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[Guide] Bird Safe Wood / Hardness

Nadia Bingo

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I made a list of common bird safe woods (via google and this forum!) and organized them by hardness.

I wanted to share my findings with everyone here and I have a printer friendly version of the image on my blog.

Please let me know if I left anything out.
 

expressmailtome

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Thank you for that list.
 

janicedyh

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Thanks for posting the info. I use crepe myrtle branches from my yard which are pesticide free. I bake them at 250 for about an hour after cleaning with vinegar
 

Newbie GCC

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Nice blog page, too!
 

Nadia Bingo

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Thanks for posting the info. I use crepe myrtle branches from my yard which are pesticide free. I bake them at 250 for about an hour after cleaning with vinegar
I think I'll make another page listing all known safe wood (not just common ones) and how to clean it for making perches, stands or toys. Thanks for the inspiration!

Nice blog page, too!
Thanks!
 

Nadia Bingo

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I find it interesting how some foraging devices are theoretically better than others... if your parrot will use it.

I ended up writing an entire post on my blog about my 'foraging failures' since Bingo refuses to use foraging devices. I have to sneak foraging in where I can...
 

karen256

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I would put pine with the soft woods.
Also I don't really agree with some of the toxic woods you list - for example oak - lots of people use cork (oak bark) for perches and toys with no issue. And veggie tanned leather is tanned using the tanins from oak as well.
 

EbonyMemory

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I'm pretty sure Crepe Myrtle and Eucalyptus is safe. All my birds have eucalyptus perches from the trees on my property.
I love your blog too, it looks awesome! :laugh:
 

janicedyh

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I think people mistake crepe myrtle with "myrtle". All of my homemade perches are made from crepe myrtle.
 

Nadia Bingo

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Thanks for the feedback! I'll double check my sources for my toxic wood list.

I would put pine with the soft woods.
I had considered putting pine in the soft woods but the hardness varies from softer than Ash to more hard than Willow. Do you think that most bird toy pine available is softer than Ash?

It could be the harder pine is not even used for bird toys.
 

aooratrix

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Rock maple, like craft wood, is like cement, IMO.
 

karen256

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Thanks for the feedback! I'll double check my sources for my toxic wood list.

I had considered putting pine in the soft woods but the hardness varies from softer than Ash to more hard than Willow. Do you think that most bird toy pine available is softer than Ash?

It could be the harder pine is not even used for bird toys.
Pine is pretty soft in general. I do wood carving and it's considered a little softer than basswood. Plus, for bird toys, people almost always will use the cheap construction 2x2's or 2x4's which are going to be soft pine.

Ash and most maples are super hard - not as hard as manzanita but much harder than birch, pine, willow, ect. (ash is used for sledgehammer handles and other tools because it's so strong).
 

Natalia

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Thanks for the post :) do you know if Bamboo is safe?
 

expressmailtome

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Nadia Bingo

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Thanks for the additional replies. I am working on an updated sheet :D

I originally went by the Janka scale (for rating wood hardness) and my own experience... but I know a lot of the woods can vary. And obviously the thickness matters (which I mention in my blog post).
 
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