Perch near the top of the cage

[Chrissy and Flock]

I have been seeing where people have advised putting a perch near the top of the cage for some birds. Since I am so short should I keep the perches down lower since they should not be above eye level. Right now I have one near the top of AngelBaby's cage and she really likes it up there. I have perches at several different levels for her.:confused:

[bonnie]

I have a 6 foot tall cage and we put a perch in the dome of the cage. Chicken didn't really pay much attention to it at first, but he sleeps on it every night now. Everything I've heard says that they like to sleep on the highest perch in the cage.

[Chrissy and Flock]

She really seems to like it up there in the dome, she has been on it since I put it there except when for the time she was out playing with me. Its a comfy perch at that she really likes those she has two of them. :D I have got to learn to drive past the pet stores. :haha:

[bonnie]

She really seems to like it up there in the dome, she has been on it since I put it there except when for the time she was out playing with me. Its a comfy perch at that she really likes those she has two of them. :D I have got to learn to drive past the pet stores. :haha:

LOL! Oh you just gave me a great idea! I've been trying to figure out where to put the cement perch so he'll use it! I'll put it up there! Thanks!:bowdown:

[Chrissy and Flock]

LOL! Oh you just gave me a great idea! I've been trying to figure out where to put the cement perch so he'll use it! I'll put it up there! Thanks!:bowdown:

Happy to be of help even if it was accidently :rofl::rofl:

[bonnie]

Okay Chrissy, I was on the phone earlier when I read your original post. I'm sorry, I didn't even answer your question. Height dominance is something I've heard of but really don't believe in. I've not ever had issues with Chicken being higher than me. I just don't get my face too close when he's higher than me. Hope that helps...

[Chrissy and Flock]

It does thanks, really do appreciate it....

[FoxersArtist]

It does thanks, really do appreciate it....

Unless your bird is starting to show aggressive behavior related to being up high, I wouldn't worry about it too much!
-Anna

[FoxersArtist]

It does thanks, really do appreciate it....
Unless your bird starts showing aggressive behavior while perched up high, I wouldn't worry about it too much!
-Anna

Echo....echo....
HeHe

[Chrissy and Flock]

Anna is there an echo on this board:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Larry, Baby and Me]

LOL! Oh you just gave me a great idea! I've been trying to figure out where to put the cement perch so he'll use it! I'll put it up there! Thanks!:bowdown:

Hey Bonnie girl... just a thought... Most birds do like to find the highest perch to go to sleep for the night. I would not make the highest perch where Chicken would have to spend 8-12 hours a night on as the cement perch.

They have a rough surface and are not easy on the feet. They also pull heat away from the feet. Just think this way... if you had to stand on cement (bare footed) for the entire night --- ouch!!!

Put a nice Comfy perch up high. Chicken will appreciate it.

Question -- why do you use a cement perch???

[Larry, Baby and Me]

LOL! Oh you just gave me a great idea! I've been trying to figure out where to put the cement perch so he'll use it! I'll put it up there! Thanks!:bowdown:

I put a post here, but it dissapeared. So I will try it again.

Hey Bonnie girl,

Most birds do like to perch for the night on the highest perch. I would not make the highest perch the cement one. They are rough on the feet and they also draw heat away from the feet.

Think of it this way... imagine standing on cement for 10-12 hours in bare feet... ouch!!!

Put a nice Comfy perch up there. Chicken will appreciate it.

Question - why do you have a cement perch?

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Oooops - there is the other post.

Blasted aliens!!!

[Chrissy and Flock]

There is an echo here tonight :rofl:

[birdscomefirst]

Hi,

I'm glad Bonnie said it. Height dominance is a myth.

It doesn't exist in nature or in companion parrots.

Years ago, some genius equated the fact that it's harder to get a bird off the top of the cage to some non-existent thing called height dominance. It then spread like wildfire and became the big fixit for parrot behaviorists everywhere. It's part of the Oscar Meyer school of parrot behavior training. How do you spell bologna.....:-)

It has never been observed in the wild and it is not true in companion parrots.

