Making a playgym

Question
Hello, I am wanting to make a gym for my lovebirds and was wondering what type of tiber to use...I would like to use 2x2's but can only find them in pine or sprue...would these be ok?   Also we have two meduim sized apple trees in our yard I know that they would enjoy shredding the bark from a branh but we do have alot of wild birds in the area and was wondering how to disenfect the brances prio to offering them? thank you very much.

Answer
Hi, Tara.

I know pine is OK, but check this website for toxic wood for birds:  www.avianweb.com/toxicfoods.html#unsafewood

You will also need some dowel rods, which you can get at your local hardware store.  These are round rods of wood that make good perches for playgyms (inexpensive).  

If you went to the above website, you'll see that apple is unsafe wood for a bird.  Try maple or other wood not listed as unsafe.  To disinfect branches, use some hot, soapy water and a scrub brush, rinse with clorox water then rinse again, and then dry in direct sunlight.  Direct sunlight is the best disinfectant for killing germs.

Many years ago, my daughter made a big playgym for our many keets and cockatiels by using large cardboard boxes.  She cut the tops off (making one end completely open) and stacked them on top of each other sideways along a wall in a spare room, connecting them by glueing the sides/tops and bottoms together.  She had perches pushed through the cardboard sides and up/down from top to bottom, etc.  The birds LOVED this play area.  They played all over it and chewed up the cardboard if they wanted.  She even put food and water dishes in so she could just shut the door and they had a blast.  When necessary, she just threw it out and built another!  She laid plastic down first all over the room to protect the carpet.  She also put tall, fake plants/trees in the room (clean with outside garden hose), etc...we had a lot of keets/tiels at the time and they needed a large play area.  Something smaller scale for a smaller number of birds would be something different your birds might enjoy.

Chrys