Here is a list of all toxic and safe wood or branches you can use as perches for your parakeets.
Do not forget, you should never use wood from any plants or tree branches if they were treated with pesticides or any type of chemical treatment!
If you aren’t sure if the wood you want to use has been chemically treated.
Or you want to clean the branches either way before using it. (To be on the safe side).
follow this link to see, how you make perches to your birds, from tree branches. (DIY style).
But always make sure the wood you want to use is not toxic. (Look at the list below).
You can expand how many result you see (default is 10), as well as searching directly across the table of what you are looking for.
| Wood / Tree | Scientific Name | Status |
|---|---|---|
| ALDER | Alnus spp. | Toxic |
| ANDROMEDA -Pieris, Lily of the Valley shrub | Pieris japonica | Toxic |
| APRICOT | Prunus armeniaca | Toxic |
| ARROWHEAD VINE | Syngonium podophyllum | Toxic |
| AUSTRALIAN FLAME TREE | Brachychiton acerifolius | Toxic |
| AUSTRALIAN UMBRELLA TREE | Schefflera actinophylla | Toxic |
| AVOCADO | Persea americana | Toxic |
| AZALEA - Related to Rhododendron | Rhododendron spp. | Toxic |
| BANEBERRY - Actaea | Actaea spp. | Toxic |
| BEANS -castor, horse, fava, broad, glory, scarlet runner | Phaseolus spp. / Vicia faba / Ricinus communis | Toxic |
| BLACK LOCUST - Robinia | Robinia pseudoacacia | Toxic |
| BOX ELDER | Toxic | |
| BOXWOOD - Buxus | Buxus sempervirens | Toxic |
| BUCKTHORN - Cascara / Alder Buckthorn | Toxic | |
| BRACKEN FERN | Pteridium aquilinum | Toxic |
| BURDOCK | Arctium lappa | Toxic |
| CACAO | Theobroma cacao | Toxic |
| CAMEL BUSH - Trichodesma | Toxic | |
| CANARY BIRD BUSH - Crotalaria | Crotalaria agatiflora | Toxic |
| CANNABIS | Cannabis sativa | Toxic |
| CASTOR BEAN | Ricinus communis | Toxic |
| CEDAR - Thuja, Chamaecyparis, Cupressus | Thuja spp. / Chamaecyparis spp. / Cupressus spp. | Toxic |
| CHALICE - trumpet vine | Campsis radicans | Toxic |
| CHERRY | Toxic | |
| CHINA BERRY TREE - Melia / Texas umbrella tree | Melia azedarach | Toxic |
| CHINESE MAGNOLIA | Toxic | |
| CHINESE POPCORN / TALLOW | Triadica sebifera | Toxic |
| CHINESE SNAKE TREE - Laquer plant | Toxicodendron vernicifluum | Toxic |
| COMMON SAGE | Salvia officinalis | Toxic |
| CORIANDER - Cilantro | Coriandrum sativum | Toxic |
| DATURA | Datura stramonium | Toxic |
| DAPHNE | Daphne mezereum | Toxic |
| DATURA STRAMONIUM - Brugmansia - angel's trumpet | Brugmansia suaveolens | Toxic |
| DIEFFENBACHIA | Dieffenbachia seguine | Toxic |
| ELDERBERRY | Sambucus nigra | Toxic |
| EUONYMUS - Includes burning bush and more | Euonymus europaeus | Toxic |
| EUPHORBIA | Euphorbia pulcherrima (and others) | Toxic |
| FELT PLANT - Kalancho baharensis | Kalanchoe beharensis | Toxic |
| FLAME TREE | Toxic | |
| FIRETHORN - Pyracantha | Pyracantha coccinea | Toxic |
| FLAME TREE - Brachychiton / Sterculia | Brachychiton acerifolius / Sterculia spp. | Toxic |
| FOXGLOVE - Digitalis | Toxic | |
| GOLDEN CHAIN TREE - Laburnum | Laburnum anagyroides | Toxic |
| GROUND CHERRY | Physalis peruviana | Toxic |
| CROWN OF THORNS | Euphorbia milii | Toxic |
| HEATHS | Erica spp. | Toxic |
| HEMLOCK - Tsuga | Tsuga canadensis | Toxic |
| HOLLY - Ilex | Ilex aquifolium | Toxic |
