homemade play tree

[cat227]

I made this for my baby. Every morning when I open his cage he flies directly to it he loves it!

[helenmat]

Looks great!

[Deleted]

Where did you get the wood from? It does look good. I want one now 😄

[cat227]

I just got tree branches and bout that light foam fence post mix instead of cement. was so easy to make. I think i’ll do a table top one too

[helenmat]

Just make sure the branches you used are not toxic to birds.

[cat227]

would tree branches be toxic? that didn’t occur to me

[helenmat]

Sept 9, 2018 15:11:35 GMT cat227 said:

would tree branches be toxic? that didn’t occur to me

There is a list of safe trees to use on the forum somewhere.... Here you are:

Willow would always be my first choice of perches the branches will be stripped and chewed and the Salicylic acid in the branches is the main ingredient of Aspirin - so it has medicinal properties.

Safe natural wood branches for birds include the following:

Apple - Arbutus - Ash - Aspen - Beech - Birch - Cottonwood - Crabapple - Dogwood - Elm - Fir - Hawthorn -
Larch - Magnolia - Manzanita - Mulberry - Pear - Pine - Poplar - Sequoia (redwood) - Willow.


DO NOT use apricot, cherry, peach, prune, plum or nectarine. These trees all belong to the Prunus species. They contain cyanogenic glycosides which release cyanide if ingested.


Do not assume the leaves are safe and as a precaution i would suggest they are removed.


Eucalyptus branches are nontoxic and are safe to use as natural wood perches.

Although FRESH eucalyptus leaves have been given to birds without causing illness, ingestion of a large amount of the leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhea, crop impaction and muscle weakness in avians.
Avoid giving DRY eucalyptus leaves or using dry eucalyptus leaves for nesting material. These may be contaminated with Aspergillus spores.

Read more: budgerigarsforum.proboards.com/thread/2202/safe-perches#ixzz5Qd2o2tLk

[Hezz]

I would dispute that information regarding fresh eucalyptus leaves, especially when referring to budgies.

[helenmat]

Yes sorry I copied the piece from a post of Barry Shutt. I wouldn’t have included that bit had I known. They are not my words. I was just trying to give quick info and copied a bit too much.

[mehrfarbig]

Is that soil I can see? I'd remove that due to aspergillis. Not worth the risk in my opinion.

[helenmat]

The soil could be replaced with gravel or sand.

[cat227]

thank you all so much!!

Sept 10, 2018 6:19:46 GMT helenmat said:

The soil could be replaced with gravel or sand.

no soil..... fake grass.
also pine tree branches.

[Hezz]

Fresh pine branches are considered unsafe due to the high amount of resin found in pines. Kiln-dried is fine, such as your dowels from hardware stores etc.
There are plenty of sites on line that give lists of toxic and non-toxic plants for birds. Cross reference two or three to give yourself a better idea of what is good and what isn't, as the list don't always agree, or include all the same plants.

[cat227]

hmmmmm must not be pine then. they are the same branches I used years ago for my linelated parakeet. He lived 14 years. I miss my baby Simon... anyway that was long ago, but he always nibbled and played on these branches. well not the exact same branches but from same area where I got his, in a nature preserve park with trails to walk and and see all the birds. that’s why I always just assumed it was safe. it’s miles of nature trails and all along the way are signs of the different types of birds that live there.
I’m in tampabay florida so i assumed they were pine or maybe oak..... which I read yesterday is toxic.
The branches were dead, picked from the ground and scrubbed clean. he’s been on them since july 14th and I haven’t seen any problems so would hate to take it from him now. And why would a miles if nature trails with posts and signs of the different birds be where toxic trees are? I’m now confused what to do 😞

[Hezz]

Some trees are not toxic to other types of birds, that's all. Birds can use trees for protection and nesting but not actually feed on them. Other parts of trees can be safe, flowers for instance, but the bark and leaves might not be. I certainly wasn't trying to scare you, and I don't know whether old, dead pine branches would still contain the resin.