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keeping plants in an aviary

Mickey678

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im having a large aviary built for my b and g macaws, i wish to have ivy growing over the wall, i have a large palm tree i want to put in theyre as well as flag irises which i have loads of, can anyone tell me if i can keep them in theyre
 

Sunni Tiel

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Destiny

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Before putting any plants in your aviary, you will want to check if they are toxic to birds.

Flag iris is listed as a toxic plant - the leaves, stem, and bulb contain a toxin called irisine that causes GI distress, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It can also cause skin irritation and dermatitis. I don't recommend it as an aviary plant.

Ivy is also potentially toxic. Specifically, English ivy, also known as California or sweetheart ivy, contains a triterpanoid saponin which causes irritation of the mouth and gastrointestinal tract when consumed.

Most true palms are bird-safe. But there are some popular house plants that are commonly referred to as palms, but are not true palms, just look-alikes. Some of these "palm-like" plants are not safe for birds. Before moving the tree into the aviary, you will want to confirm what type of palm tree it is so you can determine if it would be an appropriate choice for your aviary.
 

Hankmacaw

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Keep in mind that macaws chew on everything and your plants probably won't last long anyway.
 

tka

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Bear in mind that anything in the aviary with the birds is unlikely to survive for long! I wouldn't put in any of the plants you mention: irises and ivy are toxic and you'd need to identify the species of palm to work out whether it's safe or not. Most true palms are safe, but there are a lot of similar plants and a lot of plants which are sold as palms but are not actually palms. You need to be very careful that you have correctly identified the plant.

If you wanted some kind of cover, I'd be inclined to find a species of safe, fast-growing bamboo.

This page has a list of safe and unsafe plants.

 
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