LEG & FOOT HEALTH
How many times have you seen a bird hanging on the side of a cage? You probably think to yourself that the bars must be hurting his feet and how can he just sit there. In fact, he may actually be trying to relax the muscles in his feet and legs by getting off of his perch.
If you have a cage with all the same shape and diameter perches you may be causing your bird stress and muscle cramps. Perches that match do not allow your bird to change the position of his feet and to stretch his toes out. Your bird's legs will not be getting any exercise and may actually become painful to your bird over time. Exercise is the key to proper leg and foot care.
Try to offer your bird a wide variety of perch shapes, diameters and textures. This will help your bird's feet change position as he moves around the perches within his cage. The flexing of his feet muscles will help strengthen his legs and avoid discomfort. Your bird may still hang on the bars of the cage, but he will be doing it because he enjoys it, not because his feet hurt.
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