Perches and toys, help?

[Bioengparront]

Hello everybody, I was looking at some new perches and toys for Cookie's cage, but I think I am becoming paranoid... So, most of the current cage accessories are inherited from my dearly missed cockatiel Pachito, but he definitely wasn't as active (destructive) as this little GCC hurricane! Moreover, I am still having trouble with putting him back into the cage after outside time, so I thought that a new layout could help.

First point: rope or juta perches? He currently has some plastic ones but I read they are not great for his feet and I wanted to find something more comfortable. But I heard that rope perches can be dangerous, and he DOES chew on everything he interacts with, so I am reluctant with those. Is juta safer? I only recently heard about this option so I wanted some feedback.

This brings up another point: sleep perch. Thing is, he doesn't sleep on a perch and he never did, he prefers sticking to the bottom of the cage and worming his way under the paper, forcing me to change the cage cleaning schedule to right before he goes to sleep to avoid a poop covered bird in the morning. Maybe he finds the plastic uncomfortable? If so, what kind of sleep perch should I look into?

As for toys, I really don't know. Do you have any suggestions for some must-have GCC toys, considering also Cookie's very young age? He is 5 months old and going through a very heavy molt, so I'd like to cheer him up as much as possible.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Talven]

Rope of any sort is a risk as they can chew off threads and ingest them which can build up in the crop. So potentially fatal.

Perches in my opinion should be branches from a bird safe tree (A list can be found here) It's what they would have naturally so its better for them.

I have found that footbarrels and the smaller bell and balls to be a winner with my conures.

 

[Bioengparront]

Rope of any sort is a risk as they can chew off threads and ingest them which can build up in the crop. So potentially fatal.

Perches in my opinion should be branches from a bird safe tree (A list can be found here) It's what they would have naturally so its better for them.

I have found that footbarrels and the smaller bell and balls to be a winner with my conures.

Thanks for the advice! Those were exactly my concerns regarding rope perches. I was referring to something like this when I mentioned jute perches - I believe the correct term is Sisal? Sorry, I am not a native English speaker :06: I was told they are safe because ingested threads can be digested and do not get stuck in the crop, but I wanted some feedback to be sure. Rope is definitely a no-go at this point.

Will definitely purchase the bell and balls, might be a challenge to find those footbarrels, very few sites allow deliveries in Italy...

 

[Talven]

Sisal or Jute is ok as it is plant fibres but still has potential risks. There is potential for injury if they get tangled in the loosened fibres so you have to keep an eye on it. Rope can be used but again you have to watch out for the loose threads and them being swallowed.

If you are craft minded you can find all kinds of good stuff on places like ebay to make toys from. This site is a great reference if you are DIY minded.

Don't be tempted to get one of those bird snuggle hut toys. I know they are shown a lot in youtube videos and would seem like a good thing as your bird snuggles under the paper at night. The fleecy material is worse than rope for crop impaction, the thread used to sew it together can tangle around the bird and amputate toes or legs or even worse strangle your bird. Plus you are creating a nest situation which will lead to hormonal issues.

As for not being a native English speaker, I wouldn't have known if you hadn't mentioned it. You do better than many people who use it as their primary language.

 

[SassiBird]

I second the footbarrels, bells and balls.
If you want a rope perch I would get the jute over the cotton. As Talven said, just keep an eye on it.
The flying trapeze is my birds favorite toy. Attach one of those balls with a bell in it for extra fun.

 

[Bioengparront]

Thanks again! Yes, I knew about the hormonal problem associated with hut toys, I will definitely avoid those. I think I will follow your advice on wooden perches, do you know if olive trees branches are safe? They are not mentioned on the list you posted above, and they are very common here. I wanted to discourage his current sleeping behaviour mostly because I am looking for a new cage, and the one I put my eye on (Montana Madeira I) has a metal mesh (?) on the bottom to avoid contact with feces, so I am afraid it will destabilise him or make him lose trust in me... I mean, if it comes to it I will just remove the mesh, but it kind of defies the point of its existence and it looks more hygienic.

Also, thanks for the compliment, it's nice to know all those subtitled tv series were useful too

 

[noodles123]

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFT2bHptiGY"]YouTube[/ame] -->watch it all because she does provide details that matter (esp stuff about huts and perches)

 

[Talven]

As far as I know olive wood is safe especially if it is the type of olive that produces fruit. It's generally birds that spread the pits by taking the fruit so I would hazard a guess and say the branches would be safe. Maybe someone has more of an idea on that than I do.

If you have the time try a little bird watching and see if birds perch in the branches or better yet roost in it at night. With anything that you are uncertain of keep an eye on it.