Can I Put Tree Branches in My Bird Cage?

Owning a pet bird means considering several things for its healthy upkeep. Installing a beautiful cage, a functional bird bath, and an approachable bird feeder is what every enthusiast looks after.

However, a few amongst them take steps forward and try adding more features and accessories, for instance, “Tree Branches inside Bird Cages”.

Adding Tree branches to Bird Cage not only improves the aesthetics but also aids for different purposes. Branches inside bird cages serve a range of practical usage. Most of them use branches for playing, singing, resting, sleeping, and courting along with others.

Why do Birds Need Branches?

Perches and Branches are crucial parts of a bird’s environment, especially for pet birds. They need different shapes and sizes of branches for better comfort, good foot health, and physical exercise.

For instance, Shower Branches help birds while they enjoy under the shower or for enjoying the humidity of the bathroom.

Similarly, Rope perches and other types of flexible perches come in handy for swinging and hopping. Or coarse perches come in handy for birds for beak and nail conditioning. 

Simultaneously, Birds need branches to chew as it satisfies their instinctive need to gnaw. Chewing on Perches or separate wood means less craving for food throughout the day. 

Safe and Unsafe Perches/ Branches for using inside Bird Cage

Using wood (perches/ branches) inside Birdcages isn’t as simple as it seems. Selecting the right kind of wood and avoiding the wrong one is extremely important. 

Here are some tips on safe and unsafe wood that will help you with the process.

Apple, eucalyptus, fir, ginkgo, bottle brush, butterfly tree, crabapple, lilac, magnolia, almond, beech, spruce, dogwood, elm, and mimosa are some safe wood. All of these are sturdier hardwoods and therefore stay for longer. They even won’t easily develop bacteria and fungi like other softwood.

NOTE: Maple wood without bark too is quite a safe wood to go with.

On the other hand, boxwood, elderberry, flame tree, ground cherry, hemlock, red alder, apricot, juniper, mountain laurel, azalea, yew, holly, horse chestnut, hydrangea, walnut, wisteria are examples of unsafe softwoods and hardwoods. It is advisable to avoid woods that can dent easily. Also, avoid driftwoods and pressure-treated woods purposely. Branches and perches from trees that are treated heavily with pesticides, too, aren’t a very good option to go with. 

What is the right size of the branch for my Bird Cage?

While you are choosing a branch for Bird Cage, ensure you are picking up the right size. A branch with enough diameter and can support birds’ weight makes sense to be picked. 

Go with a branch that is thicker than at least 8 to 9 inches. Make sure the size is good enough for birds to manage their foot space.

Preparing Branches before putting them into the Bird Cage

Now that you have the right branch for your Bird Cage, it’s time to prepare it for the function/ operation. 

Begin with cleaning any topical pesticide or pollutants, insects, mould, and fungi. Scrub it first, a strip of the bark, and then, later on, continue with a wash. 

For washing, take a bucket of water, and fill it with one tablespoon of bleach or vinegar. Dip the branch into it and remove it after an hour.

Later, bake the branch at 200 degrees for about 1 to 2 hours in an oven. Doing so will aid in killing any bacteria or fungus which might be hiding under the crevices of the bark.

However, if the branch is too large for an oven, allow it to dry and roast naturally under direct sunlight. However, it would take 2 to 3 days.

Wrapping up…

If you maintain Bird Cages at home, you can incorporate tree branches inside for improving aesthetics and functionality.

However, make sure you choose the right kind of wood and do not go for just another branch available in your garden. 

The right wood/ branch can aid in multiple benefits for your pet birds, similarly, the wrong wood/ branch can lead to ill effects.