Also there is another perch that has different shapes on it because I read that just a dowel is bad.
Mazanita, dragonwood, java, grapevine etc= all options.
I had a custom perch made to replace the large cross-cage perch that used to be in my parrots cage.
Here are some examples (with the exception of that "fir" one from petco (which IMO is far too uniform still)-- again, you will need a bigger cage for most of these. They generally spend the most time on higher perches, so if you have a dowel (and it is highest) that is the one they will often gravitate towards.
https://safeforparrots.com/best-natural-wood-bird-perches/
^ good examples of varied textures. In terms of diameter (no all the way across, but in general, for a tiel 1/2" to 1" is about what you want, but again, you don't want them uniform all the way across).
This is where I got my custom perch, but you can also buy pre-made (non custom) perches here. They custom ones cost more, but for my cage, I needed one.
https://parrotwizard.com/Custom_Perch/
Pressure treated lumber is unsafe and a lot of the wood at hardware stores has been chemically treated.
(note: do not just grab sticks from your yard, as the wood can be toxic, as can some lichen/fungi and even safe woods absorb run-off, road salts and pesticides depending on their location. They can carry bacterial hazards as well. If you find some bird-safe wood that you know has never been exposed to pesticides or run off in the tree's lifetime, then you can strip it and bake it for a period of time to kill bacteria and insect larvae etc, but it's a bit of a process). Not all types need to be stripped, but again, it depends on the type. Wild birds have totally different immune systems so you really can't compare a bird raised in captivity to a wild bird.
