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Mysteriously buttered bird

801 views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  ozzie3860 
#1 ·
I feel like a terrible bird mom, but somehow Perry got butter on her rump feathers and on her left side by her leg. I won't go into all the reasons I can't make sense of it, but to sum up, I didn't see it happen, it's not in a spot she's particularly curious about, and she's never alone out of her cage for longer than about 45 seconds...and always ALWAYS goes to her cage when she is left for those few seconds. Anyway, she doesn't let me hold her in that controllable way on her back to let me clean off her feathers. I've done my best to spritz her (which she has never enjoyed), but water isn't helping. It's not so much that she's having trouble flying or anything, but obviously I still want to clean it off of her. Any suggestions are welcome. Any chance it's ok to let it be and she can safely get it off herself eventually with preening? I'm a little concerned because it's butter and they can't have dairy, but it's not like she's biting off a chunk and eating it. I just don't know what I can do, because I may have been trying too hard now, and she's very suspicious of me at this point even just asking her to step up.
 
#2 ·
She will likely be OK, keep spritzing her. You would have a hard time washing butter off even if you could grab her. It will likely rub off, unless you could use a towel to catch her and just lightly rub off most of it?

One time Monty jumped in my hummus and then tracked it all around the room. It was everywhere. He was fine :)
 
#5 ·
Been spritzing her as often as I can, and sneaking drops of water on the affected areas when she's not looking, after which she immediately gives me warning nips and/or flies away. I think it's a little better, but I'm thinking it's going to be a while until she's totally clean. The worst part is that she is keeping her distance much more than usual - she's a pretty velcroey girl. I don't want to plant a seed of distrust, but she won't let me do what I can to clean her off. So I don't see any other way than several quick sneak "attacks" throughout the day. And I'm still trying to solve the mystery of how it happened in the first place.
 
#7 ·
Butter is not water soluble. It's fat and some protein. I would stop the spritzing, it's not going to clean anything and it's just annoying the bird. I have no doubt she's already preened extensively, if it was going to do any harm you would have known it quickly.
 
#8 ·
What you need is some night-vision goggles. You take her into a room with no windows, like a bathroom perhaps, and then turn out the light. In total darkness they just freeze. They don't know what to do.

A little trick my vet uses to catch unruly birds in the examination room. She gets them to perch on her finger, then asks me to turn out the light. Then she grabs the bird in her hand. I've done it at home for administering medication.

Working in darkness, you may be able to spend a couple minutes cleaning with something that will get rid of the butter. Maybe diluted baby shampoo? Just be sure to rinse well after.

As for where to get night-vision goggles, I have no idea. Maybe you can rent them somewhere?
 
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