Full time on a play tree?

[MykaMom]

Can't find this elsewhere in Forums. If it's been discussed, please point me to it?

YNA Myka, age 13, is rarely caged, maybe ~ once a month due to severe weather or emergency, infrequent strangers afraid of birds.

I've been thinking seriously of building a play tree out of apple wood from my trees as they're going to be cut down this fall. They haven't been sprayed since we moved here in 2011. He would live on the tree, with his old 'sleeping' cage for those infrequent times(it's much smaller than his normal cage, but plenty big enough. I used it when we lived in my old house. He slept upstairs in my room at night and was on his regular cage during the day).

Has anyone done this? Good, bad, ugly? Considerations? Any input is welcome, even to say 'it's a dumb idea' as long as you say why. I do plan on a sheltered area for a sleeping spot. That or move his old sleeping cage back in.

Thanks!

this is his cage. It's very large. Won't fit through standard door frames.

 

[Cottonoid]

What a handsome fellow!

I'm curious what people think of this, too!

My bird chooses to go back into his cage to sleep so I have no experience with this, but I'd think that as long as safety concerns are addressed (and it sounds like you're already past that point), a clean tree would be perfectly suitable as a sleeping perch for your guy.

 

[kme3388]

One of my parrots pretty much lives on his 2 stands. He's out all day everyday except in the evenings. I put him in his nighttime cage/room in the evening to make sure he is getting 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. He also goes to his nighttime cage/room if he is overly stimulated. This typically happens when there is company over.

It would be a dream come true for my parrot if I put a tree in the house for him to live on. I think he'd be in my hair if I did this though. I would wake up with him right next to me, and I'd never have any personal space again

You''ll have to keep us updated on if this works for you, and what you find out

 

[SailBoat]

Our Julio (Double Yellow-Headed Amazon) is a 'Free Roamer', 24/7. Although I would never recommend this Life Style as it requires that one Parrot Proof their Home! No easy undertaking. I bring this up as a means of showing what is possible when one has a 'Very Special Parrot' that is Adult enough to fully entertain him/her self without disassembling the house.

Our Julio has five (5) perches and a full-sized cage with our front door sized to quickly pull it outside when needed (cleaning or emergency). Any given day, he spends time on every perch, the cage and 'his' high-wing chair. He will either walk or fly from location to location and has developed a pattern and one could find him (depending on the time of day) at any location with him selectively moving between them depending on what we are doing , time of day, or what is going on outside.

A single Tree may not be enough as our Julio loves to move about our home. The proof of that is 'his' wing-back chair, which he selected and has called it his own. Point being, what you think your Parrot will be happy with, is likely less than what your Parrot will expand to include!

Assure your Amazon is flighted and has the mentality to self-entertain when home alone.

 

[JimsBrother]

You''ll have to keep us updated on if this works for you, and what you find out

And PICTURES!

@MykaMom I'm a woodworker and really interested in what you come up with. And your room looks like mine... bird poop and feathers

 

[MykaMom]

One of my parrots pretty much lives on his 2 stands. He's out all day everyday except in the evenings. I put him in his nighttime cage/room in the evening to make sure he is getting 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. He also goes to his nighttime cage/room if he is overly stimulated. This typically happens when there is company over.

It would be a dream come true for my parrot if I put a tree in the house for him to live on. I think he'd be in my hair if I did this though. I would wake up with him right next to me, and I'd never have any personal space again

You''ll have to keep us updated on if this works for you, and what you find out

Myka has, upon occasion, decided it was time to get up. He walks into my room, climbs the bed covers and the next thing I know I hear "hello" or "ok" in my ear!

 

[MykaMom]

Our Julio (Double Yellow-Headed Amazon) is a 'Free Roamer', 24/7. Although I would never recommend this Life Style as it requires that one Parrot Proof their Home! No easy undertaking. I bring this up as a means of showing what is possible when one has a 'Very Special Parrot' that is Adult enough to fully entertain him/her self without disassembling the house.

Our Julio has five (5) perches and a full-sized cage with our front door sized to quickly pull it outside when needed (cleaning or emergency). Any given day, he spends time on every perch, the cage and 'his' high-wing chair. He will either walk or fly from location to location and has developed a pattern and one could find him (depending on the time of day) at any location with him selectively moving between them depending on what we are doing , time of day, or what is going on outside.

