How to care for a minor scratch?

[Kaedyn]

Rigel has what appears to be a minor scratch on his head this morning, right above where the beak and skin join. With reptiles I used to just coat minor wounds with a bit of Neosporin. Is there something similar that is recommended for birds?

[Dave007]

Go to a pharmacy or any store that has a pharmacy dept. such as Walmart and purchase 100% Aloe vera gel. Never use any salves that have chemicals in them on birds. Use a small amount.The gel will quickly sink into the bruise with no after effects if the bird ingests it accidently which isn't likely considering where the bruise is located. The gel is a good item to have around the house and will last a very long time.

 

 

Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2007/12/08 20:22<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2007/12/08 20:32

[ziggy]

Hello,

Yes I agree with Dave aloe is the best healing aid for birds. You want to stay away from any ointment that is not all natural. Alot of the ointment have chemicals that are harmfull to your bird. You dont need that for sure.

[Guest briansmum]

brian had a minor scrape on his head above his eye a couple of weeks ago, don't know how he did it. i waited untill he was in a good mood, distracted him with something he loved, then dabbed the area with a cotton budd and warm water. it healed perfectly fine.

[birdmom]

hmmm. well occasionally Buddi crash landss and bumps her forehead into a wall or whatever she lands on. It usually results in a tiny little nick but they always heal up on their own in a day or two. I figured that in the wild they must scrape on branches and bushes, so unless they are getting dirty....which they don't...it should heal. I'll try getting some aloe just in case tho thanks! I have pure aloe juice in the fridge but I tried spraying on buddy when her feathers were really itchy and she just screamed. So I thought maybe it stung? Anyway the palm oil is working wonders on that!

[spookyhurst]

Nikko has gotten a couple little nicks on her face in the last couple of weeks. I think it's probably from her scratching herself with her too-long toe nails. They were very minor, so I didn't do anything about it. However, in the future, I'll remember to use aloe gel. If I can her in the head for some head tickles, I can sneak it on without her even knowing B).

[Kaedyn]

Thanks for the care info! I had to use the cotton ball and water solution initially, which briansmum mentioned. It seems that pure aloe is a rare creature here in the Atlanta area. I finally found a bottle, last night, at Rite Aid. It just so happens to be the same Fruit of the Earth pictured in Dave007's post.

[BMustee]

I have a bunch of Aloe plants in a big pot that I use for treating avian boo-boos. It's always fresh, and I know it's 100% because it's right off the plant. Anywhere they sell plants will have Aloe, and it's really easy to grow...I have a black thumb and even I can't kill it. :laugh:

[judygram]

An aloe plant is on my list of things to get for the birds, gotta be prepared for anything.