Why no leaves?

Compa · Aug 29, 2015

Greetings all. Newbie here. Recently bought my first bird in over 20 years. lt'll be several weeks before Goomba, my new baby GCC, can come home. So, I've got a lot of time to set up his cage.
I've checked out hundreds of cages on the internet to get some design ideas and not a single cage incorporates any foliage - live or fake. This seems odd since, in nature, they live in trees! - with leaves! Is there an obvious reason for this that I'm not aware?
BTW - I am overwhelmed by the level of expertise and knowledge and the willingness to share that this forum offers. Thanks for letting me be a part of it.

Solo · Aug 29, 2015

Congrats on the new fid! We would love to see pictures after he is settled in. I will be incorporating live plants into my habitat room. I could think of a number of reasons cages don't come with plant life.

Liability, many plants are toxic why risk it.

They are immediate shred toys and would probably not last long.

They should be organically grown, even if you get a non toxic plant, any pesticides used on it in the past could be harmful to the bird.

I would never recommend fake plants as they can be ingested and cause serious health issues.

SilverSage · Aug 29, 2015

Fake plants would be dangerous, and live plants come with risks. My birds get branches from safe untreated sources of safe varieties, and they demolish them within hours. Well, usually shorter than that

WilliamKenyon · Aug 30, 2015

I hope your bird will be a real doll. Anyway cages don't include branches with fake leaves as when the birds chew them they could ingest the synthetic material and get sick. as with real leaves there is not much point as they will just rot or dry up and also could be a danger to the birds so that is why bird cages don't come with leaves on the branches. Also it is better to put some natural branches in the cage as with normal perches that are all the same size the birds can get pressure sores. Here is a website with bird safe woods Safe and Dangerous Woods. Good luck withyour gcc and i hope you like the forum.

getwozzy · Aug 30, 2015

Congrats on your new baby! (Pictures please!!)

As solo said- it's a liability issue because there are so many possibly toxic plants out there.

You can add live foliage though!-- just make sure the plant is safe, and has never been sprayed with any chemicals.

We grow bamboo on our property and my birds LOOOOOVE bamboo days

SilverSage · Aug 30, 2015

And just to be clear, the "lucky bamboo" sold as a decorative plant in many stores is actually a Lilly and is toxic. Real bamboo is safe.

Compa · Aug 30, 2015

Thank you all for the education. There is so much to know. I am trying to devour as much information as possible before Compa' (pronounced Goombah) comes home. Here he is at about 3 1/2 weeks.

Compa · Aug 30, 2015

getwozzy - Your flock must love the Palace you set up for them. I am a big fan of the natural look. Too bad we don't get much bamboo here in Illinois.

SailBoat · Aug 30, 2015

Cage manufacturers' are just that: manufacturers. The combination of reduced inventory, build, assembly, packaging, transportation, storage and overall package size and weight are driving factors in what they include. From manufacture, to storage, to transport, all add cost to a market that is heavily influenced by 'price.' The fewer the variations to the general supply, the larger the targeted market. The more variation, the smaller the overall market, the longer a single items sits in storage (inventory), the greater the potential of losses.

There are custom cage manufacturers' (or cage enhancers) that will happily build and/or supply a complete customized cage with a full array interior and exterior 'furniture' (including live plants) complete in nearly every way. At that point, it is purely a matter in how much you are will to pay.

Compa · Aug 30, 2015

Here is the cage right now. Just needs a few more items... and a bird!

Mekaisto · Aug 30, 2015

We grow Casurina and Eucalypt, and the cockatoos LOVE it! Once my black cockatoo comes home she'll definitely be getting bunches!

The only thing I'm wary of is the fact that wild birds love it too - I only take branches from the bottom of the tree where wild birds don't really go, and wash it thoroughly before offering it.

SailBoat · Aug 30, 2015

Going to be one very lucky parrot!

Why no leaves?

Compa

New member

Solo

New member

SilverSage

New member

WilliamKenyon

New member

getwozzy

New member

SilverSage

New member

Compa

New member

Attachments

Compa

New member

SailBoat

Supporting Member

Compa

New member

Attachments

Mekaisto

New member

SailBoat

Supporting Member

Sleep cage size?

Importing Parrot to the UK from the US

Most Reactions

Similar threads

Latest posts