| HONEY LOCUST - Gleditsia | Gleditsia triacanthos | Toxic |
| HORSE CHESTNUT - Aesculus | Aesculus hippocastanum | Toxic |
| HUCKLEBERRY - leaves bad: evergreen & deciduous | Vaccinium spp. | Toxic |
| HYDRANGEA | Hydrangea macrophylla | Toxic |
| JASMINE | Jasminum officinale | Toxic |
| JUNIPER - Juniperus | Juniperus communis | Toxic |
| KALMIA: also called Mountain Laurel | Kalmia latifolia | Toxic |
| KENTUCKY COFFEE TREE | Gymnocladus dioicus | Toxic |
| LABURNUM | Toxic | |
| LANTANA - red sage | Lantana camara | Toxic |
| LAUREL - Prunus | Prunus laurocerasus | Toxic |
| LEUCOTHOE | Leucothoe fontanesiana | Toxic |
| LUPINE | Lupinus spp. | Toxic |
| MANGO - (fruits are okay: not wood or leaves) | Mangifera indica | Toxic |
| MEXICAN BREADFRUIT | Monstera deliciosa | Toxic |
| MOCK ORANGE - Philadelphus | Philadelphus coronarius | Toxic |
| MONSTERA - big hunker of a house plant | Monstera deliciosa | Toxic |
| MOUNTAIN LAUREL - Kalmia latifolia | Kalmia latifolia | Toxic |
| MYRTLE - broadleaf evergreen, not crape myrtle | Myrtus communis | Toxic |
| NECTARINE | Prunus persica var. nucipersica | Toxic |
| NUTMEG | Myristica fragrans | Toxic |
| OAK | Toxic | |
| MISTLETOE | Viscum album | Toxic |
| OLEANDER | Nerium oleander | Toxic |
| PEACH | Prunus persica | Toxic |
| PEAR - some sources lean toward safe | Pyrus communis | Toxic |
| PENCILTREE | Polyscias spp. | Toxic |
| PITCH PINE | Pinus rigida | Toxic |
| PLUM | Prunus domestica | Toxic |
| PRARIE OAK | Toxic | |
| PRIVET | Ligustrum vulgare | Toxic |
| RAIN TREE | Samanea saman (Albizia saman) | Toxic |
| RED MAPLE | Toxic | |
| RED SAGE - Lantana | Lantana camara | Toxic |
| REDWOOD - Sequiadendron, Metasequoia, Sequoia | Sequoiadendron giganteum / Metasequoia glyptostroboides / Sequoia sempervirens | Toxic |
| RHODODENDRON | Rhododendron ponticum | Toxic |
| RHUBARB | Rheum rhabarbarum | Toxic |
| SAND BOX TREE | Toxic | |
| SKIMMIA - entire plant: stem, berry, leaves | Skimmia japonica | Toxic |
| SOLANUM - Jerusalem cherry or pepino | Solanum pseudocapsicum | Toxic |
| SOPHORA - includes Japanese pagoda tree | Styphnolobium japonicum | Toxic |
| SUMAC | Toxicodendron vernix (for poison sumac) | Toxic |
| TOBACCO | Nicotiana tabacum | Toxic |
| TANSY | Tanacetum vulgare | Toxic |
| TOMATO | Solanum lycopersicum | Toxic |
| UMBRELLA TREE | Schefflera arboricola | Toxic |
| WALNUT | Juglans regia | Toxic |
| WEEPING FIG - Ficus benjamina > Ficus elastica safe | Ficus benjamina | Toxic |
| WHITE CEDAR - China | Platycladus orientalis | Toxic |
| WITCH HAZEL - Hamamelis | Hamamelis virginiana | Toxic |
| WISTERIA | Wisteria sinensis | Toxic |
| YEW - Taxus | Taxus baccata | Toxic |
| ACACIA - Silk Tree would be in this group | Acacia dealbata / Albizia julibrissin | Safe |
| APPLE | Malus domestica | Safe |
| AILANTHUS - Tree of Heaven | Ailanthus altissima | Safe |
| ALMOND | Prunus dulcis | Safe |
| ARALIA - Fatsia japonica | Fatsia japonica | Safe |
| ASH - Fraxinus | Fraxinus excelsior | Safe |
| ASPEN - Populus | Populus tremula / Populus spp. | Safe |
| BAMBOO | Bambusoideae spp. | Safe |
| BARBERRY- Berberis | Berberis vulgaris | Safe |
| BIRCH | Safe | |
| BEECH - Fagus | Fagus sylvatica | Safe |
| BOIS D'ARC - horse apple tree | Maclura pomifera | Safe |
