Conference 7.286::pet_birds

    
    As far as I know, all Amazons, Greys, Cockatoos and Cockateils have
    powder feathers.... this powder keeps the feathers healthy.....
    
    
    David.....

    My Mollucan puts out so much powder that there was a time when I
    could notice myself having breathing problem...(When I had to keep
    the bird in my bedroom).  When I was able to move him in with the
    rest of the birds the white dust/powder was all over the place.
     since then I purchased an eltrostatic (sp?) air filter and things
    are all better.  But everytime I play with him my shirt and hands
    get a white film on them (even with regular baths/showers)...
    
    Mark
    

    Feather dust...
    
    Well ALL birds have alum in their feathers!  No oil!  The last thing
    a bird needs is oil in his feathers... the oil will ultimately cause
    the bird breathing problems and then pnenumonia ensues!  there is
    no such thing as oil based feathers Doug!  If the bird needs oil
    in his diet his feathres and skin will be too dry also causing
    breathing problems to humans!
    
    Frequent showers or sprays with tepid water and listerine or glycerine
    will alieviate the dust problem to a degree!
    
    Jean Hutchins
    

    I would never put listerine or glycerine on a bird.  listerine has
    phenol as a base and most glycerine has a petrolium base.  I do
    not think a petrochemical product is appropitate for a bird.  stick
    to warm water and feed a better diet.

    There is nothing wrong with using the glycering or listerine on
    the birds...ad 7 drops of glycerine to 1 pint of water and spray
    the bird till moist al over....if using listerine, you can use up
    to 1/2 ounce per pint of water.  
    
    This practice was recomended by veterinarians and later suggested
    by judges for showing birds.  The feathers become tighter, and the
    skin condition improves.
    
    Another step the 'medical' journals recomend is to use Dawn dish
    liquid or Amway LOC to wash the bird.  These soaps for some reason
    do not harm the birds.  Naturally, you only use a tiny tiny little
    bit, and it goes a long way...
    
    Nobody advocates a proper diet more than I do, but there are other
    conditions in the world, such as Oxidents...that prevent even the
    best of us from looking our best!
    
    In the real warm weather, and the dry weather, I always spray the
    birds with a listerine or glycerine bath...they all love it!  And
    after a glycerine bath...they look more lovely than before!  With
    all the love, time, and money spent in my aviary.....I would NEVER
    do anything to hurt my birds.                                     
    
    Also, warm water will make the feathers fluffy....and the bird can
    feel drafts quicker and he may have an overall appearance of
    disarray...cool water will tighten up the feathers and keep them
    closer to the body and be much sleeker.
    
    Jean
    

    Jean,
    
    About once a week or so, I put a bowl of water in the bottom of
    Hansel and Gretel's cage so that they can take a bath.  If I don't,
    H&G start bathing in their water dish.  Soooo, would it be ok to
    use the listerine or glycerine water in the bowl instead of the
    regular old Belmont Springs?  Will it hurt the birds if they drink
    this stuff by mistake?
    
    	-Nancy

    Hi Nancy!!!
    
    Since your birds bathe freely, and appear clean...don't use the
    glycerine or listerine in the bath bowl.  It is one thing to spray
    the feathers...but an other thing to just drink it...then again,
    after they are sprayed, they are going to preen, however, the amount
    of stuff added to the spray bottle would be considerably less on
    the bird, than if they jumped into a bowl of it...do you understand
    what I am trying to say???
    
    After more thought, I'd day no after all...plain water in the bath,
    and add the others to spray bottles for misting only...  When I
    got my little bird, Bianca, the white budgie that was in the newspaper,
    well, she was filthy dirty...in fact, when we got her, we were told
    she was a gray bird...we washed her with Dawn Dish Washing Liquid
    and she looks pretty good now!  There is one trick I want to try
    with her, being a white bird and all, but anyone that does not
    understand about birds....would pitch one fit it I told you what
    I am thinking of doing....8^}
    
    Jean

    If you have a cockatoo try wetting a large bath towel and see if your
    bird will roll around in it, it seems that in the wild cocktoos like to
    roll around in wet grass instead of puddles of water.
    
    -Stan