ICERAT4 Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Hi all new guy here.I have a 3 year old grey named sunny .This is the frist year ive noticed feather around the neck a lil plucking going on .Not alot but i either feel as she is molting more or i need more humidity in the house.I want to spray her with this aloe stuff .Do i do it before a bath after or instead of the bath.I bought a seprate humidior to help out the room so any input here is greatly appiciate it mucho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Use pure Aloe juice should be used...don't dilute it. I would keep an eye on your grey and see if you catch him really plucking, because it could just be a heavy molt. I live in FL so I never really need to worry about the humidity level, but I'm sure it couldn't hurt to put one in the bird's room...just be careful about bacteria growth in the water, change it often and don't keep it too close to the cage. Also, get a aloe plant and you can use the insides as a topical ointment for really irritated skin...you might want to try that on your grey's neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Ooops...double post.:pinch:<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2007/11/28 20:50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Sorry to hear of your plucking problems but the aloe vera juice is good for them, very soothing for the skin. Why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome room and tell us a little more about yourself and this grey you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICERAT4 Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 From what i see its really only when she sticks her neck up high and i see the other new flolic feather coming in.She eats like a pig and is normal in every way maybe like u said a heavy molting for her i am in illinois.i DO see the new stick of fearther but she hasint broke it out of the caseing shell If she did she would be full again for sure.Sorry i am bad with the bird Its not like she is bare chested just a lil around the top part of her neck just below her jaw.thanks for the info guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 What part of Illinois are you in, are you anywhere close to Martinton? I know some people there is why I ask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICERAT4 Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 NW WEST SUBURB IN CRYSTAL LAKE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Martinton is in the eastern part so it is not near you but thanks for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Why are you sorry ? Did you say something bad. I read it and it sounded okay to me. Well anyway, the juice..as people have said you can use the juice without any baths. It doesn't instantly cure plucking but it will soothe a bird's skin not as dry as it normally is. The dryness causes scratching and plucking. The best way to use the juice is written below. Many people as well as myself use the juice all the time. You can never worry about using to much. find that the best method for using this product is through a mister/sprayer. The juice can be cold or room temperature. I prefer cold cause my birds prefer baths and getting misted with cold fluid so I store the jug in the fridge and just pour it into the mister. There's been discussion about percentages of juice to water. I prefer full strength and I know it can't harm the birds. I've used it full strength for years. The most important parts of a grey's body that should be thoroughly soaked are 1--the inner part of the wing where it meets the body. That body area should be sprayed very well. 2--all over the breast area starting from the neck all the way down to the vent area. All of the above areas aren't water proof so the juice should soak in immediately 3--the feathers covering each leg. 4--the base of the upper neck /lower back of the head. Even when giving a bird a good misting with plain water, the same method and areas should be soaked. As far as when to use it, I use it all the time and I also bathe my birds in the sink with water but your bird doesn't need to be bathed first. It works on the skin the way hand cream works on a woman's hands. When a woman puts on the hand cream, it immediately sinks into the skin leaving the hands nice and soft which the husband or boyfriend enjoys. A grey doesn't have to have a feather or skin problem. People here use it on their birdsand those birds have never had any feather problems in the past. Just remember the secret to success is to make sure that the bird gets soaked to the skin and make sure you don't use a towel or hair dryer. Let the grey stay soaked so it will work it's way into the skin. The same thing applies to bathing with water.--hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapala Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 If I read correctly, the bare areas are around her neck? And you see new pin feathers coming in? She will not be able to reach those herself. That's where you come in to help preen those feathers when they're ready. If the feathers are not ready to have the casing come off, they will be tender, and she will let you know! This is not plucking since she can't reach those feathers anyway. I would suggest bathing with plain water since it sounds like you do not have a plucking problem. Reta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The area's you said do sound like the areas prone to heavy molts and dry skin. As for what Chapala said...I disagree. Aloe juice should be used if you think your dry has dry skin with molting, and being in the winter months the air is very dry and needs that extra moister. I live in Southwest Florida and it's like 80 something degrees outside right now with a good amount of humidity in the air and I still use the aloe juice. Like Dave (MrSpock) said it works just like a hand cream...now doesn't your skin feel better after you use it? That's how birds feel after they get the aloe bath. It is also better than water because it gets rid of the "dirty bird" smell that greys get that water doesn't seem to touch. One more reason to use the aloe instead of water is that most of our tape water had chlorine and fluoride in it...not to mention all the minerals and such.