Walking into a pet store and looking for the perfect bird perches can be overwhelming. Here’s everything you need to know about bird perches.

Perches? Do I need more than one bird perch?

Yes you do, because birds use their bird perches as a fitness center and they need a variety of bird perches to complete their workout routine. They need to be able to hop from one perch to another and climb up and down ladders or other toys. It keeps their muscles loose and in good shape and it also helps them avoid bone problems such as arthritis. A bird can get arthritis if it stands on the same material and doesn’t exercise.

Be picky

Choosing bird perches for your bird is a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. When you’re looking for the bird perches, get perches that are different sizes and shapes and are made out of a variety of materials.

You first decision will be whether to get natural or artificial bird perches. Natural bird perches are made out of wood. A wooden perch is good for your bird and they like them because they usually peck at the bark, however, natural bird perches can also be hazardous to your bird. Not every type of wood is bird friendly. Many types of wood, such as cherry, oak and pine, are toxic to your bird and should therefore not be placed in the cage. Before you install natural bird perches, check a list of non-toxic wood. This easy step will keep you bird safe.

Once you’ve done that, you can take a trip to the non-toxic trees in your backyard and rip off some branches. Look for branches that will fit the bird. A bird should comfortably sit on a perch without its toes touching. Then, scrub your soon-to-be bird perches in warm soapy water, put them in the oven on a low heat for about half an hour and you’ll have new bird perches!

The opposite of natural bird perches is unnatural bird perches that are made out of manmade materials such as plastic and pieces of manufactured wood. Most cages will come with bird perches that are made out of these materials. These bird perches are OK for your bird to use, but you need to also get softer materials such as a rope, that your bird can play around on. Remember, the purpose of having bird perches is to let the bird pick and choose different resting and playing materials.