The wooden bird cage is a pleasant, safe place to create for your backyard birds however, if you decide to put up a wooden bird cage, pay very close attention to what kind of wood you’re subjecting your birds to.
What kind of wooden bird cage should I get?
That really depends on the bird. Some birds like a wooden bird cage that is completely closed except for the entry way. This type of wooden bird cage makes nesting birds feel safe and secure because they’re tucked in a small, close area. Other birds prefer a wooden bird cage that is open on all sides, but has a roof to protect the bird from the elements. You can do just a little bit of research and you’ll be able to figure out which type of wooden bird cage is a good fit for your birds.
Watch the wood
Just because a bird cage is wooden doesn’t mean that it’s a perfect choice for your bird. Believe it or not, birds are allergic to many different kinds of wood. Wood can actually be toxic to birds if they chew on the wrong kind of wood. To complicate this matter, each kind of bird is allergic to a different kind of wood so what might work on one wooden bird cage, might be completely wrong for another bird.
One type of wood that is safe for all birds is elm. A wooden bird cage made out of elm will be friendly to your bird. You wooden bird cage should not be made out of cherry or apple wood because these trees contain cyanogenic glycosides that can kill a bird if they’re ingested. This material releases cyanide if it’s ingested and is therefore not a good wood for your bird. Obviously you see birds hanging out on these trees and that’s fine, just as long as they don’t ingest the actual wood.
Some things to remember
All bird cages, especially wooden bird cages, should be cleaned frequently. Wood is a porous substance. Because it’s porous, it has the ability to trap and hold more bacteria and other fifth because the holes (pores) in wood act somewhat like the holes in a sponge.
To keep your birds as safe as you can from bacteria and other yucky substances, make sure to clean your outdoor wooden bird cage every season. Of course you’ll need to wait until the family living in the cage leaves, but once it does, clean your wooden bird cage thoroughly and put it back up when its dry. The wooden bird cage is a great cage as long as you’re an attentive wooden bird cage manager.
