Perches for Lovebirds Cages

Good Perches are the essential element in a lovebird’s cage as it spends majority of their time standing on their feet. Lovebirds need comfortable perches just as you prefer a comfortable pair of shoes.

Uniform diameter may be avoided in selecting perches and otherwise injury may occur in feet. If the perches offered are of uniform diameter the foot gets held up in the same semi-clinched position, gets almost no exercise and always have pressure points pplied to the plantar surface in the same location.

Lovebirds sitting on bars of the cage in the side may reflect a sign of discomfort caused by insufficiently designed perches in the cage.

Minimum two perches should be provided and should be placed at same height, so as to allow the bird’s maximum exercise as it moves from perch to perch.

In a large cage with multiple occupants, the perches must be placed so that birds sitting on a low perch do not have droppings land on them.

Many birds enjoy the moving perches/swinging perches. Freshly cut living branches of the tree may be used as the perch and toxic plants should be avoided. Many birds chew shred the back and this should not be discouraged because of the following reasons-

• It provides exercise
• It provides some emotional outlet for the birds
• It helps to keep the beak properly worn

Features of Perches

• Should be minimum two or more perches horizontally across the cage at different height and keep them as far as apart as possible. So that the birds get maximum exercise in flying from one to the other.
• Additional swinging perch shall be provided
• Natural perches shall be provided at regular intervals this will help in the diversion of their mind from chewing up of the perches.
• Placement of the perches should be in such a way that the birds tail should not touch the side of the cage while sitting.
• Avoid too many perches, as it will hinder the normal flying of the bird.