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I live in Northern California, & have many large trees (therefore many fallen branches). Want to let my guy chew them up but I don't want him getting mites, toxins, or other unknown health hazzards. Any suggestions or knowledge on making them safe for him?? Thanks for info if you have it

Hi ! Tree brances are great, available, cheap chewables. I have loads that come down in my yard here in Michigan,too. The first thing is make sure that they have not been sprayed for bugs or fertilized. That stuff just doesn't seem to go away easily. But I have picked up lots of pine cones that my birds love to chew and I boil them for about 10 minutes and then let them dry in the sun. Branches are pretty safe as long as they haven't been treated with any chemicals. Also check a list of safe woods and plants.
Cheryl

As long as the branches are safe, you could give them to your parrots straight from the tree, still green! My birds love to destroy fresh branches, especially removing the leaves! If your worried about bugs, try thoroughly spraying the branches down first, before giving to your birds!

Here's something I put together for the birds! They can't necessarily land on it (I hope to replace the PVC soon, but in the meantime, it works well in being able to place fresh branches into!)



Like I said, they love the stuff!

I got this from a web site: A bird spends all its time standing on a perch so careful consideration must be given to this aspect of your pet’s environment. Tree branches or wood naturally make the best perches (heating branches in an oven at 300°F for 30 minutes will kill any bugs). Providing non-toxic, washed, fresh branches such as apple, elm, ash, maple or willow will be both functional and attractive in the cage. Natural branches should be selected such that a variety of diameters are available to perch on. This affords various textures, choice of grip and good exercise for the feet. Wood perches seem to help wear the nails down better than other materials. Branches provide an entertainment value for those birds who like to chew. Wood is more difficult to disinfect due to its porous nature but can be washed and replaced often. www.v-e-t-s.co.uk/housing.htm

There are a quite a few species of plants that are toxic, some dangerously so. One of the most amazingly toxic of common plants is oleander.

There are also a LOT of toxic compounds that people spray on plants to prevent their being eaten by hungry insects. Some of these compounds can stay around a long time and are also toxic to birds and other organisms as well as insects. Others are certainly toxic only to insects. There are far fewer really nasty things being used today than in the past, but one must realise that human toxicity is considered far more than avian when pesticides are approved for use on various things.

When trees have been fertiilised with standard inorganic fertilisers like phosphates, ammonium salts, potassium nitrate, etc. they are receiving the same ions that they normally get from healthy soil but that humans typically have, from using very bad conservation practices, depleted from the soil. This does not produce a toxicity hazard for now. However, the practices that make it necessary to do this are creating horrible ecological damage to the entire planet. There ARE a few organic (carbon containing) compounds, not inorganic ones, that may well create hazards. Under natural conditions plants absorb virtually only inorganic ions from their roots, typically phosphate, sodium, nitrate, and sulphate, as well as dozens of ions required in small quantities, some in truly trace quantities, in fact. Even carnivorous plants do not absorb organic compounds from their "prey". Their prey decomposes, and generates inorganic ions that the plant absorbs.

It always seems odd to me as a scientist that fertilisers are so often thought of as creating a serious hazard when the reality is that they are used because soil depletion occurred because of horrible agricultural practices of the past. In reality they are being used to compensate for other foolishness done by mankind which has become necessary to keep much of the planet from being a wasteland.

Humans treat their agricultural land like a potassium and phosphorous mines. They grow crops on them, and harvest them taking away nutrients all the time. These nutrients then end up in sewage where they typically are typically placed in situations where they will not be recycled for thousands of years. It is standard practice in many places for people to cut their lawn grass and carry away all the clippings which ultimately remove all of the essential nutrients from the soil.

Not only are many of the world's species, especially birds, threatened by human agricultural practices, future generations of humans are threatened as well. We are in the process of turning much of the planet into a wasteland. (A lot of it already is that way!)

Be very sure you are not using a toxic plant--this is usually the most serious hazard!!! But also worry a lot about pesticides. Some familiar plants are fairly toxic.

There are also serious hazards from pests.

Robert, have you read about chemtrails? I haven't sprayed any poisons in my yard in 3 decades but I wonder if some might be raining down.

Just curious, Paca

I don't do anything with the branches. If there's visible birdpoo, i remove it with a wet cloth, but that's about it. You don't have to do much more then that. Íf you're worried, shower and scrub them down a bit.

What kind of tiny perches would fit in an oven? lol

We don't need to desinfect everything. It's better for them to be exposed to a bit of bacteria, and foreign things from outdoors. It helps build their immunesystem.

Of course we should keep things clean, but putting perches in the oven, freezer and everything i've heard about people doing is in my opinion very unnessesary.

I still scrub with a 5% clorox solution...and bake what I can...mostly pieces that I cut for toys. I'm leary of opossums/roaches carrying sarco...which we lost several family members from here to within the last few years. Also, I work with the CDP and have a fear of organophosphates and phosgenes being carried to the greenery from wind, rain or the birds and the bees...I agree that we tend to be too Overantibacterialized (is that a word LOL), but I'd rather err on the side of caution when it comes to my feathers....

Cyndie wrote: Overantibacterialized (is that a word LOL)

YEP THATS A WORD AT MY HOUSE
BETTER TO "OVERANTIBACTERIALIZE THAN LOSE A FID

We were told by someone who has had birds for years that they soak branches in a water/bleach solution for 3 hrs. and then Sun Dry them for 48 hrs. Also, we only do organic gardening so we can keep track of what goes into our ground and on our plants... Although, we have a well that provides all the water to our home so we have to be more careful.

I wouldn't use any bleach on tree branches that are going to be used by birds. Most woods will absorb at least a small amount of the liquid (which is why you shouldn't use bleach solution on dowels either), and the birds can ingest it while chewing the branches.

If you think you can offer them straight from the tree, go for it but be aware of potential problems like worms that could rack up the vet bills.

If you're concerned, I would just bake them in the oven to kill any little organisms like worms or things from wild birds.

This probably goes without saying, but if you're not sure if the trees have been sprayed or not or even if they're truly safe, just don't use them

It's better to be cautious with such sensitive beings.

If you bake branches, you should bake at 140 degrees and baked for at least 6 hours. Especially if you are worried about wood boring bugs.
Here is an excerpt from a website at UC-Davis.
Small wooden items (but not those containing fabrics, pelts, or paints) can be heated in an oven at 120° to 140°F for 6 hours or placed in a deep freeze at 0°F for 72 hours. Longer treatments may be required if the wood is thicker than 2 inches.
So for parrots, using an oven to treat a large piece of wood becomes really time consuming and not very efficient.