Mika and some issues

[shazia]

Hi All

 

Does anyone have/had the following problems with their Greys?

 

1. I have never taken Mika into the shower to give him a bath. He usually washes himself in the cage once every 2-3 weeks, I think. I tried squirting him with a water bottle once but since it was more of a squirt than a fine mist Mika did not like it and started flying each time I hit him with some water. Is it better to hit Mika with a fine mist type of water spray? Does anyone shower their African Greys. I do not want to scare him, and not really sure what to do.

2. Does your Grey smell. I am not sure if it is Mika, the food or the poop. But sometimes his cage/ or he starts to smell really horrible. It’s not my pregnancy since my sister has smelled it too.

Does anyone know why this is. Also what is the best type of air freshener that is safe one can use. Something that I can use in the apartment?

 

3. Can I use air fresheners, plug ins etc in other parts of my apartment other than the living room where Mika is situated?

 

Thanks

 

Shazia

[daveyj]

I used to bath Alfie in the sink but he didnt like it & used to bite me then i tried him in the big bath with around 4 inches of luke warm water in he protested but after a while he would tollerate his baths which are every 3 days now he has taken to the shower & loves this as for bathing yes they do need it it helps with dry skin & with feathers i.e. during the molt as for airfreshners & plug ins i wouldnt use them as you dont know what chemicals are in them as for the smelly bird 3 to 4 baths a week will do if not a fine mist spray try it when hes in the cage spay above him so the misty water falls down on your bird hope this helps

[Char]

I Take Whisper in the shower with me. Start out slowly by just letting her perch on the shower rod or a shower perch if you are afraid she will fly off in fear. It is kinda high up, a few times. She will get some benefit from the steam. After a few times of doing this move on to taking her in the shower with you.

 

I wait until I have completed my shower and then reach up and make her step up on my hand. I first started out by just letting her get a little bit wet. Use one hand to bounce the water on her rather than letting it hit her full force. Gradually increase how wet she gets. Whisper doesn't like it but now tolerate it rather well. She would panic when I first tried givin her a bath so I backed off and approached it with this slow method.

 

I also turn the water coole when it is time for her to get wet. She likes the water cooler.

 

How often do you clean the botom of the cage. Whisper gets bathed only once per week and her cage is cleaned every day. There is not an odor. If her poop is smelling strong then it may be time for a trip to the vet.

 

I would not use the air freshners.

 

Post edited by: Char, at: 2009/06/10 18:31<br><br>Post edited by: Char, at: 2009/06/10 18:32

[Luvparrots]

Hi Shazia, air fresheners are not good for birds, any birds. As for the smell I have never smelled anything different or unpleasant from Ana Grey or her cage. I would ask her avian vet what could be causing the smell if I couldn't relate it to a specific food that could cause the smell. If Mika isn't getting bathed regularly it might be a skin problem. Why speculate, ask her avian vet and then there wouldn't be a question.

[ranaz]

Hi

Kookie doesnt like showers or bath, but I mist him twice a week and he loves it. As for the cage, ive never smelled anything. I have news paper bellow the grat in his cage that I change one or twice a day. Check if there is any rotten food at the bottom of the cage. In case it was the poop smelling, then Id rather you take Mika to the vet to be checked for any intestinal problems.

I wouldnt use any airfreshners especially chemical ones cos you never know what poisonous substances it might contain. Just air the room well, it will do it.

 

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[Eckobird]

1.) I take my bird with me in the shower, he has a shower perch so he perches there and gets the mist on him and then at the end I get him completely soaked. After that I mist him with aloe vera juice. I've been doing this with him since he was 10 weeks old and he doesn't mind it but he also doesn't like it. You might have to introduce Mika to the shower very slowly. You could also just fill the tub up and have him walk around in it.

 

2.) No my grey does not smell, nor should Mika smell. He might have a bacteria infection if his poop does really smell. Someone on here said their birds poop smelt so bad because they had a bacteria infection and once they treated it the smell went away so I don't think its normal if the poop smells. It could just be the food that smells, I know if beans or veggies go bad from staying out too long they start to smell. What type of foods are you leaving in his cage? Pellets or seeds shouldn't have a smell to it.

 

3.) Anything that has a scent to it is bad for greys. Air fresheners are not good for them at all. Even the bottle ones like febreeze is deadly to them so I make sure I don't have any near him at all. I do have the plug-in fresheners in my spare room because I also have cats and thats where their litter box is and boy can that thing smell lol. He never goes in that room and his cage isn't near it so he has been fine.

 

Anyways, hope this helps. Good luck! <br><br>Post edited by: caitb2007, at: 2009/06/10 20:41

[Lyric]

I spray my greys with a squirt bottle, spray the water above them and let it fall down like a fine rain. Sometimes they seem to enjoy it and other times not so much. Sadie usually makes me chase her around the kitchen spraying her and now I think it's become a bit of a game to her. I usually try to do it a couple of times a week. The only thing I can think about the smell you describe is perhaps something at the bottom of the cage is going bad or getting moldy? Maybe leftover food that has gotten wet or fruit or something? My birds have a very faint sweet odor but nothing offensive. Questioning a vet about it is a very good idea- maybe your bird has a slight bacterial infection or something that is causing the poo to smell bad. I believe it would be safe to use some baking soda somewhere around the cage as long as your bird couldn't reach it to ingest. It's useful for keeping odors out of the fridge so I would think it may help around your cage...just an idea. I definitely wouldn't use any room fresheners or anything like that though.

[Tycos_mom]

If you are smelling anything in and around her that cannot be related to food then its definatly time to have your bird checked by an avian vet birds don't smell their poop has no odor nor do their feathers so if you are smelling something she may have an infection and you need to have her checked. Get yourself a nice garden sprayer and bath her over top of her head so it falls like rain I have one of those garden sprayers that you pump first and the spray is very fine it works great for the birds and they get really wet and enjoy it. it takes a few tmes but they really need to bath often.

[Madhuri]

Hey Gaia refuse to take a bath if i spray her i use misty water but she attacks me when im doing it so have to have her in the cage when doing so .,sometimes but very rare i can get her to bath in the sink but she onlu gets wet on her stomac and the tip of the wings she dont get soaked.,but when she does bath she seems to enjoy it.,but it takes a long time to get them used to it if they dont like it ., and one mistake can set the whole thing back to square one again.,so go slowly in her tempo .,and she might learn it,

[shazia]

Hi

 

I don’t think the poop smells.

We change the bottom of the cage everyday and clean it thoroughly.

I have noticed the small comes form Mika when he is licking himself (preening) and shakes around to let stuff off him (not sure what the term for that is).

He does scratch quite a bit and preen himself all the time. Is this a bad thing?

 

I think he is healthy since we only give him veggies, seeds and parrot mix and water. He will get the oven baked chips sometimes or toasted chapatti which he loves, but his diet is really good.

 

Please advise further if you feel we are doing something wrong.

 

Thanks

 

Shazia