<br><br>Post edited by: BMustee, at: 2007/11/29 18:05 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 """""She will not be able to reach those herself. That's where you come in to help preen those feathers when they're ready."""""" In my opinion, the last thing I would tell a person to do is help the bird along when feathers are about to come in or just starting to come in. The reason is that the bird is already naturally uncomfortable and some are short tempered during a molting season. I also wouldn't recommend giving that advice to a person I didn't know cause I don't know how brave or knowledgeable the person is when messing around with undeveloped feather areas. All a person has to do is touch and move that shaft in the wrong direction, even the TINIEST or SLIGHTEST wrong direction and BANG, there's a huge possibility that the bird will instantly bite. It doesn't take much to set the bird off when molting with people feeling around those irritated areas. They're already in a pissed off mood.Some birds molt out evenly and it doesn't really look too drastic. Others molt out unevenly and it looks terrible, especially the neck and lower rear part of the head. That's no reason to be grabbing those ares to assist them. The feathers will still come ineventually.One of the worst things to do with a molting bird is to pet the exposed pin shafts in the reverse direction ( ex--back of neck upward towards the head). BANG, another bite is around the corner. I'm sure that in the past, some people here have experienced that situation and believe me, it hurts.<br><br>Post edited by: MrSpock, at: 2007/11/29 19:26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 And I assume you speak from experience, Dave, nothing like good old first hand knowledge. I too would be reluctant to help along the pin feathers and I do not bother Josey's but I do help along my sun conure's and she likes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMustee Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Yeah, this one macaw at my work (Oscar, a buffon's) will try to take a finger off if you even touch a feather that is still sensitive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 """""And I assume you speak from experience, Dave,""""" Many experiences Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I thought so.........:ohmy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICERAT4 Posted November 30, 2007 Author Share Posted November 30, 2007 Thank you all.I am sure things will work out.Nice fourm and thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICERAT4 Posted December 3, 2007 Author Share Posted December 3, 2007 Well only after 4 days things are looking way better.I think it was a heavy molt .but i will use the aloe from now on .As the water we have is well and kinda hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Hi Icerat, it's great to hear to he's improvinmg and just a molt is occuring.. Thanks for the update, don't be such a stranger :-) We love hearing from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Glad to hear it was a heavy molt, but the aloe juice is great for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapala Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 In my opinion, the last thing I would tell a person to do is help the bird along when feathers are about to come in or just starting to come in. The reason is that the bird is already naturally uncomfortable and some are short tempered during a molting season. I also wouldn't recommend giving that advice to a person I didn't know cause I don't know how brave or knowledgeable the person is when messing around with undeveloped feather areas Sorry if I wasn't clear - I would never recommend that anyone attempt to take the casing off pins or feathers that still have a blood supply! A sure way to get bitten However, now I'm wondering - don't most of you help your bird by preening the head feathers as they do with each other? Kali my Grey appreciates it very much if I help him with those feathers he can't reach, when the casing is dry. So do all other tame birds I've been around. Reta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapala Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 Re aloe vera as a skin spray, I just wanted to mention that there are people who believe it is not good to use except for a short term condition such as a wound or burn, and that it actually can end up dehydrating the skin. A spray made from chamomile and coltsfoot is considered by some to be much more soothing for plucked parrots. There are many parrot experts that recommend nothing but plain water (preferably with no chlorine) to spray on birds, and that is what I always have followed. My birds have wonderful feather condition and have never had even a spritz of aloe. This post is just to let people know that if they ask questions, they will find out there are differing opinions and not everyone is convinced that aloe is either helpful or benign. This site seems to be 100% in favor of using aloe regularly as a spray on parrots' skin, so I thought an alternate view might be helpful in encouraging people to look into it further before using aloe all the time. Reta<br><br>Post edited by: chapala, at: 2007/12/03 02:26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I use a product from Mango Pet Products called "African Grey Bath Spray". From the ingredients list it looks like it's primarily purified water, then aloe vera, with omega 3 and 6 oils added. It's fairly pricey, since the local stores never seem to have it on hand and I have to order it online and pay shipping. Is aloe juice relatively inexpensive and easy to come by? Where do you get it -- pet stores or health food stores? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 I got mine at a Walmart store, comes in a gal container and was about $5, not too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatB Posted December 3, 2007 Share Posted December 3, 2007 $5 per gallon? Man, that's a steal compared to what I'm paying for the "bath spray". I'll look for it at Walmart. Which department? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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