| BOTTLE BRUSH | Callistemon spp. | Safe |
| BUTTERFLY BUSH | Buddleja davidii | Safe |
| CAMELLIA | Camellia japonica | Safe |
| CITRUS - (lime, kumquat, grapefruit, orange, lemon) | Citrus spp. | Safe |
| CORN PLANTS | Dracaena fragrans | Safe |
| COTTONWOOD - Populus | Populus deltoides | Safe |
| CRABAPPLE - Malus | Malus sylvestris | Safe |
| CRAPE MYRTLE - (not like myrtle) | Lagerstroemia indica | Safe |
| DATE | Phoenix dactylifera | Safe |
| DOGWOOD - Cornus | Cornus florida | Safe |
| DOUGLAS FIR - Pseudotsuga | Pseudotsuga menziesii | Safe |
| DRACAENA | Dracaena marginata | Safe |
| ELM - Ulmus | Ulmus minor / Ulmus spp. | Safe |
| ESCALLONIA | Escallonia rubra | Safe |
| EUCALYPTUS | Eucalyptus globulus | Safe |
| FIG | Ficus carica | Safe |
| FIR - genus Abies | Abies alba / Abies spp. | Safe |
| GINKGO | Ginkgo biloba | Safe |
| GRAPE VINES | Vitis vinifera | Safe |
| GRAPE PALM | Nypa fruticans | Safe |
| GUAVA | Psidium guajava | Safe |
| HACKBERRY | Celtis occidentalis | Safe |
| HAWTHORN - Crataegus | Crataegus monogyna | Safe |
| HIBISCUS | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Safe |
| HICKORY | Carya spp. | Safe |
| IRONWOOD - toxic leaves | Ostrya virginiana / Carpinus caroliniana | Safe |
| JADE PLANT | Crassula ovata | Safe |
| KALANCHOE | Kalanchoe blossfeldiana | Safe |
| LARCH - Larix | Larix decidua | Safe |
| LILAC - Syringa | Syringa vulgaris | Safe |
| MADRONA / MADRONE - Arbutus | Arbutus menziesii | Safe |
| MAGNOLIA | Magnolia grandiflora | Safe |
| MAPLE | Safe | |
| MANZANITA - Arctostaphylos | Arctostaphylos manzanita | Safe |
| MESQUITE - remove sharp parts | Prosopis glandulosa | Safe |
| MIMOSA | Albizia julibrissin | Safe |
| MOUNTAIN ASH - Sorbus | Sorbus aucuparia | Safe |
| MULBERRY - Morus | Safe | |
| NANDINA -common name is heavenly bamboo | Nandina domestica | Safe |
| NORFOLK ISLAND PINE - Araucaria | Araucaria heterophylla | Safe |
| NUT TREES - exclude chestnut | Juglans spp. / Corylus avellana | Safe |
| OLIVE TREES | Olea europaea | Safe |
| ORANGE | Safe | |
| OREGON GRAPE - Mahonia | Mahonia aquifolium | Safe |
| PALM | Arecaceae spp. | Safe |
| PAPAYA | Carica papaya | Safe |
| PEAR | Pyrus communis | Safe |
| PECAN | Carya illinoinensis | Safe |
| PINE - (not to be used as shavings or bedding) | Pinus spp. | Safe |
| PHOTINIA - ( debatable ) | Safe | |
| POPLAR - Populus | Populus nigra / Populus spp. | Safe |
| PUSSY WILLOW - Salix | Salix discolor | Safe |
| RAPHIOLEPSIS - Indian Hawthorn | Rhaphiolepis indica | Safe |
| RIBBONWOOD | Plagianthus regius | Safe |
| ROSE - Rosa | Rosa spp. | Safe |
| RUBBER PLANT - Ficus elastica - (not Weeping Fig) | Ficus elastica | Safe |
| RUSSIAN OLIVE | Elaeagnus angustifolia | Safe |
| SASSAFRAS | Sassafras albidum | Safe |
| SILK TREE | Albizia julibrissin | Safe |
| SPIRAEA | Spiraea japonica | Safe |
| SPRUCE - Picea | Picea abies / Picea spp. | Safe |
| STAGHORN SUMAC - (not all are safe) | Rhus typhina | Safe |
| STRAWBERRY TREE - Arbutus like Madrone | Arbutus unedo | Safe |
| SWEET GUM | Liquidambar styraciflua | Safe |
| SYCAMORE | Platanus occidentalis | Safe |
| THURLOW | Unknown / ambiguous (possibly Thurlow spruce hybrid) | Safe |
| TREE FERN | Cyathea cooperi | Safe |
| VIBURNUM | Viburnum opulus | Safe |
| VINE MAPLE - Acer | Acer circinatum | Safe |
