Jambu and Starfruit Branches - how to?

[charmedbyekkie]

Ok, a few questions (context below):


How do you secure branches in a cage?

Apart from the big branches, we also have smaller ones:

How on earth can I mount these branches in Cairo’s cage?! One is so big too - I hardly know what to do with it!!

My initial thought was to suspend them from the ceiling of his cage by hemp twine.


How do I treat such large branches?

Biggest one is 56 inches tall and 17 inches at the widest point.
I’ve managed to F10, scrub, and bake the smaller ones. But the bigger ones are just too big, I don’t know how to dry it out.


Are the branches safe?

Everywhere I read says that jambu and starfruit are staples in eclectus diets in the wild. I’m inclined to think the branches of the fruits would be safe because they are indigenous to the region and part of their diet in the wild. I haven’t yet seen anything that says they’re toxic, but if you have, let me know.

In any case, Cairo really doesn’t put an open beak on his perches - he seems to have two categories: chewable things he can hold and non-chewable things he can walk on.


Context:
Our landlady lives next door and her mother cares for all these plants (including the plants Cairo loves foraging with). So we know for sure there’s been no pesticides at all. She just trimmed them down because they were going into the neighbour's side, so it's not because of any disease or anything like that. The birds in the neighbourhood don’t show any obvious signs of being ill (the mynahs, orioles, sparrows, hornbills, and doves), but I do want to be safe.

 

[noodles123]

1. I would bake them to kill any mold/parasites (you will find conflicting temperature suggestions online)..do make sure that the sent won't overpower when in the oven.
2. I would saw off the parts that are too long.

Starfruit is DELICIOUS. It's in my top 5 favorite fruits. I totally get it lol.

 

[chris-md]

All my branches have been too big to bake, so they will sit in our bathtub for an out soaking in water with a bit of bleach - perhaps a 2 cups in enough water to cover the branches in about an un of water. It’s pretty dilute.

For an hour they soak. Then I drain out the water, refilling the tub again and letting the branches sit in clean water For an hour to pull out bleach. I’ll drain this and soak one more time for another hour to really get the bleach out. Then let them dry. Any minute amount of bleach that would be present (not much at all) is inactivated once the branches dry.

Three total hours.

Star fruit is definitely safe. Parker won’t touch it though it’s been a while however, maybe I’ll revisit it.

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Oh! I meant, are they safe as branches? I know the fruits are edible and Cairo has been reaping the fruits of the garden

Let me figure out how to soak them then.. Bathtubs are a rarity in Singapore - water security concerns and all.

 

[noodles123]

If you soak in bleach, do it far away from your bird and then let them sit in the sun to denature whatever is left by bleach..Makes me very nervous.

If they are too big to bake, you could consider using stainless, double-sided screws to attach them back, or dowel rods inserted into a drilled hole in the branch.

I just read about starfruit possibly damaging kidneys in cockatoos (but not from the most reputable of all sources). Either way, eclectus are so unique that I imagine it is safe if that is common in the wild.

 

[chris-md]

Noodles, no need to be nervous. If you haven’t done it before I can understand the concern. But once you go through it you’ll understand it’s completely safe. You’re starting with a dilute solution, and after the soaking all the bleach is gone. Drying in the sun, while always positive, is unnecessary as the drying is more than sufficient to burn off what trace amounts of bleach may remain.

Also remember bleach is consumed by organics in the sterilization process, and it happens quickly. As a pool owner you get to understand this intimately, as the cheapest way to chlorinate a pool is to use pure bleach. You learn your gallon of bleach is consumed in 2 days. So how quickly do you think a Branch will eat up the equivalent of a drop of bleach?

 

[charmedbyekkie]

Ok, so the branches I washed/scrubbed with F10 and baked are in Cairo's cage, and he likes perching on them just fine (not a perch chewer at all).

But we've got a problem with the others!

That being said, we've had one heck of a rainy season this year. Our kitchen was an outdoor kitchen that's been converted to an indoor kitchen. Which means, temperature regulation inside there just doesn't exist. When it's a normal day, it gets melting hot inside (I regulate it with a standing fan). And now that it is nonstop torrential rain, it's freezing (ok, maybe 20 C inside - I'm too acclimatised to local weather). And of course, because it's raining, humidity is skyrocketing.

Singapore is normally over 80% humidity. But it's nonstop raining

Long story short: MOLD!!!!

Our wooden bread board and wooden chopping board are all moldy. *cry* And I checked the branches that I was temporarily storing in the kitchen (was going to treat them this coming weekend) - the untreated branches are moldy

If I scrub, bleach, ozone, and UV them, will they be salvageable?

I feel so bad just tossing them. That big one (56 inches by 17 inches), our neighbour's helper was so excited to give it to Cairo. And it would be such a shame to see it go to waste..

 

[noodles123]

eek--- I am super paranoid about all of that stuff---Ozone is bad news indoors too. They say the particles fall to the ground but can be inhaled when stirred up (during cleaning etc). It probably depends on the type of mold.

When you say the "untreated" ones, what did you treat the non-moldy ones with?

I just wonder how long the ones in his cage will stay safe if everything is so moldy lol.

 

[charmedbyekkie]

eek--- I am super paranoid about all of that stuff---Ozone is bad news indoors too. They say the particles fall to the ground but can be inhaled when stirred up (during cleaning etc). It probably depends on the type of mold.

When you say the "untreated" ones, what did you treat the non-moldy ones with?

I just wonder how long the ones in his cage will stay safe if everything is so moldy lol.

We typically do the ozone and UV stuff outside remotely when Cairo isn't at home.

As for the treated ones, they sat in the sun for a few hours before I sorted through them. I scrubbed them down with white vinegar first, then again with F10. I recoated with F10 and let them sit. I then baked them in our oven for 4 hours at 100 C.

Cairo's cage is in the living room, which means it's regulated like a normal home - no mold issues there. Plus it's on the opposite end of the house. In fact, I always keep the kitchen door closed in order to keep the rest of the house from losing its balanced air to the kitchen.