Parrots spend most of their time standing. This means that if your pet is a parrot, you will need to create a perch for it. Unfortunately, having a plain wooden perch may not give your pet a good experience because they are not getting enough exercise.
You should therefore look for better perching experiences for your parrot. Give them perches using different materials, textures and sizes. Locate them in different areas so that the pet does not get bored perching in one area.
A spherical perch has many benefits to the parrot because its swinging movement enables to keep the toes, ankles and knees of the pet flexible and strong. It also encourages the flapping behavior of the pet, which as a result helps to increase its cardio vascular health.
• Materials required
To make the spherical swing, the materials you will require are:
o A roll of PVC electrical conduit measuring ½ or ¾ inches.
o Six crosses made from PVC with their size matching that of the electrical conduit.
o Plastic or stainless chain for hanging
o Stainless screw for hanging.
o Measuring tape
o Drill
o PVC cutter
• Procedure
Cut the electrical conduit PVC into 12 pieces of equal length using a PVC cutter. If you are using ½ inch tubing, the length of the PVC should be 12 ½ inches while the ¾ inch tubing should have a length of 16 ½ inches.
Take one of the PVC crosses and drill pilot hole. This is a hole smaller than screw to be used on it. Screw in the hanging eye screw. If you will need other eye screws to hang toys, you should include them at this stage.
On each side of the PVC cross, push the cut pvc conduits. Now you have a cross with the conduit attached on both ends. Remember to push it hard, although you will note that the PVC conduit will not reach the cross’s center.
Add crosses to the other two ends of the PVC and then add two of the PVC and a fourth cross. This will create a complete circle. Using two PVCs conduits and a cross, create a semicircle. Make two of them. Add one of the semi circles into the circle on one side by inserting the ends of the semicircle into the PVC crosses. Add the other semicircle into the other side of the circle. Now you have two circles that are interlocking.
Insert the remaining PVC electrical conduits that you had cut, into the crosses. This will give you three interlocking circles to form a spherical swing. Hang toys on eye screws that you had inserted on the crosses. Now your spherical is complete and you can hang it on your desired location using one of the eye screws.
The swing will keep your parrot entertained as it steps on the different sections. It is also good for exercising and improving the breathing and the heart rate due to the flapping of the bird.
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