Talon Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 (edited) There has been some conflicting info posted in another thread. I am hoping to clarify it here. Please Note: no one here is a vet, this is information I was told by my vet and have researched. PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR VET FOR FURTHER CLASSIFICATION. It is my understanding that Human Mouths have bacteria that although it may be a Positive Bacteria for Us, It is a Negative Bacteria for our birds. Birds that are allowed to eat off our forks, out of our glasses, take food from our mouths, or kissed by our mouths on their beaks are highly susceptible to Bad Bacteria for them resulting in sickness and even death. It is NEVER a good idea for any reason, including the risk of a bite to kiss our birds on their beaks. Please read this link: http://www.cockatiels.org/ownersandenthusiasts/avian-bacterial-disease.htm In my house, I kiss my birds lightly on the top of their heads if they are in the right mood and I see by all indications from their body language that it is okay. They will allow my Hand to lightly bend their head down for a kiss on top. I always keep my hand lightly guiding their head so I can't be caught off guard for a sucker punch. Another thing I do for kisses is ask for a kiss if again they are on the right frame of mind for it and I pretend to kiss their beak with my finger and make a kissing sound. This works for my flock and is safe for all of us. I expect Dave our Health Room moderator to chime in here and set us straight with more facts. So keep reading and watching........to be continued.................... Edited May 20, 2012 by Talon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Thanks Penny, can't wait for Dave, Dan and other members...This is so important, not only can we transfer illness to our parrots, but the reverse can occur. Here's reference from Parrot.org. Dave made a statement in a post in regards to kissing a parrot on the lips,"a fat lip", to be bitten on the lips by a parrot, even a 'Tiel, is far worst then a lip piercing. Yeow..... http://www.parrots.org/pdfs/all_about_parrots/reference_library/health_and_nutrition/zoonotic_diseases_in_pet_birds.pdf http://www.quakerparrots.com/health/transmitted-diseases-parrots-humans/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Not sure if I can help, but here goes! Most infections, or exchange of saliva, between owner and bird, tends to be Staph positive. When there is an exchange of negative bacilli, that is where you baby tends to get sick. I don't go crazy exchanging kisses with Sophie. She needs to develop a natural immunity. She has! BUT... I am exposed to tons of infections.... I refuse to pick her up, until I have showered, and she knows this! I also HATE to take them to the vet, as they will be exposed to illneses they shouldn't be exposed too! I won't take my birds to a vet, unless I need too. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted May 22, 2012 Author Share Posted May 22, 2012 Nancy, I believe it what is positive bacteria on us is NEGATIVE to our birds. I hope Dave or Dan or Jay or Ray comes on soon to set me and you straight on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 From a previous post of mine: A parrots mouth, crop, stomach and intestines,cloaca, skin and respiratory tract are "Gram Positive", us human's are 'Gram Negative". Staph positive is a type of infection - staphylococcus. This can occur in both gram positive (parrots) and gram negative (humans). These are two different types of bacteria and when one type is introduced to the other type through the action of kissing or saliva exchange, an explosion of diseases can occur. Staphylococcus is one of them along with e-coli (the most common). What this whole thread boils down to is don't let saliva from your mouth, fingers, drinking glasses or utensils enter your bird's mouth. This is scientific fact. Thank you so much. Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Guys.. let me help. All birds and people's mouth, are gram positive. No matter how much we kiss, gram positive, is the normal flora. When you have a bird, that doesn't have a healthy immune system, they can get sick.Gram negative, is thru feces. This is where they really get sick! There are sooo many things they can get exposed too!WASH your hands! Kids know how crazy I can be. " wash your hands, before handling birds!" I am absolutely crazy about it! Noone even thinks about it anymore. Its normal for us. Wash hands, before handling a bird, no matter what the crisis is! I also know, the practice of " washing hands", has kept us out of vets office. I hate just the thought, of going to the vet! Sophie hasn't been to the vet over a decade. Some may argue with that. I don't want Sophie exposed to anything, she doesn't need to be. Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimijean Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I haven't read this yet but intend to.: http://featheredangels.wordpress.com/diet/illness-and-disease/bacterial-alert-the-kiss-of-death/ Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I haven't read this yet but intend to.:http://featheredangels.wordpress.com/diet/illness-and-disease/bacterial-alert-the-kiss-of-death/ Kim Thank you Kimijean. The purpose of this thread was for every one to enjoy and maybe learn something new. A secondary reason was to let people who didn't know about things that might hurt our companions become aware of them. This thread has once again turned into who can "Run the fastest". It was meant to be fun. What this all boils down to, "Don't kiss you parrot on the mouth", that's simple, safe, by not kissing your bird isn't going to hurt any one, and you can wash your hands all you want.. So lets move on. Thank each and every one of you Greyt members...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share Posted May 23, 2012 Thank you Jay and Thank you Kim for the link you,posted as a GREAT reminder. This thread I started was not to prove WHO is right or WHO is wrong. It was only meant as a reminder that is is NEVER OKAY FOR HUMANS TO KISS OR SHARE OUR MOUTHS, ETC. WITH OUR BIRDS! So as Nilah would yell.....l..l.lENOUGH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Thank you Jay and Thank you Kim for the link you,posted as a GREAT reminder. This thread I started was not to prove WHO is right or WHO is wrong. It was only meant as a reminder that is is NEVER OKAY FOR HUMANS TO KISS OR SHARE OUR MOUTHS, ETC. WITH OUR BIRDS! So as Nilah would yell.....l..l.lENOUGH! So, so many opinions, so many good results, so many bad results, so much common sense. All the talk is about health to the bird and health to the person. People get so uptight when other people say that certain bad things can possibly happen to the birds. So much confusion, so much anger, so much attitude, some people intent upon proving a point. Well, there will never be a winner when common sense is argued. So, I'm here to give a safe altervative !! Use tongue condoms!!!!! Further information~~~~ As with any other condoms, tongue condoms may leak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted May 23, 2012 Author Share Posted May 23, 2012 Finally, the answer we have all been waiting for! Thank you for your post! It was written with the upmost truth! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 LOL Dave! WE have always kissed Dayo on the top of the beak since he was 6 weeks old. But, NO FRENCHING or OPEN LIPS!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Thanks Dave, Dan and others, I went to CVS Pharmacy but the lady there gave me a strange look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kins2321@yahoo.com Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Gram positive bacteria continues with exposure thru your birds mouth. They can regurg all they want. Won't change. All e-coli exposure, is thru feces. If Sophie, regurgs, I am happy to receive it... I have taught her to give it to me, by hand. I always thank her. When she poops, contaminates water and food, it is steralized. All feces, is treated as contamination. All fecal material, is treated as gram negative, which it is! No big deal. nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted May 26, 2012 Share Posted May 26, 2012 Gram positive bacteria continues with exposure thru your birds mouth. They can regurg all they want. Won't change. All e-coli exposure, is thru feces. If Sophie, regurgs, I am happy to receive it... I have taught her to give it to me, by hand. I always thank her. When she poops, contaminates water and food, it is steralized. All feces, is treated as contamination. All fecal material, is treated as gram negative, which it is! No big deal. nancy E-coli can be transferred by mouth from human to parrot, it is only one of 37 bacteria that reside in our mouth that can harm our parrots, where it comes frome isn't what matters, it's where it ends up is all that counts!!! Like Nancy said, no big deal!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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