A single Tree may not be enough as our Julio loves to move about our home. The proof of that is 'his' wing-back chair, which he selected and has called it his own. Point being, what you think your Parrot will be happy with, is likely less than what your Parrot will expand to include!

Assure your Amazon is flighted and has the mentality to self-entertain when home alone.

Very good food for thought re multiple hangouts...

 

[MykaMom]

Our Julio (Double Yellow-Headed Amazon) is a 'Free Roamer', 24/7. Although I would never recommend this Life Style as it requires that one Parrot Proof their Home! No easy undertaking. I bring this up as a means of showing what is possible when one has a 'Very Special Parrot' that is Adult enough to fully entertain him/her self without disassembling the house.

Our Julio has five (5) perches and a full-sized cage with our front door sized to quickly pull it outside when needed (cleaning or emergency). Any given day, he spends time on every perch, the cage and 'his' high-wing chair. He will either walk or fly from location to location and has developed a pattern and one could find him (depending on the time of day) at any location with him selectively moving between them depending on what we are doing , time of day, or what is going on outside.

A single Tree may not be enough as our Julio loves to move about our home. The proof of that is 'his' wing-back chair, which he selected and has called it his own. Point being, what you think your Parrot will be happy with, is likely less than what your Parrot will expand to include!

Assure your Amazon is flighted and has the mentality to self-entertain when home alone.

Myka is rarely home alone and when he is, it's briefly. I'm disabled, we are constant companions. Once in a great while, I'll find him perched on a chair or the back of the couch.

He likes to explore when we're busy in the house. I think he just wants to be in on the action, lol.

He gets his wings trimmed when he starts flying around and refusing recall because that's just no fun, lol.

His tree will absolutely be accessible from the floor with either sisal climbing rope, ladders or both. I can't imagine leaving him stranded: it's vital he can return to his cage on his own either by walking and climbing or flying. I think it's a core foundation in his security: I can't imagine him unble to fully access any part of his personal home.

In your experience, am I on the right track with this plan?

 

[MykaMom]

Myka is rarely home alone and when he is, it's briefly. I'm disabled, we are constant companions. Once in a great while, I'll find him perched on a chair or the back of the couch.

He likes to explore when we're busy in the house. I think he just wants to be in on the action, lol.

He gets his wings trimmed when he starts flying around and refusing recall because that's just no fun, lol.

His tree will absolutely be accessible from the floor with either sisal climbing rope, ladders or both. I can't imagine leaving him stranded: it's vital he can return to his cage on his own either by walking and climbing or flying. I think it's a core foundation in his security: I can't imagine him unble to fully access any part of his personal home.

In your experience, am I on the right track with this plan?

We also have a really small house. It's got bedrooms upstairs but it's designed for main floor living, although it's in need of updating. He can see the dining room and my bedroom from his spot in the living room(ok, his entire half of said room, lol).

I'd have to figure out where to put a second tree he can spend time on, maybe in the dining room. He has a play stand connected by linking rings to his cage now, giving him about 8'-10' of horizontal space that's all his. I'm trying to figure a way he can enjoy window perches without him destroying said windows...

 

[MykaMom]

One of my parrots pretty much lives on his 2 stands. He's out all day everyday except in the evenings. I put him in his nighttime cage/room in the evening to make sure he is getting 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep. He also goes to his nighttime cage/room if he is overly stimulated. This typically happens when there is company over.

It would be a dream come true for my parrot if I put a tree in the house for him to live on. I think he'd be in my hair if I did this though. I would wake up with him right next to me, and I'd never have any personal space again

You''ll have to keep us updated on if this works for you, and what you find out

I will! It's going to be September or October before my tree guy is back to remove more trees from the jungle. I have a tree picked out for harvesting the main trunk, split and branches.

 

[SailBoat]

The plan sounds like it is on the right path.
I understand your concern regarding limiting flight, but you may want to consider a bit longer between clips as those huge flight muscles are connected to his cardiovascular system and that assures that his Heart and Air Sacks stay healthy.
When you complete the tree, watch for his interest in other areas as Amazons are always checking-out areas that allows viewing out windows, across rooms and always, what the Human's are up too!.