Scale question and bath question

[DavidH]

1. Does anyone recommend a certain kind of scale for daily weighing? If so, what's a good source for purchase in the USA?

 

2. Shanti likes his spray bath every morning. It's part of his routine, and he's never resisted it. I've been using a good mist dousing in water with one bottle followed by a birdy spray (from Petco) that contains Aloe Vera in a second bottle . He actually seems to like the second spray better, but that may be because it's a smaller bottle and not at all intimidating.

 

My question is, Is a quick daily spray bathing enough? Or do parrots need more of an extended bath?

[Goralka08]

Our rescue orders scales through http://www.birdscales.com/

Rick's Bird Supply in Wisconsin.

 

They are good and ship quickly. The scale we use for our grey is the 2nd scale lists on their products page. It's a $69.99 digital bird scale with t-perch for small/medium parrots. It works in 1 gram increments or your can weigh in ounces.

 

BELOW PICTURE IS FROM THEIR WEBSITE...IT'S NOT MY BIRD, but this is the scale that we have.

 

It's recommended to weigh your bird at least once a week. You should weigh them first thing in the morning before they eat or drink, but AFTER the first big dump! lol We keep a weight log book so we can keep track of any sudden changes, in order to ensure she's not sick.

 

The daily spritz is fine because it will keep the feathers in good condition and keep the dander down. Your bird doesn't need to get drenched, but sometimes it's fun! lol We used to just spritz our grey each day, until we saw her dunking her head in her water bowl! So then we filled a short big dish with some shallow water and put it on the kitchen floor. We showed it to her and she went crazy (in a good way!) and had a bunch of fun getting DRENCHED! It's not something she likes to do everyday, but more like only 1-2 times a week. The rest of the days we just spritz her. So you could try to introduce your bird to this method to try to make bath time a little more exciting. If you do, I recommend the kitchen floor so you can easily clean up the water that has splashed everywhere...<br><br>Post edited by: Goralka08, at: 2009/01/13 21:53

[DavidH]

Thanks for your thoughts and recommendations, Gor. Good karma to you. -- David

[BaxtersMom]

I already had a regular postal scale that weighs in pounds and grams at my house when I got Baxter (and other flock members) I just put my birds on the postal scale. Of course it doesn't have the T perch on top but it only costs about $10 to $15. You can get them at the post office or office supply stores. I just set them on that one and it works just as good since it also weighs in grams. They don't care if it has a T perch or not and they aren't afraid of stepping on the flat surface:silly:

 

Mine looks very similar to the one that Kimberly posted above but more rectangular and no T perch.

 

I take my birds in the shower with me atleast once a week and get them good and soaked down to the skin. I have aloe vera juice too that I spray on them after the shower. Since the feathers are somewhat waterproof it takes a lot of juice to get the feathers saturated and thats why I do it after their shower.

 

If they have dry itchy skin or dander the daily light surface spray probably won't go down far enough to moisturize their skin. I would try to get the skin soaked some how.<br><br>Post edited by: BaxtersMom, at: 2009/01/13 23:19

[Poppy]

I purchased a normal kitchen one with 1g and pounds and ounces from our local store .Its round with a metal bass that works really well .Its a digital one as well

[danmcq]

Hi David,

 

I purchased the 3001P/7001DX Bird-Stand model scale for around 50 bucks. YOu can easily find it online by entering this model number and text.

 

Regarding the baths. Your doing a superb job. I'm uncertain if your using Aloe Juice though, if not it is recommended at 100% strength and drench him completely. A drenching is only required once or twice a week at most. But, if your grey enjoys splashing around in water, let him do so when he wishes. :-)

[DavidH]

Regarding the baths. Your doing a superb job. I'm uncertain if your using Aloe Juice though, if not it is recommended at 100% strength and drench him completely. A drenching is only required once or twice a week at most.

 

Hi Dan, I've been using plain water in one bottle followed by something called "8 in 1 Bird Bath Spray" which contains Aloe, in a second bottle.

 

One thing I worried about was shpritzing him in the eyes. It's a mist, but I wouldn't want to get it in MY eyes. What do you think?

 

Thanks,

David

[danmcq]

You're right David, you need to avoid getting it in his eyes, nostrils etc.. If the spray bottle is adjustable (which is the type most of us use), crank it down to more of a stream so you can target his back, under belly, inside the wings, breast and lower neck area better.

[Tycos_mom]

I have never used aloe on my birds. If they ever started to pluck I gues I would but because they don't seem to have any problems and none of them pluck or barber their feathers and they are all in perfect feather I figure if its not broken why fix it. My birds are absolutly gorgous and healthy. I soak my birds once a week in the shower and bath. I put the plug in the bath tub and turn the shower on the I let the shower run until the water is chest level the birds really seem to enjoy it. I do spray them in between with a water bottle but they do prefer the bat and shower. As far as aloe vera goes i live where its very humid and I think thats why its not nessesary their skin never gets overly dry so the don't get itchy.