#dust ask

[miicycle]

taka taka taka (the sound my keyboard makes when I roast you)

taka taka taka (the sound my keyboard makes when i respond your mom, sounds like a skillissue or gay and thus automatically win the roastbattle)

[flock-talk]

My bird was preening her back and she was preening out some really dusty (it was so dusty I picked them up and there was dust on my fingers) white fluff feathers. some were also in kinda strands it was weird. Is this a molt thing? She has gotten some pinnies on her head so she might be going through a small molt. Shes a parrotlet so shes not a powder bird either

Parrotlets will still produce dust, all birds do, but having it come off of your hands to a noticeable degree is irregular for parrotlets.  If they’re that dusty where it leaves a layer on your fingers they either have a skin condition or aren’t bathing frequently enough.  The white strands are just degrading feather particles, typically down feathers breaking apart or just bits breaking off old feathers which is totally normal so long as it isn’t seeming to be excessive and producing visible breakage on the feathers.  Try offering baths more frequently, daily if possible, and encourage them to bathe or take her in to the shower to get some steam, if there is a lot of dust being produced it may be worth getting her seen by a vet just to ensure there isn’t a medical condition causing the increase in dust.

[flock-talk]

Hi! Is it unsafe to dust with my bird in the same room? My wall unit is about 5 ft away from his cage and I would not use any chemicals and just a dusting cloth and keep as much fresh air circulating throughout the room. My bird is untame and I can move his cage, but I would rather keep him in as moving the cage stresses him out. Thanks!

[Dusting anon] oh and I would vaccum all the residual dust after dusting as well if that effects the safety at all.

Generally it’s best to move them out of the room, we don’t want to be putting particles in to their lungs if we can prevent them being there.  It may not be a major problem but it’s still best to avoid filling their lungs with dust where we can.  If it helps you may be able to coax him in to a smaller travel cage by pressing the doors of the cages together and shooshing him in so you don’t have to move the whole heavy cage or stress him out too much?