James Harris, DVM
Feathers clean up with warm soapy water
 My orange-wing Amazon got out of his cage and flew into a flycatcher I had hanging from the ceiling. Glue got onto one of his wings and stuck some of his feathers together. I got most of it off with water and he seems okay now, but I'm not sure I got it all. Do you have any tips for removing the rest of the glue?
-- Patrick
My parrot was flying aorund the house and scratched her wing on the ballast of a light. Her wing has healed admirably, but I have had no luck getting the blood out of her feathers. She doesn't like to be held tightly to wash it off, and her showers seem to be acomplishing little. Any suggestions?
-- Jane Thomson, Vancouver, BC
 Here are a couple of basic rules to follow when removing substances from a bird's feathers. The first (and perhaps most obvious) one is do not use nail polish remover or paint thinner. These contain acetone and petroleum distillate, respectively, which are toxic and flammable. Number two: Do not rub the feathers too hard. This will only damage them and result in non-waterproof, non-insulating plumage the bird will be stuck with until his next molt. For most offending substances, including glue, oil and grease, you can give your bird a bath. Immerse him in a 4 percent solution of mild liquid dish washing soap such as Dawn Amber Liquid in warm - not hot - water (about 104 degrees Fahrenheit). Gently swish the bath water through the sticky plumage. Rinse thoroughly with clean warm water and dry the bird off by pressing an absorbent towel against the feathers. A hair dryer set on warm and moved constantly a reasonable distance away will finish the job. Sometimes stubborn stains require an application of rubbing alcohol. Clean a small patch of feathers at a time in a well-ventilated area using a moistened Q-tip. For dried blood, I recommend hydrogen peroxide 3%. If, after all your efforts, the feathers are still stained, leave them. Stains won't hurt your bird and eventually the feathers will molt and be replaced by fresh, unstained ones. Of course, it's a good idea to protect your bird from coming into contact with sticky, staining objects to begin with, including paint, glue, oil and grease. Tobacco smoke counts, too.
James Harris, DVM is owner and medical director of the Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia. He founded Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and has served as medical director and chairman of the board for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley. Dr. Harris' numerous professional honors include California and National Bustad Companion Animal DVM Awards.
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