FINCHforum

I was out walking today. I found some tree branches that had fallen, I broke off a couple of smaller branches and wanted to add them to the Goulds cage. It has been in the 30s here most days and a lot of snow. Do I need to do anything special to these before putting them in the cage seems how it has been so cold. I feel any bugs would have died with the crazy weather we've had lately. And more to come tonight. Grrrrr! I'm ready for spring!

I use branches from the yard all the time but wouldn't use any that are dead or rotten.

So I should break them off as green from the tree? As you know all the trees in NJ are dormant right now, is now not the time for branches? Or just not the ones that have broken off but picking from the tree is fine? Any particular I need to stay away from?

I use whatever is the right size and shape, leaving the bark on thinking rough bark is easier to grip and is good for their nails. Gouldians don't chew things like hookbills do so I have never even tried looking up purported toxicity of woods. "Dead" winter branches should be fine -anything you use when green will soon be dry anyway and be just as 'dead' as winter wood.

If you are worried about bugs, you can always bake them in the oven on low to kill anything.....I have done that before. There is a link online somewhere about doing this.....let me see if I can find it.

From another site for birds,http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww8e.htm:

Natural branches make the best perches. They not only give the birds a comfortable perch, but provide a source for chewing. Parrots enjoy removing the bark and chewing the branches so they may need to be replaced often. Some of the safe woods that can be used to make perches are Apple, Ash, Beech, Birch, Cactus Wood, Cottonwood, Crabapple, Dogwood, Elm, Fir, Mulberry, Manzanita, Pine, Popular, and Willow.

Only use branches from trees that have not been sprayed with insecticides or pesticides. Clean branches using a 10% bleach to water solution. Leave bleach on for 10 minutes then, rinse well. Seasoned branches are safer but may be inhabited by insects. To kill insects: bake branches for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. For large branches: seal the branches is an air tight plastic bag for 30 days to kill any bugs.
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I don't like the bleach part, never did. I have done mine in vinegar and then let them airdry and then baked them IF I have any concerns.

I went into the foot hills today and collected some Manzanite. It has sage silver leaves and a beautiful red smooth bark. You can buy pieces of them at pet stores, I kinda left them in their natural shape and my Zebra pair love them, I will send a pic tomorrow. The branches are all different circumferences so they have a large choice.

The reason I say fresh and live branches is because if a branch breaks off it usually is decaying or bug infested. If it was a broken limb from a storm then that should be fine. I've never treated any branches I gathered in anyway but I never gather broken felled limbs only fresh clipped by me. Not worth the chance of bringing anything inside.
Now's a good time to gather branches, no leaves that will dry up and fall making a mess in your cage.

I bake branches at 200-250°F for an hour, then just leave the oven shut to let them cool. Wash them off first, if needed.

Branches that are too big for the oven, I just let hang dry in my screen porch or garage for a while, first. Can't say how long, if I am out with the dog and spot a branch I like, home it comes. If a branch is not bakeable, I wash it, rinse well, then clean with hydrogen peroxide, then let it air dry in the sun, or blow/bake it dry with our old, dangerously hot hairdryer.

Baked branches do seem to be harder and sturdier. My finches don't seem to peck or chew at them, but my hookbills sure do, and the baked branches hold up better.

(and baking Birch branches smell just wonderful!)

I have been using branches for a while now, thanks to some advice from a fellow member, and my guys love them. I use poplar from my own tree and just wash it well and let it dry naturally. I have had no problems.

LOL The only thing that I struggle with is getting any birdie doodoos of the bark. Have to use an old tooth brush for that. Only make sure you let family members know ahead of time, what that brush is being used for..... don't want any missunderstandings. Chuckles.

HAHA on the toothbrush!! I have one in the kitchen that is a different color and hangs under the sink. It is for things like that... and all the family knows that one is for scrubbing crap...not teeth!LOL

I have never sanitized or baked my branches and have not had any problems. Perhaps I've been lucky.
Have any of you experienced any troubles with bugs etc. on untreated branches?

Rough bark is hard to clean and replacing with new branches is quicker and easier.

Baking is analagous to kiln drying of lumber and does make wood a bit harder. Of course air drying will do the same over a week or two.

Most of my branches are coming out of deep woods, the right trees aren't growing in my yard, so I like to err on the side of caution.

We have brought in pine cones from the yard for Christmas decorations and then found them crawling with tiny bugs after they'd been inside and warm for a bit. Decorative corn from Halloween/Thanksgiving had an outbreak of seed moths. Houseplant that had been outside, brought in before the first frost, hatched a huge batch of little caterpillars a few weeks later, the little creepies had eaten nearly every leaf off every plant in the window when I found them, there were so many. Branches waiting & drying on the porch were found to have a million tiny baby spiders webbing all over them, must have brought home an egg sac on one of them.

Freezing winter temperatures are no guarantee. Some bugs dig deep to overwinter, others lay eggs. And then there's the possibility of fungi or bacteria, not all show up on the outside as obvious rot. Creepiest times of my life were when taking microbiology and invertebrate zoology classes. We'd come in to class and compare notes about how long we had to cook our meat before we felt safe to eat it (record: 2 hours for pork chops, nasty stuff can live in pork!) and how many times we'd have to wash hands going through our day thinking about all the icky stuff we'd just learned about.

So, yes, I have had a few bug problems.

Hey Ruth.
Don't even mention seed moths! Good grief, I hate those things almost as much as fruit flies and have had both.