sold and I havent had tiome to put them back on my project list,lol!!!