I was talking to a Master falconer who suggested that using anything other then a block perch for a falcon is bumble foot just waiting to happen.
His reasoning behind this was that a falcon is much denser then most other birds therefore a lot of weight is placed on their feet while resting. If a falcons feet are "gripping" like a red-tail on a bow perch then the weight is not spread out evenly. All the way down to the toes must be flat.
With my swivel perch. My hybrids toes just barely go over and curl. But i can now see how that might cause a cut.
I must admit, although I thought it was just "tradition" to weather falcons on blocks I can now see the logic behind it. Trial and error creates tradition...
I am very tempted to fork over the money for a block perch now...
But I was also curious if any Licensed falconers had anything to back up this theory up or add their personal experiences that they've had.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold. - Helen Keller.
.........using anything other then a block perch for a falcon is bumble foot just waiting to happen........I must admit, although I thought it was just "tradition" to weather falcons on blocks I can now see the logic behind it. Trial and error creates tradition...
There is usually very sound rationale behind a 'tradition' that has survived to the present. Managing falconry birds really hasn't changed in thousands of years. Falcons have been maintained on flat surfaces for that long for good reason.
I am very tempted to fork over the money for a block perch now...
Make one yourself. The only thing you might want to buy is the spike (and ring). A round chunk of debarked wood, cut the top flat, glue on some daisy mat, and you've got a functional block. Or make a cement block.
But I was also curious if any Licensed falconers had anything to back up this theory up or add their personal experiences that they've had.
I haven't had any foot problems because I use "traditional" perches according to species i.e. falcons on blocks, hawks on rotating rings (*with the right circumference), eagles have both available, Snowy and Short-eared owls on blocks, GHOs and Barred owls on rings*, etc.
Actually, one only needs to study the specific species in their natural habitat to know which perching surface they prefer and use - hence the surface we should provide.
I think of perches as the bird's shoes. Ill-fitting shoes cause painful blisters, corns, bunyuns, hammer toe, deformed toe nails etc. in humans. Improper shoes for birds cause basically the same for them too.
Most big falcons don't perch in trees. If they do, it's temporary, and they choose branches that are large enough for their feet to lay flat on them. Their feet aren't designed to grip around branches, but to close tightly (in a fist) around their prey.
On a flat surface, a falcon's weight is evenly distributed through their heel and toes (just like our weight is). If you examine the falcon's heel pad (the bottom of the foot), you may notice that the pad skin isn't thick or rough like that of a hawk or eagle. When all their weight is concentrated on their thin-skinned heel pad for long periods, the skin breaks down. It becomes very tender and open sores will eventually develop, thus allowing bacteria to enter. The tendons and ligaments become diseased, the heel bone becomes infected and turns to mush (osteomyelitis), and the infection travels up the hollow leg bone allowing it to spread throughout the body. Once bumble foot sets in, it's very difficult to treat successfully and permanently.
Prevention is the first word in raptor husbandry. Put your falcon on a block asap.