Offering your birds fresh branches and plants is a wonderful (and simple!) form of enrichment! One of the main reasons we offer enrichment in the first place is to encourage natural behaviors that they would exhibit in the wild. Fresh branches give birds something to eat, chew, shred, forage in, play in (and generally make a mess with ).
--------
First things first: safety. There's a few factors to consider:
1. Plant species. Just like we shouldn't eat random mushrooms we find in the woods, we shouldn't give our birds branches/plants we don't recognize or know the toxicity of. There are several helpful guides online about the safety and toxicity of specific plants for birds, so be sure to double-check that first. Some plants are completely safe for birds, some the wood is safe but not the leaves, others the wood and leaves are safe but not the berries, and even others that the wood is safe but the bark has to be removed. Be sure to research and prepare the branches appropriately. If you’re not certain of a plant’s species, there are some helpful plant identification apps you can try.
2. Herbicides/pesticides are not safe for our feather babies. Make sure that wherever you get branches from, the area isn't sprayed.
3. Location-- don't use branches near busy roads, in a smoggy polluted area, etc.
4. How to sanitize? The truth is, short of completely stripping the leaves, scrubbing the bark using diluted bleach or vinegar, and baking the branches in the oven, there is no way to completely sterilize branches from outside. Everyone has their own levels of comfort with this.
I personally am of the opinion that as long as I source the branches well (pesticide free, etc.) and carefully examine the branches for any red flags (bug infestation, fungus/mold, wild bird poop, etc.), I am comfortable with just hosing the branch off, scrubbing the wood where I can, and spraying off with dilute vinegar. I personally feel that the fresh leaves and bark are more beneficial than the potential harm that could potentially come from it.
—
Give it a try and see how your birds enjoy it!
Comments