# Help! Grease on feathers!



## Alykins (Jan 7, 2009)

My bird is very skiddish. Everytime my male flys, she takes off too. Well, last night she flew into a pan of grease. It was already cooled, but she got it on her feathers. All I can see is that it's on her tail and maybe a little on her wings, and she's having trouble flying. I don't know what to do. I feel so bad, and want to help her. Please, tell me what I can do!


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## Lola's_mommy (Nov 30, 2008)

I know for oil spills and such, rescuers use dawn dish detergent to clean the birds...It's effective but gentle on the animals. I don't know if you could use that, but that's the first thing that came to mind.


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## Alykins (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm not even sure she'll let me try to wash her feathers off. She's not the biggest fan of hands touching her without her permission.


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## Lacedolphin (Apr 16, 2009)

maybe use a mitten to hold her and a rag with a little baby wash??


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Dawn is a good idea! Hand sanitizer helps as well. It contains alcohol so it cuts the grease. Wash her well with dawn after to remove any traces of the hand sanitizer and rinse and rinse and rinse. You don't want to leave any soap on her.


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## Jessica (Mar 15, 2009)

The same thing happen to my first cockatiel Tweety, this helped me out but I didn't put her in a pillow case. 


OIL CONTAMINATION OF FEATHERS

Dust bird with cornstarch or flour (keep away from eyes and nose). Suggestion--fill pillowcase with flour, cut hole for head, stick it through, gently shake it. Then fill sink with 3 or 4 inches of warm water and mild detergent (like Dawn). Work soap in directions of feather growth and rinse (sink spray attachment helpful). Dry and keep warm. Wait until next day to repeat (if necessary).


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## babybreau (May 19, 2008)

You'll prolly have to towel her in a facecloth or small hand towel in order to do it - but grease is NOT good for them - if you don't try to get it off then she'll preen her feathers and prolly wind up ingesting it...


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## Tielzilla (Mar 31, 2009)

dawn dish detergent for sure barring that use any dish detergent..rinse a gazillion times and make sure to keep her warm!!


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## Alykins (Jan 7, 2009)

Thanks so much. We actually had some dawn, so we put her in the sink and gave her a nice bath. She even allowed me to wrap her in a towel after . Hopefully that helped, thanks a bunch!


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