# Is Kwick Stop(Styptic Powder) dangerous if they eat it?



## Raven2322 (Mar 1, 2008)

My cockatiels have been having lots of night frights lately. I am planning on picking up a night light, so I hope that helps. 

However, my girl Jasmine keep getting broke blood feathers and all banged up and bloody in the same place. The area at the very end of her wing where he primary flights should be. I say should because she has old injuries there and can't seem to grow those feathers back in. She bleeds every time this happens and I feel like I've had to use alot of Styptic Powder(kwik stop) lately on her. 

I'm worried about her eating it once she goes back in the cage and starts to groom herself. 

Should I be concerned? Would too much be a problem or cause her health issues?


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## quarrion queen (Jun 14, 2011)

Usually its good to break down the ingredients and see. If one ingredient is bad, I wouldn't risk it!! I gathered this info from the MSDS sheets.

typtic Powder. Ingredients: Ferric Subsulfate, Aluminum Chloride, Diatomite, Bentonite, Copper Sulfate, Ammonium Chloride, and Benzocaine. ...

Ferric Subsulfate (iron-type substance)=


skinrritation. eye irritation. harmful if swallowed. gastrointestinal tract irritation (gastroenteritis) with abdominal pain, nausea, retching & vomiting, diarrhea, 



Aluminum Chloride:
toxic to lungs, mucous membranes, inflammation, blistering

Diatomite: Safe unless inhaled in great quantities. Similar to silica.

bentonite: safe except when inhaled ^ see above

copper sulfate: toxic and corrosive when ingested.

ammonium chloride- eye and skin irritant

benzocaine (topical pain reliever)-toxic to blood and nervous system, may produce organ damage over time.



So the short answer is Yes, it can cause her problems. Get that night light, try using a darker cage cover (i know my birdies get spooked by lights outside from cars) make sure you dont let your cat/dog/ or even family member walk by the cage at night... and also, though kwik stop is good in a emergency, cornstarch or flour provides a safe alternative 

When my tiel libby lost a toenail in a door that slammed on his toe, and this was before we got kwik stop, we put libby in a tiny travel cage with no perch and filled the bottom with flour so he had no choice but to sit in it. He picked at his toe a lot but this way the flour kept the blood clotting. Scary stuff!! but the flour worked.


Good luck. sorry i just wrote a book.....


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## Raven2322 (Mar 1, 2008)

quarrion queen said:


> So the short answer is Yes, it can cause her problems. Get that night light, try using a darker cage cover (i know my birdies get spooked by lights outside from cars) make sure you dont let your cat/dog/ or even family member walk by the cage at night... and also, though kwik stop is good in a emergency, cornstarch or flour provides a safe alternative
> 
> When my tiel libby lost a toenail in a door that slammed on his toe, and this was before we got kwik stop, we put libby in a tiny travel cage with no perch and filled the bottom with flour so he had no choice but to sit in it. He picked at his toe a lot but this way the flour kept the blood clotting. Scary stuff!! but the flour worked.
> 
> ...


Well they are in their own room, door closed at night although their window is not covered. I'm not a morning person and would never get up early enough to uncover them every morning, I've tried. 

Also, when this has happened before I started out with cornstarch because I was told in would work and flour. Neither worked for me, I tried a number of times. I had to go out and buy the kwik stop for that very reason, those two things weren't working. 

I think I'll just end up taking her to my vet.


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## quarrion queen (Jun 14, 2011)

I know kwik stop probably works the best, and it doenst seem to be acutely toxic in small amounts... Chances are, the bitter bad taste of it would prevent your cockatiel from sampling more than a little bit....the vet will know for sure!
Good luck...


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## KateBascombe (Sep 27, 2010)

Cornstarch and flour work in a pinch. But styptic powder works FAST. A stressed out, frightened animal's blood pumps faster, and it's often more than flour can handle to stop it, then it gets scraped off and the animal bleeds again. I'm a pet groomer and we've never had any report of an animal getting sick from the small amount of styptic we put on quicked nails. So I doubt it would do her much harm


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