Are Maple Branches Safe For Pet Birds?

by James Glover
View Biography

Is is safe to make perches out of tree limbs from our back yard Maple tree? Our Orange Wing Amazon Maxine loves to chew. I have made some natural Maple perches for her. Thought it would please her to have something natural to chew on. They have not been treated or sprayed and still have the bark on them. (Dan Heath - Ohio)

Using natural tree branches for your bird's perches is an excellent way to improve the richness of her environment. With anything taken from outside, it should be scrubbed with soap (with any obvious insect pods removed), thoroughly rinsed and air dried.

Safe tree branches include most fruit trees, such as almond, citrus and apple. However, there seems to be a little confusion about Maple trees. Red Maple is definitely not safe for birds, because it can harbor a fungal toxin, but vine maple is widely regarded as being safe.

More General Bird Care Questions & Answers

Disclaimer: This service is meant to provide advice only and is not meant to replace an appointment with a registered veterinarian. Users should always seek a second opinion. Unfortunately we are only able to answer several questions per week so not everyone gets a published answer. And, unfortunately we can't answer by email.

Readers' Comments (Newest to Oldest)

There are currently no comments for this topic.