Gravity being what it is, even a creature made for flying spends a lot of time on his feet. This is why it's a shame that too many bird lovers give perches too little thought, forcing their pets to spend their lives on the plain wooden dowels that come as standard equipment with most cages.
The good news is that poor perch selection is easy to remedy, with lots of choices in specialty bird shops as well as bird-supply catalogs and Web sites.
There are three things to remember when it comes to perches: safety, variety and destructibility. Safety because ... well, that's kind of obvious. Variety because a wide array of shapes, sizes and material will help keep your bird's feet comfortable and healthy. Destructibility? Perches, like toys, are appropriate targets for the demolition urges that help keep birds busy, fit and free of boredom.
Here's what you'll find when looking for perches:
-- Wooden dowels. There's nothing really wrong with these standard-issue perches, but you can do better by your bird. While it won't hurt to leave a wooden dowel in the cage, take out the extras and add variety to your bird's environment.
-- Rope. Great stuff! Rope perches are both comfortable and entertaining. They're easy to clean, too. Just run them through the washer and dryer, or put them in the top rack of your dishwasher. One kind of rope perch -- the bouncy coil -- is truly wonderful, combining the best elements of a rope, a swing and a bungee cord. These coils are great fun your bird, and help to keep overweight "perch potatoes" more active.
The downside to rope is the possibility of your pet catching a toe on a frayed part of the perch or swallowing loose strands of the rope. Watch closely and replace these perches when the rope gets stringy.
Mineral: Almost every bird should have a mineral perch, also called a concrete or cement perch. The rough texture feels good underfoot, and the surface is great for helping to keep nails blunt and beaks clean and well-groomed (birds like to wipe their beaks against the rough surface).
Sandpaper perches are uncomfortable and have been known to cause foot problems, and so should be replaced with a mineral perch. Read the packaging material to choose the right diameter for your pet.
Plastic: Two kinds of plastic, acrylic and PVC, are both popular because of their sturdiness and relative ease of cleaning. If you choose acrylic, be sure to add other chewable perch options to your bird's environment. In general, acrylic is better than PVC, because the latter can too easily end up causing problems in a bird's stomach. (PVC perches can be great for supervised use, though.)
-- Tree branches: Most fruit and nut trees (almond, apple, prune and all citrus) are fine to use, as are ash, elm, dogwood and magnolia. If you can get your pruners on some manzanita, go for it -- it's a hard wood that can stand up to a lot of abuse. Leave the bark on all branches for your bird to peel off.
Cut the branches to fit in the cage, scrub with soap, rinse well and air-dry. Be sure to break off and discard any insect pods before putting the branch in your pet's cage.
Check all perches regularly, looking for wear and safety problems. Think of perches as replaceable cage furnishings, fighting boredom and keeping your bird comfortable and healthy. The extra labor and cost involved in keeping a fresh variety of perches in the cage is more than offset by the benefits of good perches for your bird.
THE SCOOP
More on overweight dogs ... My friend Jack Russell (honest, that's his name) is a volunteer with Australian Cattle Dog Rescue (www.cattledog.com/rescue), which from time to time fosters a dog who is in desperate need of a diet. His trick for getting dogs to think they are full on fewer calories is to replace a portion of the pet's regular ration with fiber, such as canned pumpkin (plain pumpkin, not pumpkin-pie filling). You can accomplish the same thing with green beans (watch the label: no salt, no sugar) or even beets. This strategy means more yard cleanup, but it's a safe way to gradually reduce a dog's girth without making your pet unhappy.
PETS ON THE WEB
When I first read about the Animal Planet's two gritty reality shows about humane officers, I couldn't bring myself to watch. The very idea of following the officers in Detroit ("Animal Cops") and New York City ("Animal Precinct") as they investigated cruelty cases was not my idea of entertainment. And yet, I got hooked. The Animal Planet Web site (http://animal.discovery.com) offers episode guides and follow-up stories on the animals who were saved. The cable network has just introduced a second series in the "Animal Cops" line, following officers in Houston.
A correction: I provided the wrong address in a recent column for the online magazine -- The Daily Dog. It's www.thedogdaily.com, apparently since the more obvious addresses were already taken.
QUESTIONS FROM THE PACK
Q: My name is Gretchen. I am an indoor cat. My mom saw your article about the pros and cons of keeping a cat indoors all the time. She asked my opinion, and I agree wholeheartedly with you. I used to be a stray who got into a lot of trouble. I was attacked by a dog and was stranded in a tree for three whole days and nights before the SPCA rescued me. I had to have a lot of surgeries to fix the big rips in my back and rear end.
So having experienced both the outdoor life as well as the restricted-to-indoors life, I feel uniquely qualified to offer my opinion.
Therefore, here are my "Top 10 Reasons Why It Is Good to be an Indoor Kitty":
10. You never get lost, hurt or abused by mean people or dogs.
9. You are never hungry, thirsty or afraid.
8. The only thing you have to do to get food is to look cute.
7. You get to sleep safe and warm all night long in a nice, soft bed with someone you love.
6. You can get hugs and kisses any time you want.
5. You can get a lot of exercise just by helping your mom and dad with household chores (my personal favorite is cleaning out the refrigerator).
4. You feel needed because you are responsible for catching houseflies.
3. You can look out the window and say mean things to the birds, and they can't go after you and peck you.
2. You grow smarter because mom and dad are always talking to you.
1. You learn to write e-mail!
Would you share my list with other people who don't believe a kitty like me can have a good life indoors? -- G.G., via e-mail
A: Gretchen, you write well and you're smart, too. Maybe there's a job in your future as a pet columnist.
You and your mom are lucky to have each other, and your list about sums things up. Cats can indeed be happy indoors if people put some effort into making the home interesting with scratching posts, toys and lots and lots of love.
Q: While the people who allow their cats to roam free outside are not doing them any favors, I would like to point out that people who allow their dogs to run free are also part of the problem. Free-roaming dogs are not only a danger to cats, they can also injure or kill people, livestock and wildlife.
Several people in our neighborhood have reported being menaced by the same two dogs that killed my neighbor's cat. -- K.R., via e-mail
A: The issue of free-roaming dogs has already been addressed, by law. While the decision to let cats roam is largely left up to the owner (except in those relatively few places with leash laws for cats), almost every municipality has laws against letting dogs out without supervision.
While there's still plenty of debate among well-meaning, caring people about letting cats roam, there's no debate where dog lovers are concerned. Responsible dog lovers do not allow their pets to roam the public streets.
Loose dogs are a danger to other animals, to people and to themselves. Anyone who turns a dog out to roam is almost certainly breaking the law, and should be dealt with accordingly.
Gina Spadafori is the award-winning author of "Dogs for Dummies," "Cats for Dummies" and "Birds for Dummies." She is also affiliated with the Veterinary Information Network Inc., an international online service for veterinary professionals. Write to her in care of this newspaper, or send e-mail to writetogina(at)spadafori.com. You can also read her frequently updated Web log or view her column archives at www.spadafori.com.
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