When it comes to birds, it is a well-known fact that when given proper attention and care, birds make for remarkably pleasant and friendly pets.

In order to keep their health in top shape, it is important to provide them with all the necessities they need to stay healthy like the right perch to prevent any blisters and sores.

Are sand perches bad for your birds? Sand perches can be quite harmful to your bird – which defeats the entire purpose of getting a perch in the first place. In short, sand perches are considered bad for birds because the harsh, scratchy surfaces of these little benches can cause great harm to your bird’s feet.

It is important to note that good perches made of the right material are essential for birds, mainly because of the fact that they spend most of their day just standing on their feet.

Perches, no matter what material they are made of, give our feathered creatures something to remain perched upon, something to bite on when they feel hungry, something to rub and prep their beaks on.

A solid point from where they can keep an eye on their entire space, and even a safe home base they can utilize when they want to rest. Sand perches, on the other hand, can cause more harm than good in the long run.

Reasons why sand perches are bad for birds

The most common materials used for making perches can be wood, natural tree branches, dowel, fiber, untreated cotton ropes, plastic, acrylic, PVC, rubber, cement, mineral, and sandpaper. (We also had a closer look at dowel perches in this article!)

Sand is the material that is least recommended for making a perch, and this is because of the following reasons:

• Perches made from sand and sandpaper are highly disapproved of, mainly because of the fact that they can irritate your bird’s feet and affect their well-being in the long run.
• Perches made from sand and concrete can cause excruciating scraped abrasions on the underside of your winged creature’s feet and toes.
• To add to the issue, bacteria, germs, and litter from the tiny bench can be acquainted with those injuries each time your winged animal is sitting on the sand perch, which will create a consistent danger of being infected.
• Sandpaper perch covers in the cage of your bird can lead to a condition known as Bumblefoot, which is basically a bacterial infection and inflammatory reaction on the feet of the birds.
• Sand perches can cause a great deal of stress and discomfort for your bird, as they are extremely uncomfortable.
• Perches covered with sand are horrible for birds to stand on because they feel cold to the birds and can even dry out their feet – causing them to be in pain and discomfort most of the time.
• If the shape of your perch isn’t varying in width and is actually straight, it can cause the bird to be in great distress because the delicate bones in its feet will be in constant pain.
• It is crucial for birds that they are given perches of different widths and textures so they can maintain the right grip and posture.

Things to keep in mind when getting a perch for your bird

As we have already established before, perches are very important for birds because they spend a significant amount of their time there.

Therefore, it is important to make sure that the perch you are installing for your bird is the best that you can provide for them and causes minimal discomfort.

For that, you should keep the following three things in mind when opting for a perch

• Wellbeing and safety (Heated perches, for example, make most birds feel highly comfortable. We explain why they are pretty good here!)
• Variety
• Destructibility

Safety is crucial for obvious reasons – birds are very delicate creatures that need to feel secure at all times.

Once you install a perch in their homes, they will be spending most of their time on that perch – whether it is good for them or not. Hence, their perch should make them feel safe and secure whilst also providing them comfort when they are perched on top of it.

Variety is important when installing a perch on the grounds, as a wide cluster of shapes, sizes, and material can go a long way in keeping your fledgling’s feet healthy along with assisting it in remaining occupied, fit, and free of fatigue.

Destructibility of the perch should be kept in mind because perches are meant to be destroyed. Your bird will most probably have a natural need to tear the snot out of something and this urge is not just an impulsive reaction, but it’s a part of their instinctive nature.

In simple words, the perch you install for your bird should be ready to get absolutely wrecked. For that, rope perches are perfect!

We show you one of our favorite rope perches below, but we also explain to you why rope perches are so good and what to keep in mind when getting one for your bird in this article here!

Perches you should use for your bird

Every pet owner wants their pet to lead the most comfortable life. If you want to make sure your feathered companion is happy by your side, you should make sure that the perch you are installing in its cage is not excessively smooth, not very hard, and not very delicate.

Here are a couple of great perches you can buy from Amazon for your bird:

JW Comfy Perch for Birds

Available in a variety of different sizes and lengths, The JW Comfy Perch for birds can twist and bend into any shape according to your bird’s liking.

You can twist it into an assortment of shapes to keep your bird occupied. This particular perch is great for cushioning your bird’s feet as it gives delicate, adjusted help to their feet and limbs, promoting the utmost health for their bones.

Plus it comes in a variety of different multi-hued colors, which will delight your pet bird and make their abode a colorful and happy place.

Moreover, the JW Comfy Perch is ideal for pet parents because they can modify the adaptable rope without much pressure, which provokes your bird to climb the various perches and improve its grasping quality as well.

The Large Manzanita

This bird perch is available for around $20 and each of its unique perches will be around 12 inches long and longer.

The all-natural manzanita branch makes an unrivaled tiny bench for pet birds. Each multi-branch perch has distinctive branches to exercise and help the bird in maintaining healthy feet.

The manzanita bird perch also includes hardware, which can be used to securely attach it to a cage. The best part about this multi-branched perch is that it is all natural and does not have any chemicals in it.

Related Questions

Are wooden dowel perches good for birds? No, wooden dowels are not considered as best perches for birds. The main reason behind this is the fact that these are quite smooth and do not offer adequate traction.

How many perches should I place in my bird’s cage? There should be at least two if not more perches in your bird’s cage and these should be placed at varying heights. Most cages come already equipped with two perches.

How to remove bird poop from the perches? Wash and rinse the cage properly with plain water. Then spray a disinfectant onto the areas that need extensive cleaning. Rinse it again and let it air dry before placing it back into the cage.