Natural perches?

[Crimson_Shadows]

I've heard that natural perches are better for parrots because it promotes circulation in their feet. Is this true? And what types of trees are safe to take branches from as a perch for a budgerigar?

Sorry if this has already been covered, i did not see it.

[Zooey]

Use pesticide free woods like manzanita, grapevine, alder wood, java, dragon wood, birch, and guava wood. Make sure there are some knots so that your budgies have exercise in their feet to help the circulation even better.
I also read that grooming perches covered in sand are dangerous, because constant contact with this rough surface can create wounds on the bottom of your bird’s feet and lead to a staph infection called “bumblefoot.” I better get rid of my grooming perch. Never knew.

[Crimson_Shadows]

yeah I have heard that as well...ummm i'm not sure I have any of those trees around here...I was wandering at eucalyptus though. because people say it's poisonous, but budgies live wild in australia and there are tons of eucalyptus trees here...do you know anything about them?

[Zooey]

You can buy the branch perches from a pet store, too.
I looked up about budgies and eucalyptus trees and it says that eucalyptus is great for budgies. They are:
1. A toy for your budgies to chew up
2. Great natural food source
3. Great for building up a budgies immune system
4. Budgies like to bath in the wet leaves
5. Great way to get rid of mites in the nest box
6. When the bird preens itself after eating the leaves it rubs the oil through its feathers and gives it a nice healthy shine as well as a great way for keeping mites of our birds without using the spray stuff from pet shops.
That was from http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index.php?showtopic=17915 by someone named Cara.
Where did you hear about eucalyptus being poisonous to budgies?

[Crimson_Shadows]

Well i wasnt sure if tey were poisonous to budgies...but i know tey are poisonous because koalas eat tem and have to sleep off te poison. So then your sure its perfectly safe for budgies? I know a lot of birds that sit on eucalypt trees. I wish i could track down my budgie book

[Zooey]

I'm pretty sure. I never tried it, because there aren't any eucalyptus trees around me. Look it up and see. I saw nothing that said that eucalyptus was poisonous to budgies. There was a list of safe/toxic branches and foliage to parrots, and eucalyptus was on safe branches and foliage.

[Crimson_Shadows]

I actually just looked it up abd people say eucalyptus is great for budgies...some even said its their natural food. That sounds about right..and tey said te leaves are great for chewing...is there anything special i need to do furst to the branches?

[Zooey]

I don't know for sure, but you probably don't have to, because they lived along with it in the wild. Natural is better for anything, too.

[Crimson_Shadows]

yeah thank you. I think it'll do my future budgie some good

[Zooey]

yup. Eucalyptus is probably the best for budgies, the most natural for them to have, since it grows a lot in Australia. Somewhere I read that eucalyptus plays a special part in the life of wild budgies.