How to Make Cage Perches

To keep your pet bird happy and healthy, you need to fill its cage with adequate recreational opportunities, including perches. Birds enjoy climbing, sitting and hanging from perches in their cages and, when your bird is able to entertain itself, it is less likely to squawk and make noise. To make your own cage perches, you need only a few simple materials and a basic idea of what you want the finished perch to look like.

Things You'll Need

  • 1/2-inch dowel rod
  • Fine-gauge wire
  • 1-inch wooden dowel or PVC
  • Twine
  • Scrap hardwood
  • Untreated plywood
  • 1/2-inch hardwood
  • Dry twigs
  • Stiff rope
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Instructions

    • 1

      Build a hanging perch by drilling a 1/8-inch hole through both ends of a 1/2-inch dowel rod. Loop some fine-gauge wire through both holes and hang the dowel rod horizontally inside the bird cage to form a hanging perch.

    • 2

      Purchase a 1-inch wooden dowel or length of PVC and wrap it in twine to give your bird a foothold. Suspend the perch from the roof of the cage by wrapping a length of fine-gauge wire around each end, or simply insert it through the bars of the cage and wire it to the bars to keep it in place.

    • 3

      Cut several pieces of untreated scrap hardwood to varying lengths and thicknesses. Install the pieces of hardwood at different heights in the cage by drilling a hole through one end of each block and inserting a length of wire through it to wrap around the bars of the cage. Wrap each block in sturdy fabric or twine to give your bird a foothold.

    • 4

      Cut a piece of untreated plywood to 3 by 6 inches to create a platform perch. Use a nail gun or staple gun to affix the plywood to a 1/2-by-6 inch piece of hardwood, aligning the long edges. Drill three or four 1/8-inch holes through the 1/2-inch wood. Insert lengths of wire through the holes, then wrap them around the bars of the cage to secure the platform perch in place.

    • 5

      Gather several dry twigs about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter and cut them to just longer than the width of your bird cage. Insert the twigs through the bars of the cage and wire them in place. Your birds will enjoy sitting on these perches and will also like scraping at the bark with their beaks.

    • 6

      Create a flexible perch using thick rope. Look for a stiff rope about 1 inch thick or twist two pieces of thinner rope together. Drape the rope across the width of the cage and wire it in place at both ends.