Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:27 am Post subject: Weird smell and chewing feathers
I've had my gorgeous female kakariki for 2 and a half years. At first she was in a small cage but after two months she had upgraded to a huge chinchilla cage with lots of room. She has been really happy until I really got reading up about this breed. I was advised to put her cage on ground level, so I did for a while until she just didn't seem as happy as she did on a stand. In the last 3 months or so she has been chewing on the feather stems. I've not seen her pull her feathers out, so don't know if she is shedding or pulling them out of an evening. But I'm also a bit worried about the smell that she is carrying. She has clean water and bird bath everyday and has her normal goodies of fruit and veg. I just can't work out what's going on. Any advise or similar experiences? I'd be really greatful! X
The smell is a bit of a 'curly' combined with chewing at the base of the feathers.
Im thinking.. at best a guess.. being low on the floor may have picked up parasites or something.
If us, I would clean the cage.. ie remove the bird perches take outside and scrub everything down and rinse well. Then put back together with the bird and a very fine mist spray a 50/ 50 soln vinegar and water so everything is just min damp, and in a manner the bird will fly thru the mist without directly spraying the bird.
This should be a regular monthly preventive maintenance practice anyway.
I would then source a couple mls of invermectin from the local vet. And have a chat to him re the smell part.. Place 1 drop on the back of the neck and repeat 10 to 12 days later, then a 3rd time.
So a forum search on vinegar mites worms and invermectin with the "quick search" block on the left
I assume the kakariki is on a good kakariki type diet.. mostly veggies fruit protein and only a little seed.
There is a sticky thread called "what do you feed..." _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Posted: Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:47 am Post subject: Thank you!!!
Thanks for all that advise! I give her cage a freshen up everyday and do a real deep cleanse of it once a week but never thought of vinegar and water. She has a small bowl of seeds and then all different types of fruit and veg. She loves apples, broccoli and baby sweet corn and she adores mullet. It's just really worrying when I see her chewing a feather. I'm a real worry and she is my world. I've ordered her a new cage just today I've been so paranoid.
Just to clarify.. is she chewing on a feather still attached to her or just chewing on one thats fallen out previously _________________ My Spelling is Not Incorrect...It's 'Creative'
Been keeping a real close eye on her. Since moving her again right next to my spot where I sit on the sofa and buying her another cage, she seems much better no more smell and no more chewing. Hopefully she is a happier gal!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum