NATURES MATERIAL - BARK COVERED LOGS

[stormrider]

There are many threads regarding aviary and wethering design. There are a number of well suite materials out there to be bought that sometimes can be very expensive. Although these materials do look good, I really do like a setup that looks like it has just sprung out of the vegetation. I was looking at a load of cut logs that were still covered with the outer bark that I have lying around. They are all in the region of 12ft long and I have plenty of them. Perfect natural looking material as they are for framing, etc.

However, with mulched bark being a no no with regards to hazards of breeding asper, would you think I would need to strip the bark covering from the logs, or is this only a concern when bark is mulched?

Any thoughts?
STU

[m4tt]

i think asper is a concern whenever organic material is dead (grass clippings, wood shavings, bark from a tree etc..) becuase it is decaying no matter what, and as it decays it gives off asper particles.

if you want a natural feel for the perches, y not make a mold of the bark, fill it with plaster, or something softer, more wood like, and use that to cover perches with? (the idea just came to me )

[Falcon Boy]

I saw tons of natural branches being used as perches while in the uK, but they were not covered with bark.

[jfseaman]

Remember asper exists in the wild as well as in your mews. Use of natural materials isn't an automatic death sentence.

Natural branches used as perches would be dry, except those placed in the weathering/mews so the bird can sit in the rain if they want to and they'd only be wet while its raining. BTW: If it's raining my bird loves it, stands in it to bath. And... His new mature plumage looks fantastic.

What you want to avoid is decaying material, wood shavings and things that can allow mold to grow if they get damp. Don't put rotting logs in the mews, new dry fresh cut. Bark from a recently cut, dry branch probably isn't rotting or moldy.