# had to wash Chipper with dish soap - will he be OK?



## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

Chipper got caught in the fly ribbon. I read in the internet that I should use vegetable oil to remove glue, and then to wash him using dish soap. It was advised to use Dawn detergent, but it smelled so strong that I decided to use free and gentle "7 generation" dish soap. Here are ingredients:

Water, sodium lauryl sulfate (plant-derived cleaning agent), aloe barbadensis leaf juice (plant-derived skin conditioner), glycerin (plant-derived skin conditioner), lauramine oxide (plant-based cleaning agent), caprylyl/myristyl glucoside (plant-derived cleaning agent), citric acid (plant-derived water softener), magnesium chloride (mineral viscosity modifier), guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride (plant-derived skin conditioner), methylisothiazolinone and benzisothiazolinone (synthetic preservatives).
No phosphates.

I applied undiluted soap to his feathers and then we rinsed him well pouring water from the pitcher to the area where I applied soap. 
Can't tell that my hands feel good after using this soap. They feel dry. I hope my poor birdie doesn't feel the same way. 
Do you think he will be all right?


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## ~SarahJayne~ (Oct 14, 2012)

I'm not familiar with that dish soap, but if you do find his skin is a bit dry, some pure aloe will help soothe and keep it moist. Hope he's okay


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

Thank you. I am not sure he is OK. He looks oily today, while I expected to see the bird I used to see. Probably that detergent didn't work? I saw him cleaning his back (more looked like he was itching) but he is not doing it anymore. 
Help! What should I do?


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## amandacv86 (Mar 1, 2013)

When mine flew into fly tape I put oil on him and washed him with dawn dish soap a few times over the course of a week.. One wash did not get all of the oil out. Also, his feathers did look a little scruffy for a while but I'm sure that was just because his feathers got a little damaged in the struggle and the washing process. I also put a light on him to help him keep warm while he dried off.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

amandacv86 said:


> When mine flew into fly tape I put oil on him and washed him with dawn dish soap a few times over the course of a week.. One wash did not get all of the oil out. Also, his feathers did look a little scruffy for a while but I'm sure that was just because his feathers got a little damaged in the struggle and the washing process. I also put a light on him to help him keep warm while he dried off.


This info is really appreciated! I have a few questions:

1. Is it essential to buy Dawn soap free of parfume and dye? Stuff I saw in stores all say "Ultra", "concentrated", etc. Doesn't look like it is bird friendly. I will not use Seventh generation again though.

2. He doesn;t look wet now, just oily. How long does it take for a bird to get dry if we dried it with the towel but not with the blower dryer? Do I need to keep temperature high in the house? It is about 70F here. 

3. How washing several times a week affect bird? Not negatively? I have read they loose all body oils after such washing, so they can get cold easily. 

4. How exactly did you wash your bird? I read about 2 methods:
- fill a sink with water, add a bit of dish soap and immerse bird into the water several times over 1 or 2 minutes. 
- rub dish soap into bird's feather without water, then use water to rinse it off (this is that I did)
Which method do you recommend? 

5. Was your bird sad? How son he returned back to normal?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

I dont think the type of dawn matters...dawn is used all the time to get oil off of wild birds. 

When i bathed my birds in the sunk i applied the soap to them then rinsed them off. It was the quickest way. They dry pretty quickly hair dryers are not recommended for birds. A couple baths over the week shouldnt hurt but dont turn off your thermostat just to be safe.

My birds got over it quickly. Bathing promoted preening so they were ok.

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## Kiwi (May 12, 2013)

I would use method 1 and immerse them. 
Don't let them dunk their heads though, could get soap in their nostrils and lungs.

And most hairdryers contain Teflon in them, when overheated these can cause the death of your 'tiel.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

washed him at 10 o'clock in the morning. Today is a really nice day - lots of sun, and +21C (66F). No way I can take them out in the afternoon (at about 4 in the afternoon)? They LOVE to be outside. My house is a bit dark


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## amandacv86 (Mar 1, 2013)

I had no idea blow dryers had teflon! Been drying my hair in the same room as the birds, eek! 

Chipper, if you could I would put a light on him to help him dry faster and so he doesn't get cold while drying.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

Should it be a special light? What kind of light? After 4 hours after bathing, he feels dry to me. I will allow another hour and then at least will open the window. 
I myself am not doing well with all the windows closed.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Four hours is definitely long enough, he's dry by now. My tiels never take all day to dry. And no you just need a light that emits heat to help dry him off.


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## Chipper&Trillie (Sep 1, 2013)

Chipper looked pretty clean and happy after being washed today, played with me a lot. I opened large sliding door to allow them sunbath, so they had sunshine but didn't have any wind. 
Unfortunately, while playing with him, I noticed pretty big glue patch under one of his wings, that eventually was unnoticed during first cleaning, so I had to use oil again. Poor guy is greasy again, but not as much as it was at first cleaning. Cleaning under the wing was hard, not sure if I really cleaned it - will need to check tomorrow. 
Eventually, another wash with Dawn will be needed. I don't want to wash him too after, would it be OK to leave that bit of oil til probably the day after tomorrow?
What is worse - washing too often or have grease in the feathers?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

He will preen that oil and ingest it...i would go ahead and wash him again he will be fine.

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