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View Full Version : Removing tannin to make oak safe



Merrick
10-23-2015, 05:05 PM
So for those of you who want to make natural tree limb perches but don't have access to a wide range of tree species oak maybe your only option. Some oaks are better than others like cork oak but most have high tannin levels which are dangerous to our parrot companions. So one way to remove tannins is to boil the wood.
What I do is find a pot that fits the size of the branch (which greatly limits my selection of different size branches )
Then I put the branch in with water to completely surround it
Then bring to a boil, let boil for 15 min
Repeat until water no longer turns brown

Casper's 2nd best friend
10-23-2015, 06:11 PM
Isn't tannin what they use to make leather supple? Are the thongs that we use to string up wooden blocks safe?

spiritbird
10-23-2015, 06:22 PM
The leather in bird toys that I have is untanned. You can tell because the color is so light.

Merrick
10-23-2015, 08:04 PM
Isn't tannin what they use to make leather supple? Are the thongs that we use to string up wooden blocks safe?

yes that is what tannin is used for that is why only vegetable tanned leather is safe for birds, yes the string is safe as long as it has been properly proccessed

Casper's 2nd best friend
10-23-2015, 09:24 PM
My first job, whilst still at school, was to work in the warehouse of a local store on Saturdays. The warehouseman whom I was helping was an old* boy who told me that he had worked for years in a tannery and it was evil work that had affected his health quite badly. Nothing to do with all the cigarettes he chain smoked of course.

*he may have only been about 35, when you're fifteen anyone over 25 looks ancient.

Mare
10-24-2015, 02:41 AM
Gosh..I didn't know tannin was in some oak. I'm just hoping it's not in our local oaks, otherwise, we could be in trouble :(. I'm guessing we are good here because the birds are doing well after six years of it.