# Dandruff?



## BebeBird (Jan 25, 2010)

Harriet just got a flight suit, so she's been spending a lot more time on my shoulder lately since I no longer have to worry about her pooing down my back. Yay! However, I've started to notice a lot of white... stuff? on the shoulder of my favorite black sweater. It's not feather bits, more like bits of skin. Like dandruff! Her feet do look rather scaly and dry. I never noticed if this happened before because she didn't hang out on my shoulder much until this week.

Should I stress? I want her to be happy and healthy, not dry and itchy. Is it, perhaps, the time of year? Is there lotion for birds? Is that an idiotic question?


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

Cockatiels are very, very dusty birds, it's completely normal. Bird feet tend to be kind of scaley looking but if they're moulting their feet may shed more skin than usual. As long as shes getting plenty of water and a balanced diet, the dust and scaley-ness isn't anything to worry about.


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## Raven2322 (Mar 1, 2008)

I've used buck mountain wound balm to hydrate my tiels feet sometimes, but I got it from my vet. I think if you really wanted you could use soother plus, it's like a cream, it's good for their skin too. Rub a little all over the foot and it soaks in and no more dry feet, it's last a couple of days on my tiels, I normally do it after their bath, it's also harmless if they lick at it. A little goes a long long way.


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## LuvMyTiels (Dec 31, 2009)

Cockatiels are very dusty. Misting them with water and providing a shallow dish of water to bath in helps a bit.


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## Catherine (Jun 11, 2009)

Yes, it's just feather dust. They bite off the sheaths of new feathers when they are preening.


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## BebeBird (Jan 25, 2010)

Oooo thankies guys. I'll ask my vet next time I'm there.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Also, in the wintertime there is ususally less humidity in the air, which can make the feet look drier. You might want to place some shallows pans of water out in the room to increse hiumidity levels.


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## dimplez (Oct 21, 2009)

Like everyone said, cockatiels are extremely dusty. I tried misting mine with water when the weather is a little warmer than now & I think it helps a bit. I also bought an air-purifier & place it near their cage...you can really see how much their dust got trapped in it after only a few days.


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## BebeBird (Jan 25, 2010)

That's an interesting idea, dimplez. Cleaner air would probably be better for the both of us! Harriet lives in my bedroom, and it's just occurred to me that all her dust probably isn't helping my chronic sinus issues. Maybe I'll get a humidifier as well. I do mist Harriet with a really fine spray bottle each morning, and she has plenty of water sources in her cage. It's probably the forced air furnace we're running, my skin is pretty dry as well.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I think a hepa air filter would help with the dust  Just make sure that is has no ionizer on it. I would also make sure that the humidifier has no ptfe in it also. I had to take one back before because it said it has an easy wipe heating coil (ptfe) I got the cold mist one instead.


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

I'm curious.. how much do these air purifier things cost? Are they something you can go down town and buy, or are they much more expensive and require a bit of shopping around? (ie- hundreds of dollars?).

Just wondering  I've never passed one in the shop before, so I wouldnt even know where to get one, or how much they would be!


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## BebeBird (Jan 25, 2010)

I did a quick internet search and found one at Target for $30, but it looks a little cheap. You can get nicer ones from eBay for under $60. But no, not hundreds of dollars! Unless you're shopping in the Sharper Image catalog. Anywhere with a home appliances department should carry them. I'll pick one up when I get paid.


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## cheekyboy (Jul 14, 2009)

Cool.. I had no idea they existed! haha.. yeah, i'm a little behind the times I think! lol.


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

Wow, I can't believe some of you guys need humidifiers, I would give anything to live in a drier climate, it's like a sauna here for most of the day, ugh.


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## dimplez (Oct 21, 2009)

I bought the one below from Amazon.com (it was on sale $49.99) last month & it is HEPA. I think it's pretty good for a small room, or for me, I place it in the living room but close to the cage because that's where all their dusts accumulated most. The filter is washable & I wash it every 2 weeks or so, and you can see how much their dusts got trapped in it...I definitely don't want those stuff in my lungs or theirs.

Wal-mart online store also has some good ones too. Some are qualified for free shipping to a local Walmart store. I bought one from them, which was much bigger than I thought so I just returned it to the store.

http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-HHT...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1265175215&sr=8-1


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