The never let a bird "above eye level" is a bogus concept. Any well trained bird will step up from anywhere at any time. It has nothing to do with height.

Height only comes in to play if you have to stand up on a step ladder to reach your bird. That can be unsafe for you and your bird.

Feel free to place a perch anywhere but do keep it convenient in case you ever have to get your bird in a hurry.

Have Fun,
Bill

PS: The less your bird uses the concrete perch, the better. They can be very abrasive to the bottom of the feet. hard wooden perches made of madrona or manzanita will help to keep nails under control. Honestly, I wouldn't even use the concrete perch.

[bonnie]

Thanks Larry and Bill. Really appreciate the info.

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Hey Bill,

You and I are on the same page with height dominance. It does not exist... it's a myth and a bunch of hooey.

In fact the timid birds will go to the highest branch - away from harm to take a vantage position from which to take flight. Whereas the most agressive bird will go to the ground to fight its opponent. The agressive bird will attack the feet, eyes and throat of the other bird. The agressive bird will lunge UP for the attack and not down.

So - the dominant position is lower --- not higher.

Isn't it amazing how one so-called expert author can pick something like this out of her nose and other authors such as Bonnie Munroe Doan follow suite. Geee - one would think that these so-called EXPERTS don't know what they are talking about and they copy their information from each other. Hmmmm???

The real truth about companion parrots is right here among parrot care-givers and not between the pages of a book on the shelf.

[Chrissy and Flock]

I am so glad to hear that because she just loves it up there. I dont have any concrete perches but I do have calcium perches, each bird has one. I have natural wood and comfy perches different lengths and diameters. The are scattered around the cages at different heights.

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Chrissy,

Do not let your Umbies near those calcium perches... I am not so sure about your other small birds - but I would not take a chance with them either.

"The Calcium Perch is a special blend of crushed seashells..."

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753049

They advertise these killers as conditioning the nails and beak, when proper chew toys and nail clipping has worked for decades without calcium perches, sand perches, and concrete perches.

These money hungry monsters do not care about our birds.

Crushed seashells should not be a part of a bird's diet. Birds can chew on the perch and ingest pieces of it. It can cause impactions of the crop and blockages of the digestive system.

Lava rock is just as bad. I can't find the info right now - but recently there was a bird that ingested pieces of a lava rock and it died... bled to death - internally.

[Chrissy and Flock]

I guess I will remove them in the am, birdies are sleeping now. Don't want to wake them.

[Larry, Baby and Me]

I have asked Bill to give his input about this as well. He should be along later.

If we stick to natural... like wood - we will be okay.

[birdscomefirst]

I have to agree with Larry on this one. There are several problems. Let me say this first. The manufacturers don't count on the fact that a bird owner has a brain.

On the face of it, it doesn't seem like it should be an issue as sea shell is made of calcium carbonate. It's the same as tums....It is what is called a soluble grit. Soluble grits are different than the grits sold for parrot use , which of course should never be given to a parrot as they absolutely do not need grit. Also insoluble grits can cause impactions of the crop or blockages in the birds intestines that can be fatal.

Back now to calcium carbonate, a soluble grit. Pure calcium carbonate is not too much of an issue. The fact that the perches have to be held together by something is the issue. Pieces break off in chunks and if ingested can be dangerous. Also, when enough chunks break away from the perch many of them expose a sharp, threaded , galvanized screw that the perch was built around. Often the screw is laden with zinc and in some cases lead. They are about as cheap a screw as the manufacturer can get.

Lava rocks as mentioned have been known to injure or kill birds as well.

Birds can ingest pieces of it and it damages the crop. Birds have also been known to catch a toe or a nail in one of the small openings or crevices that are prevalent on lava rocks.

Calcium should not be needed as supplement. Pelleted diets contain enough calcium and diet should provide enough calcium. A great way to add a natural source of calcium is to feed a few shelled, lightly roasted almonds to your bird. Unsalted, of course.

This is what happens to cement and calcium perches.

http://www.birdscomefirst.org/images/cementperch.jpg

Thanks,
Bill