Perches for Budgies ( Foot Care by Vets)

Last Updated on August 27, 2022 by Ali Shahid

Gravity requires even creatures designed for flight to spend a lot of time on their feet. Due to their trimmed wings, pet budgies stand more than their wild relatives.

Thus, it is very important to have perches under those feet. Perches give the following benefits to budgies:

• A place to stand
• To chew on
• A rubbing surface
• Grooming their beaks

The size of perches varies to ensure that budgies can grip and grasp them firmly and comfortably. The diameter of the perch should match the size of the budgie. Perches should be wide enough for parrots to grasp instead of standing on top.

A budgie can fall or slip on a perch that is too large. A parrot that can grasp tightly to its perch is less likely to fall when startled. Different-sized perches allow birds to exercise more and select the best perch for themselves.

Birds can get sore feet if the perch diameter stays the same all the time. In this article, we will focus on perches for budgies and their advantages. If you want your feather friend to be healthy, and happy, read this article completely.

An Ideal Perch

A perfect perch is not too soft, not too hard, and not too smooth. Those with wing clips may have difficulty maintaining balance on smooth perches.

Too hard perches are hard to chew up and fun to play with, and too soft perches are easy to destroy.

Advantage of Perches for Budgies

Perches and stands are essential for budgies. However, one perch won’t offer all the benefits that a variety of perches can. A range of perches and stands are necessary for budgies to exercise and maintain good foot health.

There are many sizes and shapes of perches, including circular, rectangular, and oval shapes. Budgie owners should purchase the appropriate size for their parrots. Perches with irregular shapes are typically made of branches, mimicking a natural environment.

Besides rope perches that provide budgies with a different surface, swings are also a fun activity. You can bathe pet budgies in shower perches or let them enjoy the humid environment in the bathroom.

You can also attach shower perches to windows. Coarse surfaces are good for nail and beak conditioning.

However, it cannot be the only type. Walking on these surfaces for long periods can be painful for budgies.

Budgies are naturally curious creatures, and they will want sites from which they can observe what’s happening. Additionally, perches encourage activity and exercise. Each of these factors plays a role in a bird’s health and well-being.

Best types of perches to use for Budgies

Budgies use perches both as places to stand and as chewing objects. Especially for parrots, chewing is a beneficial and enjoyable behavior. Therefore, perches should be considered disposable by budgie owners.

Wooden Perches for Budgies

Natural wood and wood branches make the best perches due to their different diameters, which distribute pressure evenly.

Commercial bird perches made of manzanita wood are available.

Perches can also be made from branches from non-toxic trees (see list below). However, the wood should be heated at 200°F for 30 minutes to disinfect them, because it could contain harmful microbes and fungi.

Additionally, some woods contain oils that may be toxic to birds if chewed. The use of non-toxic, clean, and disinfected branches in cages can be both practical and attractive.

Softer material perches may not wear nails down as effectively as wood perches. Additionally, wood perches entertain birds.

Perch covers made of sandpaper should not be used. They can irritate and sore the feet of birds. The following woods can be used for making wooden perches for budgies.

• Apple
• Ash
• Birch
• Beech
• Crab apple
• Elm
• Hawthorn
• Larch
• Lilac
• Maple
• Mountain ash (rowan)
• Mulberry Poplar
• Willow
• Rose Spruce Sycamore

Edible Perches

It’s hard to resist a snack, isn’t it? As budgies forage in the wild, they can safely chew and eat this perch. Many of these perches are made of calcium, which is beneficial for beak health.

He can nibble on it whenever he likes, so it keeps him busy. Bee pollen is even included in some for added nutrition and fun.

Dowel perches

These are the most common cage perches for birds. These perches are okay for chewing, but they shouldn’t be the only types of perches in a cage.

Rope Perches

Adding rope perches to your bird’s cage can add many fun climbing opportunities! However, the danger of entangled strings getting around toes, legs, or even necks cannot be overstated.

Birds can also ingest these strings and fibers, causing impaction, which can be deadly. If you want rope perches, make sure they are made of 100% cotton ropes, sisal ropes, hemp ropes, or jute ropes.

Cement Perches

You can use ceramic or cement perches with other perches to wear down birds’ nails and beaks safely. However, concrete perches are not the only ones that should be used in cages. They can irritate the bottoms of budgies’ feet, resulting in sores.

Plastic perches

A plastic perch is usually long and straight, and the ones with a variety are usually not very big. They are sometimes provided with cages.

They only provide convenience to owners and make them look attractive.

Those perches cannot be chewed, and if they do, they will become sick over time from ingesting plastic.

Things to Consider When Opting for Perches

Choosing the wrong perches can hurt your budgie’s feet as well as impact adversely on their overall health. It is therefore important to choose a cage that has varied perching options depending on the size of your budgie.

An insufficiently large or small perch can cause arthritis in the birds. It is best to avoid abrasive or abrasion-prone materials, such as plastic perch.

Ultimately, a budgie that is uncomfortable is an unhappy bird. It is the last thing a budgie owner wants to see his birds in discomfort.

The budgie is a naturally curious creature. For monitoring their surroundings and sleeping, they require comfortable and safe vantage points. The best perches are not only a bird’s best view but also an exercise and entertainment source for them.

It is therefore better to avoid plastic perches when buying one and opt for wooden ones, rope-made perches, or simply natural ones. Stones and sand perches also have their cons.

People Also Ask

Why do budgies need perches?

The budgie needs a perch to sleep, sing, play, court, and rest. They spend most of their day curled around a perch, flapping or climbing.

Are rope perches safe for birds?

You can make a great perch out of hemp or untreated cotton rope. Perches with soft, braided rope have a lot of benefits for birds, especially if their feet are arthritic. Also, hemp and cotton ropes are great for parrots since they are soft to chew on.

Are sand perches bad for your budgies?

The purpose of getting a perch in the first place is to give your budgies a comfortable place to sit. However, sand perches can be quite harmful to your birds. Because sand perches are rough, scratchy surfaces, they can cause a lot of harm to your birds’ feet.

What perches are bad for budgies?

Budgies should never be given a round or smooth perch as they will lose their grip and suffer foot problems. Similarly, plastic perches, unlike wooden or stone ones, are smooth and round. They are also bad for the same reasons.

What kind of perches is ideal for budgies?

Due to the variety of perches available, it is difficult to determine which is the best for budgies. Nevertheless, wooden perches, natural branches, and rope perches give them a completely different experience and satisfy their chewing instincts.