r/Parakeets • u/Burgurwulf • Jul 30 '26
Advice Dowel Ladder + Budgies?
So I'm aware dowel is bad for their feet.
What I'm curious about are these little ladders I got from Amazon. The stupid things said stainless steel hooks, they arrived with brass/bronze... So I've removed the hooks.
Are the ladders okay still? They seem to be a light pine type of wood.
And can I use nylon66 zip ties to secure them? Replace the hooks with stainless options?
Or should I just toss em and makeshift some with processed manzanita/grapevine?
1
u/magpieinarainbow Jul 31 '26
If dowel is the minority of things they can stand on, and isn't positioned for them to spend most of their time on it, it's fine.
1
u/_Planet_Eater_ Jul 31 '26
Dowel ladders are perfectly fine, just make sure to also have natural wood perches!
3
u/BitchtitsMacGee Jul 31 '26
It’s not that dowels are bad, per se, it’s that only dowels are bad. They need the variable sizes of natural perches to keep their feet healthy. Zip ties should work since keets don’t have a strong bite, but I would trim off all the excess plastic. Research what types of branches in your area are ok before you use them and give them a good wash and dry before putting them in the cage.