Is Oak Safe for Bird Perches?

Pet stores sell plenty of perches for use in aviaries, wooden and otherwise, but you can fit your pet's cage with branches you've gathered, under the right circumstances. Many trees' wood makes safe bird perches, but oak is not among them. Avoid exposing your pet to oak.

  1. Oak Safety

    • Oak appears on lists of plants toxic to birds, which is reason enough to avoid it as perch wood. The tannins found in oak are considered toxins; they can adversely affect bird digestion and food intake. Animals that consume a diet containing more than 5 percent tannin content may die; for poultry, levels of 3 percent to 7 percent can prove lethal. Since leaves, acorns and wood of oak contain these tannins, avoid using any form of oak in the aviary.

    Oak Identification

    • Oak leaves' distinctive shape can help you avoid these trees. The leaves typically have rounded or blunt-tooth edges. The shiny green leaves turn shades of red, brown, yellow and orange in the autumn. Oak bark is generally ridged with vertical lines or with vertical and horizontal lines. Oaks feature acorns. Learn to identify the types of oaks that grow near you to avoid placing their branches in your aviary.

    Safe Woods

    • Safe hardwoods include apple, ash, beech, bamboo, crab apple, crape myrtle, dogwood, elm, lilac and magnolia. If you're uncertain whether a tree is sprayed or chemically treated, avoid its wood to be safe. Choose hard woods since they are sturdier than soft woods, and only take wood from a source you know to be safe. If you intend to bring outside wood into your aviary, soak the wood for one hour in a solution of 3 gallons of water and 1 tablespoon of bleach. Dry the wood in the sun or in an oven set to 250 degrees Fahrenheit. After it's cool, place the dry wood in the aviary.

    Unsafe Woods

    • Softwood -- wood that has a soft middle that you can dent with a fingernail -- isn't dangerous, but it's not a good choice for perches. A bird can chew through it quickly. Oak is not the only wood considered toxic to birds. Other woods to avoid include alder, apricot, avocado, cedar, elderberry, hemlock, holly, horse chestnut, juniper, sumac, walnut, wisteria and yew. If you are not sure whether a piece of wood is on the safe or unsafe list, avoid it.