Bird care is often left to… the birds! Many may not realize this, but birds usually keep themselves pretty clean. Most will preen or clean their feathers — even very long tail feathers when present — thoroughly several times a day by pulling them, one at a time, through their bills. Birds will artfully twist and contort themselves so their bills reach all body parts except their heads, napes and throats. In addition to grooming the plumage, birds also spread oil from their preen gland, located near the base of the tail, onto the feathers to help waterproof them.
Physically and emotionally healthy birds spend a great deal of time preening. After the preening sessions (as well as after sleeping), birds will raise their feathers and shake them vigorously to align their plumage into proper order. Unfortunately for allergy sufferers, the twisting and rubbing movements of the head and bill during preening, and the shaking of the feathers causes a great deal of feather dust to be released into the environment.
All birds molt regularly, gradually replacing their old worn-out feathers with new ones. Molting varies among species; some birds molt continually year-round while others molt once a year. A variety of factors, including time of year, locality, temperature, humidity, diet, sex and egg laying, influence the molting cycle. It’s normal to find feathers in the bottom of the cage every now and then, but excessive molting and bare skin patches may be a sign of illness. Check with your veterinarian about this, as well as about any periodic trimming of the nails, beak and wings that is necessary.
Most Important Part of Bird Care – Bathing
Bathing is an extremely satisfying activity for birds and an important part of bird care. They enjoy baths or showers a couple of times a week, and it helps them, especially Cockatoos and Cockatiels, get rid of excessive feather dust. Bathing is also beneficial in keeping the skin and feathers in good condition.
The best time to give your bird a bath is immediately before you clean its cage and re-paper the bottom, because the floor covering will undoubtedly get wet and need to be changed. If it is cold outside, be sure the room is warm (at least 75° F. (23.8° C.) and draft-free. It’s a good idea to schedule the bath during the morning or afternoon, so that your bird’s feathers are totally dry before bedtime.
Canaries, lovebirds, budgerigars, mynas, and other small birds love wriggling around in containers filled with water. Pet stores sell special bathing cups that clip onto the doorway of the cage for them, or you can simply place a shallow dish (to prevent drowning) on the cage bottom. Fill the container with tepid water, then let your bird go in and splash around as much as it wants. Most birds will hop out, shake their feathers, and plunge back in again, chirping with delight.
Medium-sized and large hookbills adore “showers,” or a light misting of water from a spray bottle, a couple of times a week especially on warm days. Fill a clean spray bottle or plant mister with fresh tepid water. Set the nozzle for the finest mist possible. Hold the bottle about 12 to 15 inches away from the cage, but don’t point it directly at the bird. Instead, spray into the air above the bird, letting the water drizzle down like raindrops. Some birds may be apprehensive of the sprayer to begin with but in time become so enthusiastic about their showers that they vocalize a lot at the sight of the bottle.
After a bath or shower your bird will be soaking wet. It should be confined to a warm place until the feathers are totally dry, particularly if it’s cold outside. Some tame birds can be dried by a hand-held hair dryer, but many are frightened by the noise; others may permit you to gently blot the excess moisture from their feathers with a towel.
Another way for allergy sufferers to control the powder that is scattered into the atmosphere instead of a plain water bath, especially for Cockatoos or Cockatiels, is to lightly mist Allerpet onto the bird’s feathers every 2 or 3 days, spraying away from the head and towards the tail. Allerpet will help to condition and add gloss to a bird’s feathers. Allow the plumage to dry naturally or dry with a hair dryer. Keep the bird away from drafts until completely dry.
A 12 ounce (355 ml) bottle should last 2 to 3 months.