Last Updated on January 14, 2024 by Mitch Rezman

I read that fleece isn’t safe for birds, like to cover a wood shelf with, what do you think? 

My blue-front amazon is having foot problems on and off.

Last September there was a red spot on the bottom of his foot. 

I took him to my vet, who is not an avian vet, but very knowledgeable, he told me it wasn’t a pressure sore, and for me to get Alex bigger perches, and flat perches, I did and the problem after a while was solved. 

 

For months it was ok, now in May I noticed it is back. 

 

I keep changing perches, but it’s still there, and I noticed the hock on his other foot gets red, but not all the time.

 

Any suggestions you may have would be very much appreciated.

Oh and that red spot on the bottom of his other foot is not there all the time. 

 

It’s weird. 

 

I put in an older perch for him to sleep on the other night and in the morning, his foot was great, but through the day it got red.

 

And sometimes the perch that’s good for one foot, doesn’t seem to be good for the other.

Thank you

Judy

 

Hi Judy,

 

We love soft rope perches.

 

They are in all of our bird cages and we recommend them for any birdcage/bird species combination.

 

Backing up for a moment, a flat perch does not require fleece.

 

Fleece in and of itself is safe it’s the fibers if ragged they can catch a bird’s feet and you want to be careful about that by daily inspecting your bird’s fabric bedding, perches, and toys.

 

I can appreciate that your vet is knowledgeable but he or she lacks three years of additional training that a avian vet spends learning about birds.

 

Why that is significant is there are about 40 species of cats, 2 species of horses, only 1 species of dog but close to 11,000 species of birds.

 

Pet bird species number around 700 — if you include softbills and waxbills like finches and hornbills.

 

I’m perplexed as to why he told you it wasn’t a pressure sore, but then didn’t tell you what it was.

 

I don’t know what the older perch was made out of so I really can’t comment on that.

 

If you can send me a picture of your cage set up, that would be helpful.

 

In the meantime here’s an article that will help you better understand how your BFA’s feet work.