Plastic perches?

[Jessincka]

My brother I just had an argument about my cage set-up for Attie.
The cage I got him in now came with plastic perches, and I have yet to find any other kind around where I live, so I've been stuck with them.
I just voiced to my brother that I thought they were hurting Attie's feet, because he was lifting one up while he slept.
He said "That's stupid, bird's feet are made tough, plastic is soft compared to their natural wood."
But I disagreed.
What do you all think? Is plastic better or worse for birds? Or is there not really a difference?
I'm getting a big cage soon and I planned on putting all different sorts of perches in it for my budgie(s) so they'd have variety, but I dunno now.. thought I'd ask ya'll.

[Kai]

My birds do sleep with one foot tucked up under them from time to time. I'm no expert on plastic perches but I do know that it is important to have perches in different diameters (thickness). They will get sores on their feet if they are standing on the same size perch all the time (or so I have read on this and other websites).

[Jessincka]

I figured as much.. they are always on their feet, so I knew they must get tired or sore at least some times, right?
But my brother said that was stupid to think because they were made to stand, but.. I dunno.. perhaps I am just being thick, but I just want little man to be comfortable.

[elcapril]

Hi,
I think that's a normal sleeping position for budgies. Mine do it about half of the time.

[ravengypsy]

a healthy budgie should sleep on one foot.. this is perfectly healthy... if a budgie starts sleeping on two feet I'd start worrying about health illness.

Also... plastic perches won't hurt them... but I'd recomend natural wood and/or rope perches of various sizes to allow them to trim their beaks & claws naturally as well as stretch their feet muscles.

[Billie]

With Billie I started out with some plastic perches, but within a week changed them for natural wood perches.
He seems to appreciate the wood perches much more than the plastic ones! :p

Billie also sleeps with one foot tucked up, and as far as I know (and have read) it is perfectly healthy sleeping behavior. :)

[atvchick95]

They say plastic is NOT good for birds, Birds do however sleep with one foot up

you can go to your local Wood store ( lowest home depot etc) and buy differnt sized dowel rods, that is what is in all my cages,

I do have a couple orthapedic perches I bought at pet smart - one is a swing and I've got a rope perch that i bought a pet smart

[Jessincka]

Alright.. thanks all!
I got a lot of grief over arguing this just now with my brother and even my mom some..
they all said wood was harder then plastic and therefore, plastic is softer on a birds feet, but I didn't think so.
Soon as this Thanksgiving storm has passed, I do plan to get him a rope perch that I found at Wal-Mart and I'll look for other things as well.
I just wanted to prove my brother wrong :p

[absolutangel]

I had heard plastic perches aren't great for them but my mum's bird (my parents took him on when his previous owner went into a home) has had them since he was a young 'un (he's about 8 now) and they don't seem to have done him any harm.

I personally think a mix of materials and diameters are best, the bird can choose what they like best then.