Explore the safety of rope perches for pet birds. Learn about potential risks and benefits to ensure your feathered friend's well-being
A good perch in a bird’s cage is an absolute have.
Perches help your feathered baby rest from a vantage point, as she would in the wild, and aid with foot exercise as required.
However, not all perches found in pet stores are safe for your birdie. Some do not feel good on your bird’s feet, while others are straight-up, not safe.
This brings us to the question of the day!
Are rope perches good (and safe) for your birds?
Well…it depends.
Jute, sisal, manila, and hemp rope perches are ok for most birds, while cotton options are discouraged, especially when your bird is a large-beak species, like a macaw, African grey, Amazon, Eclectus, or Cockatoo.
Large beak birds chew a lot and may ingest pieces of the cotton perches, which are indigestible and often cause crop impaction.
Perhaps another downside of rope perches (most owners point out) is they are porous and can harbor organisms potentially harmful to birds.
Your rope perches need to be cleaned and maintained more often than other perches. You especially also do not want them to shred or fray.
Please read through the rest of this post for more insight.
How Safe are Rope Perches for Your Bird
The biggest concern is if they become frayed or churred, the fibers from rope perches can be ingested by your parrot or become hazardous snags to feet and claws: Tanya Stark, Quora.
As we’ve seen in the introduction, rope perches are not outrightly unsafe for your birds, but there are several caveats to this fact, which some bird owners are willing to compromise on, but others, not soo much.
From experience, there are three main reasons rope perches would be a concern for bird owners, including crop impaction, physical injury, harboring parasites, and harmful organisms.
However, rope perches are not all dull and groom. They have a few upsides, which we’ll see a little later.
…, for now, let’s look into the downsides.
Crop Impaction from Rope and Fabric Perches
Crop impaction is an issue due to the intake of fibers from rope toys and perches.
It occurs when ingested fibers tangle into a mass too big to pass from a bird’s crop into the esophagus. A plummed pet with crop impaction may need surgery and even succumb if not treated in time.
While crop impaction (caused by ingesting rope perches’ fibers) can occur in all birds, it is more often a problem for large beaked parrots.
African greys, Cockatoos, Eclectus, Amazon parrots, Caiques, ]and Macaws are more susceptible, but tiny and mid-sized parrots can also fall into the trap if they chew a lot.
So…
…, to keep your birdies safe, be observant and change a rope perch if you notice your bird chewing on it. You also want to inspect them to ensure no charred pieces of fiber due to normal wear and tear that could harm your pet.
Physical Injury to Your Bird
The second challenge you will encounter with rope perches is injuries on your bird, especially the toes and neck.
A misplaced toe can get caught up in churred rope threads or even the neck, causing your bird to break a claw or choke on the perch.
Birds with soft beaks also run the risk of injury, although an issue with parrot species, which have tough beaks.
Granted, if you must add rope perches in your bird’s cage, ensure they remain in tip-top condition. Inspect them frequently and change those with loose thread that might harm your bird.
If you have a bird that chews a lot, you may also want to consider a different perch type.
Rope Perches Harbor Plenty of Dirt and Parasites
The third (and last disadvantage) of ropes perches is they harbor more dirt and ailment-causing-organism than other perch types, and if not properly cleaned, can result in endless trips to the vet.
Considering you also need to clean them often if you must use them, they tend to add to your workload compared to other perches, such as natural wood or plastic.
Why Birds Love Ropes Perches
Now, remember we said rope perches are not entirely bad. They have a couple of impressive pros, which is part of the reason so many bird owners still use them.
For starters, ropes perches are more flexible than any other hence keep your bird entertained and are ideal for foot exercise.
Rope perches also be useful when you have a bird already nursing a foot ailment or injury and requires something more comfortable.
How to Wash Your Bird’s Rope Perch
Because rope perches are porous and harbor dust and organisms which may be harmful to your bird (parrots), you should clean them regularly.
The easiest way to clean rope perches is by removing them from the cage, dusting it, and then running them through a dishwasher and drying them before placing them back.
If you do not have a dishwasher, you can also throw them in a washing machine together with your laundry but be sure to rinse them properly to remove all soap residue.
You may also want to remove any dust, poop, and food residue from the rope perches using paper towels before placing them in a dishwasher or washing machine.
After the perches are clean and dry, also make sure you inspect them for wear and tear. Ensure no frayed or churred thread balls that will harm, injure, or be ingested by your bird.
Well, that all for this post. See you in the next one.
All the best with you plummed baby🐦🦜.