Eucalyptus branches and leaves for Macaws

[locito277]

Hi guys I read everywhere that Eucalyptus trees and it's parts are fine but I saw on a forum somewhere saying that that's true for Australian birds only. Any one give Eucalyptus to their birds? My trio loved them and tore them up good but wasn't sure whether to purchase more or not. Any opinions?

 

[MikeyTN]

Please view this old thread! --->http://www.parrotforums.com/conures/21642-why-eucalyptus-bad.html

 

[locito277]

That was the article I read :-( what branches do you give your macaws?

 

[MikeyTN]

I like dragon wood for perches and that's what I've been using. Before I was using manzanita perches but it's very slippery. So I've been using dragon wood ever since.

 

[locito277]

I meant to chew on. Manzanita is not liked by mine either. My perches are dragon wood but I wanted to add foliage for enrichment

 

[MikeyTN]

I buy the premade toys....I work too much to have time to make toys....lol

 

[locito277]

I feel you lol. I buy them too heck I even bout the eucalyptus lol

 

[locito277]

How does your macaw react to seeing your meets and vice versa Mikey?

 

[Mike17]

I regularly give our birds fresh gum tree branches with leaves to chew on. The eccies have a little nibble, but eucalyptus is toxic and one assumes native birds can cope with it- but I doubt they actually eat the leaves. I would think mature gum branches would be fine for perches for any species, eucalyptus oil is volatile and weathered branches free of the toxins. In any case, gum trees, along with callistemon etc are about all we can safely use in many parts of this country. There are many excotics in my town but I can't necessarily identify them.

 

[Jett424]

Hmmm. Maybe leave out the leaves and just have some dried out think branches?