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Best perches

kiertje

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Hey,

Got a few perches in my cage. Two straight pedi ones, 3 smooth round perches, one small one that is like stick and got a few ''flexibele ferplast perches''.

Now i have noticed when they just hang out they only sit on the smooth one or the pedi one that's also kinda smooth/ straight.

I read that it's bad for bird to sit long on those smooth ones. Is this true? Should i swap them out?
 
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Lady Jane

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I have repeated many times "There is no safe substitute for bird toe nail trims" Safest and most comfortable perches are natural wood and rope.
 

Farlie

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YES, to answer your question, change them out to something natural. I like the grapevine perches. Try one or two and you'll see.
 

Dona

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I have a variety of textured wood perches, 2 rope boings and a rope swing. Gigi spends time on all the surfaces. Here's my fave perch. I have it in a few sizes (1/2 -1"). I think it might help keep the nails trimmed a bit. I'm afraid of pedi-perches and have never used them. I fear Gigi would get a wound on the bottom of her foot. It does mean more trips to the vet for nail trims, but Gigi handles it well.

 
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Zara

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Two straight pedi ones,
Not sure which these are.
Mine are ribbed. There are some others that are like an oddly bent one. Both have a smooth side to them that faces up.
Do yours have a smooth side? What you describe sounds like the cheaper abbrasive ones which are no good.

Do you have a picture of some of your perches?

Best are natural wood and cotton perches/boings like @Lady Jane said :)
 

Farlie

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I have a variety of textured wood perches, 2 rope boings and a rope swing. Gigi spends time on all the surfaces. Here's my fave perch. I have it in a few sizes (1/2 -1"). I think it might help keep the nails trimmed a bit. I'm afraid of pedi-perches and have never used them. I fear Gigi would get a wound on the bottom of her foot. It does mean more trips to the vet for nail trims, but Gigi handles it well.


I have a couple of these myself.
 

Leih

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I have a variety of textured wood perches, 2 rope boings and a rope swing. Gigi spends time on all the surfaces. Here's my fave perch. I have it in a few sizes (1/2 -1"). I think it might help keep the nails trimmed a bit. I'm afraid of pedi-perches and have never used them. I fear Gigi would get a wound on the bottom of her foot. It does mean more trips to the vet for nail trims, but Gigi handles it well.

I have some like this, too. Petco often has good prices on natural perches.
 

Leih

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Also, the Living World cement perches that Zara mentioned are super inexpensive compared to other pedi perches and seem the least likely to cause problems. As long as it's not their main perch. Also, careful about sizing on those. I got a small and it's too big for my linnies.
 

kiertje

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Not sure which these are.
Mine are ribbed. There are some others that are like an oddly bent one. Both have a smooth side to them that faces up.
Do yours have a smooth side? What you describe sounds like the cheaper abbrasive ones which are no good.

Do you have a picture of some of your perches?

Best are natural wood and cotton perches/boings like @Lady Jane said :)
 

Zara

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None of those perches are good.

That pedi perch could give your birds sores and hurt their feet. It needs to have a smooth side, and the smooth side should be positioned so it is the part that touches the birds foot.
This is a good one: Amazon.com : Living World Pedi-Perch, Mini : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
There´s another one too with a different shape that I see other members like, i will try find a link to it.
(Edit: looks like this: Amazon.com : Sweet Feet and Beak Safety Pumice Perch for Birds Features Real Pumice to Trim Nails and Beak and Promote Healthy Feet - Safe and Non-Toxic, for Bird Cages - [ X-Small/Blue ] : Pet Supplies I´m not sure on the exact brand. Hopefully someone chimes in.)

Also the dowel perches are poor for birds feet. One low down is ok, but really there should be a mix natural perches.
Amazon.com : A&E Cage Co. Java Wood Multi Branch Perch - Small - 16 in. x 1.2 in. : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
Amazon.com : Natural Living Trixie Y Shape Perch, 20 x 15mm Diameter : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
Pet Supplies : Trixie Multi-Colour Rope Perch, 37cm x 16mm : Amazon.com
And perches like the one previously mentioned.
 
