Sand perches are good and bad. What do I mean by that? Sand perches supposedly help keep nails in check but they can also rub away at the bird’s feet and make them sore and even injure them. I’ve never really seen much evidence for the keeping the nails in check but it can’t hurt… IF… it’s done properly.
Plastic Sand Perches: As for the plastic sand perches, they’re great. HOWEVER… those too should be used in a very specific place. Allow me to explain. In the “Cage Setup” section I talk about how you should use the JW Insight Water Silo and put it in the corner of the cage where the sleeping hut/unit is. This way they have access to it if they need a drink during the middle of the night and putting it high up there is almost no chance to contaminate it with their own poop. This way if you happen to can change the water every other day, you’ll still be OK because the water isn’t teaming with poop bacteria like a water dish or bowl. This being the case, the only reason that bird will go on that perch is to get a drink. Its not near the front of the cage where the room is so it won’t stare at a wall. Its hut/house is where it will sleep or relax. And if you have it by a window to look out (as you should), that’s on the opposite side of the cage. So if you have your cage set up as efficiently as possible, the scenario will be, the bird will only go on that perch to get a drink of water. This forces the bird to use a sand perch but not over use it. The jury (for me anyway) is still out on whether sand perches definitively help keep nails in check but if it does it can’t hurt to have them. But sand perches can also rub a bird’s foot raw so you want to make sure they have limited access. Well what better way to have mandatory AND limited access than to make that the perch they drink water from? I tell you, I’m a genius J Well… I actually AM but… story for another time 😉
As for other brands of sand perches, I think they should be just fine whether it’s the half dipped which I’ve used
or the Sandy Perch brand.
Those might be a bit too fine of grit for me personally but safety wise they should be fine I’d imagine.
I personally use both the standard JW Insight perch and the T-version and they both suit me just dandy. For another scenario where you could have the birds optimally use the sand perch but not over use it, is in the summertime, put a standard sand perch on the outside of the cage, sticking outward towards the window. That way, as the warm sun is beaming in, especially after a bath, birds love to preen and dry off basking in the warm sunlight. Only have that out during the summer though, NOT the winter. Mainly because of the cold and drafts. Cold drafts + a wet bird = a much greater chance of illness, just like humans. There’s also less sunlight and less warm shiny sunlight in the winter time too. And make sure that unless you have a bird bath in the cage permanently, don’t let a bird take a bath then go directly to bed. They need to be a certain amount dried and preened before they sleep otherwise its like being tired and falling asleep with the fan on you. You wake up frozen and the next thing you know… you’re sick.