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Marcus just bit my nostril...


MarcusCAG

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It was totally an accident, I got him a little riled up while he was on his hanging upside-down from his Boing and I think he was trying to give me an 'air kiss' when I leaned in... I wasn't expecting it and he caught the inside of my nostril. No bleeding, just a bit of a shock (!) which I shrugged off (didn't want to make him upset), but now I'm wondering if I need to be concerned for bacteria contamination or anything, as I would be with saliva. When he normally gets into something questionable, he gets sprayed down a bit--and I think I may do that now, to get anything off his beak that might be there. Is there anything else I should do? I know, this is an odd post, but I just want to cover my bases, thanks...

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First of all... Ouch!! I cringed just reading the title. Glad you didn't end up w/an unintentional piercing. lol

 

There isn't probably too much to worry about unless you've got a cold. Marcus is a pretty healthy guy & shouldn't really have a problem dealing w/anything normal. But if you want to feel better, you might give him a slice of aloe or a cinnamon stick, both of which have some antibacterial/fungal properties.

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Poor Karen !!! Another battle scar..

I got nailed last night when hubby yelled something from the kitchen while I was petting Roscoe in the living room. It wasn't just a quick bite, He held on, wings flapping, and I lifted him hanging -- up onto the pillow from the floor. Roscoe let out some 4-letter words, and then let go, looked down as if to say, "How did I get up here?? OHH, this is not a stable surface !!". Then, as usual, the cute little kissy noises to say - I'm sorry, Mommy. I offered "step up" & he carefully obliged. I put him down on the carpet and he continued on like nothing had happened. I've got 2 good puncture marks that bled, but that's ok.

 

As to your dilema regarding the saliva & contamination - it was contact with your mucous membrane that makes a difference for both of you for bacteria. Maybe someone will enlighten us ....

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Thanks, birdhouse! I figured he would probably be okay, but just wanted to make sure...

 

The flock just got sprayed down with aloe and water (so Marcus wouldn't feel singled out, it's not his favorite thing in the world, but I do have one very happy Ringneck perching near me now!) and we don't have any more cinnamon sticks in the house so I'll have to look into that. Thanks for the tip!

 

And Gwen, I'm sorry about Roscoe biting you last night, that's never fun! At least he apologized to you. :) Tybalt got both my hubby and me yesterday while we were attempting to train him, I think they were basically unintentional bites too (at least with me, it was like he thought my skin was clothing he could grab onto)... he's getting close to stepping up now, but we're not quite there yet.

Edited by MarcusCAG
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Ouch!guess you are a official member of the bit me club Dan started up a few years ago. I wouldn't worry, Marcus should be fine. My birds are always trying t stick their beaks in my mouth, and occasionally they win when I'm not quicker than them. As long as they are healthy to start with, their immune systems are fighting any bacteria they may pick up from us.

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The topic was finding a possible suitable antimicrobial for Marcus. It also just so happens that birds like Cinnamon. So, you're right on topic. I don't remember whether I saw a post from JayD or Dave007 suggesting that it was good to sprinkle a little on soft foods to help slow down spoilage during the warm weather.

 

It also has a number of potential health benefits according to the ref'ed link. I do remember seeing a post from JayD that it might also be a good dietary supplement to help curb cholesterol in birds who are proned to have problems. Good Stuff!

 

 

 

"Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida. In laboratory tests, growth of yeasts that were resistant to the commonly used anti-fungal medication fluconazole was often (though not always) stopped by cinnamon extracts.

 

Cinnamon's antimicrobial properties are so effective that recent research demonstrates this spice can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives. In a study, published in the August 2003 issue of the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the addition of just a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to 100 ml (approximately 3 ounces) of carrot broth, which was then refrigerated, inhibited the growth of the foodborne pathogenic Bacillus cereus for at least 60 days. When the broth was refrigerated without the addition of cinnamon oil, the pathogenic B. cereus flourished despite the cold temperature. In addition, researchers noted that the addition of cinnamon not only acted as an effective preservative but improved the flavor of the broth."

 

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68#healthbenefits

Edited by birdhouse
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I don't know how much is ok or how often. If it's that effective on yeast, for instance, I'd wonder if too much could upset the natural balance of good microorganisms in our fids. I also don't know how much essential oils are in a cinnamon stick say an inch long. Or how much of an inch long cinnamon stick actually ends up in our fid. lol

 

Hopefully, the post was from Dave & he'd be better able to answer you. You might put the question into a separate thread in the bird food forum. Then we'll all know for future reference.

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Many people have given cinnamon sticks for years and years. People use them for different reasons. Some use the sticks sticks as a sort of toy/treat..they love it and it makes their beaks and breath smell good ( if the bird has constant bad breath. A vet can tell what its from) You can also sprinkle some cinnamon in cooked bird food or oatmeal..it was especially popular for oatmeal to spice it up but as time as gone on, a person can now buy cinnamon in a jar at the supermarket. I used it for years because they took to the opatmeral much better than plain oatmeal. My birds eat lots of oatmeal that has cinnamon in it. Actually, I give cinnamon oatmeal to baby birds as they're in the last stages of weaning so the transition from formula to oatmeal isn't drastic. Usually, that's the point where they're always looking for flavored oatmeal and I give it well into adulthood. Personally, I wouldn't put it on food because it's simply a pain in the ass to do that.

As far as benefits, there really is none but there's millions of things that're out there which have no benefits yet theyr'e stilll great for birds. Every single thing that can be eaten doesn't have to be beneficial to a bird but this statement is just my tried and true opinion. Do what you feel is safe. No experimentation until the person asks.

Edited by Dave007
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It was totally an accident, I got him a little riled up while he was on his hanging upside-down from his Boing and I think he was trying to give me an 'air kiss' when I leaned in... I wasn't expecting it and he caught the inside of my nostril. No bleeding, just a bit of a shock (!) which I shrugged off (didn't want to make him upset), but now I'm wondering if I need to be concerned for bacteria contamination or anything, as I would be with saliva. When he normally gets into something questionable, he gets sprayed down a bit--and I think I may do that now, to get anything off his beak that might be there. Is there anything else I should do? I know, this is an odd post, but I just want to cover my bases, thanks...

 

dont worry about contamination! Worry about bird exposure. Nancy

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