| WEEPING WILLOW - Salix - (remove the bark) | Salix babylonica | Safe |
| WIEGELA | Weigela florida | Safe |
| YUCCA | Yucca filamentosa / Yucca spp. | Safe |
This helped A lot I am getting a budgie today, I have done my research but this helps more than you could imagine thanks
You are welcome 🥰
What about pomegranate tree?
I heard Almond is not safe to burn due to all the Pesticides they use on these trees. In fact some businesses I have talked to cant get licensed for Almond commercially. These are places that have been selling firewood cords for 20+ years too. So conflicting info…
This is so great and crazy. When I was a kid, budgies were my favorite animal, and I didn’t really realize that other people loved them as much as I did. Usually people talk about cats or dogs. As an adult my landlords don’t let me have animals. You have my ideal job! Thanks for all the great info you are putting out there. I always had a dream of breeding, but just watched two videos and am amazed at all I would need to learn first. Thanks for what you are doing.
You are most welcome 😍
As far as this specific discussion, when my brother and I were kids, he helped me make perches from willow. It seemed to work well for the birds. I am curious how you learned about all these plants. Are there certain natural chemicals commonly found in the toxic plants?
Conocarpus tree it’s safe or toxic?
I have a mulberry tree and i cut a branch and put it in a pot with soil. So it won’t wilt or dry. I want my budgies to play on the young leafs.
Is medlar wood safe?
Are wild cherry tree good for birds
Anyone know whether neem tree leaves and branches are toxic to budgies? There’s a lot of talk about the tree, but I can’t find anything scientifically proven. Thanks a lot!
the branches are perfectly fine for them as neem has anti-bacterial properties.
Hi, thank you so much for putting this together.
What about red sandalwood? What compounds in a wood make them toxic to budgies? (Asking so I can do some research when I come across something instead of relying only on a list. I’m from India, there’s abundance of different types of woods available here.)
Thank you
Is neem tree perches good for budgies?
Is diamond willow ok for perches and play structure?
Is Lily Pilly trees from my garden okay? What do you do to them for natural wood?
This is an excellent resource. Thank you so much!
Is moringa branch safe for budgies?
how do we tell which wood is which?
You guys should really add the botanical names because common names can be misleading. Two completely different plants/trees can have the same common name.
Are mirabelle trees safe?
In my garden, I have a Custard Apple tree and a Tulsi tree, Both seem to have branches of decent size, but both seem to be absent from the list. Are either of these wood types safe for Budgies?
Please forgive me if there are equivalent plants already on the list, that I overlooked.
Thanks for the extensive list of safe versus toxic woods for perches. Very helpful.
Super helpful list! Thanks so much.😊
thanks this is very helpful
Excellent knowledge base on this page.
Thank you for this extremely helpful list!
Do you know if Tulip Tree branches are safe?
Yep, it’s non-toxic also it has a lot of textures.So if you have a budgie, it will ADORE the Tulip tree