Ask Lafeber

Wooden cage

I heard from somebody that wooden cages cause scaly mites for birds. Is this true? Are wooden cages safe for birds? I have canaries.

Hi Batz,

Wooden cages are made to be ornamental and not really intended to house live birds. I realize in some countries they are used for small birds. But wood can’t be disinfected and can harbor bacteria and other organisms. While they are not the cause of scaley mites, they can certainly harbor them and other parasites just because wood is hard to clean and it’s easy for parasites to find hiding places. And the bars on most wooden cages are not consistent so there are often wider spaces where a bird can get out or gets his head stuck.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda