# Stuck formula



## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

Freddie has a big clump of dried formula stuck on each side of his little face and this morning I toweled him and got a bowl of warm water and a washcloth and went after them. He did not like this.  However, while I made a little progress, I couldn't get them to come off. They are really stuck, and I didn't want to hurt him, so I just tried to soften them up and work them out gently and I didn't get them off. I suppose I can keep working on them a bit at a time and eventually they'll come off, but I hate to leave him like that. The good news is, he wasn't mad after I unwrapped him. He sat on my finger and let me kiss him.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would keep trying to get off some more each day by using a warm cotton ball and cloth to wipe him off with. I would also call/email the breeder and send her alink about proper hand feeding which states that you should wipe off the babies right away after hand feeding, it's much easier to get off when it is wet with a warm cloth then to let it build up and dry.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

just keep at it a little each day, he probably understands what you are trying to do for him, I had to get my Tira in a towel about 4 times before I was able to get the seed out her nostril, I had to try a few different methods and yet she still loves me, just keep the session times short so he don’t get to stressed and reward him after with some millet spray and lots of kisses for being a good boy.

When you finally get the formula off you will have to post another pic so we can see his face, lol


Jenny


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Every time you feed him, wipe his face with a warm, wet washcloth to get rid of any fresh food that's been deposited. Gently pinch the washcloth over the dirty area and then pull your hand away from the bird and toward yourself (assuming that the bird is facing you). Don't move it toward the bird's back or downward - this smears the food around on the feathers.

I don't know how well this will work for removing the old lumps, but it will at least keep them from getting bigger. The usual advice for removing old lumps is to soak them in warm water, but that can be difficult with a wiggly chick.


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

I'm not handfeeding him -- he's weaned and eats regular food quite enthusiastically.  This is leftover. I'll work on him again tomorrow morning, because I did make some headway this morning, though he didn't like it much. He doesn't hold a grudge, though. When I played with him this evening, he snuggled right up to me and let me kiss him and nuzzle him and doesn't bite at all. Quite a change from my Quaker, who loves me lots but bites me anyway.


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

Ewww, old formula is **** to clean off, it dries like a rock. Your little guy is lucky he didn't get any bacterial infections. It sounds like you're on the right track to getting him cleaned off though, it'll just take some persistance.


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

I worked on him again just now. My, but he complains.  And then he's mad at me for a while. He'll forgive me in an hour or so. I didn't get it off, but I think I made a little progress. That breeder must be a slob. Imagine leaving formula stuck to a baby bird. Hmmph. None of the others was like that, so she must've wiped their faces, why not his? I suppose if all else fails it will eventually fall off on its own but I don't want to leave him like that until then, so I guess I'll keep trying and hope I'll eventually get it all without making him hate me. He saw the washcloth coming and starting squawking before I even got him in it.


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## mwag (Jul 12, 2009)

He's a cutie. Just curious, are you positive it is formula? Sometimes yeast will present itself on the outside areas of the mouth where this is located at. 

It probably is formula but to be no the safe side I would look more closely at the inside of the mouth and around the mouth area to see if there are any white or off-white patches or slimy areas. I can't really see the picture well enough to see the area good.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Hi, just a thought, assuming it is formula how do you feel about cutting it off, if you could get behind the formula and snip the feathers close to the skin with some small scissors, (Craft, Cross stitch scissors would be ideal), you could get it off in one go, ok he will look a bit strange with hardly no feathers there but at least he wouldn’t be open to any infections and he sure would feel a lot better, the cut feathers will fall out eventually and new ones will grow in. That’s also depending if he will stay still enough for you and you will need someone else to hold him for you.

Just a thought I would consider if it was my bird and I could get behind the formula but in front of the skin, kind of like cutting a knot out off my cats or dogs fur, lol

Jenny


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

Hubby gave him a bath in the sink today and got it all off.  Bless him. I was going to do that as a last resort because I didn't want to upset Freddie and he hasn't completely settled in yet, and now I don't have to. Hubby said he seemed to enjoy it though he got bored with it quickly, and then Hubby cuddled him and blew on him to dry him off. So he's clean all over now and very fluffy and pretty.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Oh well done Hubby lol:clap:, my Hubby came up with the idea that got the seed out off my Tira’s nostril lol, so glad to hear your baby bird is all nice and clean, you will have to post a photo now that we will be able to see his little face.

Jenny


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

I'll have to get a nice photo tonight. I got home so late from work last night that there was barely time to clean cages and kiss everyone night-night before it was their bedtime. Birdies go to bed at 10, even if Mommy doesn't get home until 9:30. Sigh.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Iam glad your hubby was able to clean him up 



mwag said:


> He's a cutie. Just curious, are you positive it is formula? Sometimes yeast will present itself on the outside areas of the mouth where this is located at.
> 
> It probably is formula but to be no the safe side I would look more closely at the inside of the mouth and around the mouth area to see if there are any white or off-white patches or slimy areas. I can't really see the picture well enough to see the area good.


Very good point  I remember Siobhan saying that Freddie was the only one in his clutch with "formula" stuck on his face. Which makes me think that it is more likely to be yeast.


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## Siobhan (Mar 21, 2010)

I looked at the clumps very closely and it looked like formula to me. I've examined him since and I don't see any white or slimy places around his mouth. If you look at the cleaned-up photo and enlarge it, you can see his face and beak pretty clearly. Now that those nasty things are gone, he's very lively, makes lots of noise when the other birds do and when he wants to come out of his cage, and has the sweetest way of saying "peep" in response to whatever I say to him. "Freddie's such a pretty baby!" "Peep!" "Mama loves Freddie!" "Peep!" LOL He likes to hang on the side of his cage and nibble at my nose through the bars when I can't take him out and when we offer a finger, he hops right on and comes right out and wants to snuggle. Hubby carried him around the house this morning with Freddie sitting on his chest and his hand cupped over him and Freddie was as happy as a clam.


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## Jenny10 (Feb 27, 2010)

Freddie is so cute, and he looks so fluffy, and he sounds just an adorable cuddly baby, well done on your efforts and it sounds like you and hubby are totally obsessed with your little fella and I expect he will be spoiled, they have a way of getting to you, lol

Jenny


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