Building a Parakeet Window-Top Perch Ledge

Parakeets love to be up high. It's a natural instinct they have. Predators are found down low, it is safe up high. Parakeets also love windows, because they are usually bright and sunny. Keets need daily sunshine for the vitamins it provides. It's no surprise then that parakeets often like to hang out on the tops of window ledges. While this is great for a happy keet, it usually means your window becomes dirty and chewed up, since parakeets like to gnaw.

To remedy this, we built a perch ledge that fits right into the top of our window. Our window has a curtain rod at the top of it, as do most windows. This ledge sits right between the window and the curtain rod, and lets the keets gnaw away as much as they wish on that perch. When the perch gets too gnawed up, we simply put up another one, and let them keep gnawing.

It's useless to try to get your keets NOT to gnaw. They like to gnaw! That is what nature intends them to do. It is your job to provide them with HEALTHY things that they can gnaw daily, so they get their gnawing fix in without destroying your home :)

You start with a long, flat rectangle of wood, sized to fit on top of your window frame / curtain rod area. On the bottom, attach two woden rectangles at a 90 degree angle. This is what sits between the wall of the house and the curtain rod, to hold the perch in place.

Now on top of the wood rectangle, put in 3 "perch holders". These are simply wood squares that are going to hold the main perch up off of the wood rectangle. Finally, nail or glue on a dowel to serve as a perch. Choose a size that is easy for your keets to hold on to - but choose a size that is different from their other existing perches. That way their feet get some exercise, holding onto perches of different sizes.

Then sit back and enjoy! It might take a week or so before your keets are brave enough to try this new location, but they'll be thrilled to have something new to gnaw on!

Also be sure to read about Building a Parakeet Play Gym!