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kiertje

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None of those perches are good.

That pedi perch could give your birds sores and hurt their feet. It needs to have a smooth side, and the smooth side should be positioned so it is the part that touches the birds foot.
This is a good one: Amazon.com : Living World Pedi-Perch, Mini : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
There´s another one too with a different shape that I see other members like, i will try find a link to it.
(Edit: looks like this: Amazon.com : Sweet Feet and Beak Safety Pumice Perch for Birds Features Real Pumice to Trim Nails and Beak and Promote Healthy Feet - Safe and Non-Toxic, for Bird Cages - [ X-Small/Blue ] : Pet Supplies I´m not sure on the exact brand. Hopefully someone chimes in.)

Also the dowel perches are poor for birds feet. One low down is ok, but really there should be a mix natural perches.
Amazon.com : A&E Cage Co. Java Wood Multi Branch Perch - Small - 16 in. x 1.2 in. : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
Amazon.com : Natural Living Trixie Y Shape Perch, 20 x 15mm Diameter : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
Pet Supplies : Trixie Multi-Colour Rope Perch, 37cm x 16mm : Amazon.com
And perches like the one previously mentioned.
Thank you ^^
 

kiertje

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None of those perches are good.

That pedi perch could give your birds sores and hurt their feet. It needs to have a smooth side, and the smooth side should be positioned so it is the part that touches the birds foot.
This is a good one: Amazon.com : Living World Pedi-Perch, Mini : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
There´s another one too with a different shape that I see other members like, i will try find a link to it.
(Edit: looks like this: Amazon.com : Sweet Feet and Beak Safety Pumice Perch for Birds Features Real Pumice to Trim Nails and Beak and Promote Healthy Feet - Safe and Non-Toxic, for Bird Cages - [ X-Small/Blue ] : Pet Supplies I´m not sure on the exact brand. Hopefully someone chimes in.)

Also the dowel perches are poor for birds feet. One low down is ok, but really there should be a mix natural perches.
Amazon.com : A&E Cage Co. Java Wood Multi Branch Perch - Small - 16 in. x 1.2 in. : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
Amazon.com : Natural Living Trixie Y Shape Perch, 20 x 15mm Diameter : Bird Perches : Pet Supplies
Pet Supplies : Trixie Multi-Colour Rope Perch, 37cm x 16mm : Amazon.com
And perches like the one previously mentioned.
I have one of those y-shaped ones and have a few of these (they are bamboo plastic pieces that you can shape in to anything you want): ferplast-flexibele-zitstok-4190.jpg
 

tka

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I have one of those y-shaped ones and have a few of these (they are bamboo plastic pieces that you can shape in to anything you want): View attachment 303767
Those are also bad. There's no variation in the diameter of the pieces. I would also be concerned about a bird trapping a claw in the joints between pieces.

Natural wooden perches have variations in the diameter of the perch, even small and subtle ones. This means that when your bird perches, they aren't always putting pressure on the same part of their foot (which can cause sores) and they can shift to a different part of the perch if their foot gets uncomfortable.
 

fashionfobie

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I will contribute that it is also wonderful for birds to get access to angled perches. It is great exercise for their ankles. They also don't mind very tiny branches. They will play and climb on them for fun. Here are some pic of wild barred parakeets. Aren't they cute :xflove:

b660f7911819cb1ec20edec59220882e.jpg

toui.aymara.dibu.1g.jpg

Here is a picture of my plumhead on his perch. He loves the tinniest branches.

IMG_5591.JPG
 

Leih

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Thanks @fashionfobie! I have a large manzanita branch that has a bunch of smaller branches on it and I've been trying to decide how to hang it. Now I'll try something angled. :cool:
 

Dona

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I was thinking about this yesterday when Gigi was perched on the empty food bowl frame. Her feet were completely closed around it and she seemed perfectly comfortable. Variety is great for the feet.
 
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