African grey parrot

[largatha]

My African Grey parrot Largatha has become very dusty and dry. I spray her with water. Is there anything I can do to keep her feathers from being dry. She is almost nine years old. We moved from Sacramento CA to Helena Mt about 5 years ago. We have no vets here that take care of birds. So looking for suggestions. We give fruits and vegetables and along with browns bird food that contains pellets

 

[TiredOldMan]

Well if you have had her for 9yrs then you are well aware greys are dusty and dry.
Does she like showers or bathing?
I take mine into the shower with me on a stand perch. She gets exposed to high humidity and a very light mist(she doesn't normally enjoy bathing). This seems to help without making her too mad. I also have a humidifier for when the humidity is low in the house which means most of the time.
Also I don't trust the suction cup style shower perches. I fashion a lanyard to them so if the cups fail the perch doesn't fall.
Wet birds have all the aerodynamic qualities of a rock.

 

[largatha]

I know they are dusty but this is different. When I pet her my hand is white. I use to take her into the shower with me and she loved it. We have moved to a big house but most of our bathrooms are tub with shower and one small shower. We take care of my mother in law who is 96 and has Lewy Body dementia so that shower is set up for her with a seat in it. I do spray her usually every day. I was mostly asking if there is anything I can use in the water to help. She is also in a very large cage. I believe it is over 6ft and 3 ft wide.

 

[TiredOldMan]

Some people use aloe diluted with water. I would just use water. Could you put a hand held showerhead in one of the tubs?

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I know they are dusty but this is different. When I pet her my hand is white. I use to take her into the shower with me and she loved it. We have moved to a big house but most of our bathrooms are tub with shower and one small shower. We take care of my mother in law who is 96 and has Lewy Body dementia so that shower is set up for her with a seat in it. I do spray her usually every day. I was mostly asking if there is anything I can use in the water to help. She is also in a very large cage. I believe it is over 6ft and 3 ft wide.

When you pet any dusty bird like a cockatoo or cockatiel the hand comes up white. When I had my cockatoo I couldn't wear black unless I washed my hands after touching her. I never had an African grey but I have read in many places that they are dusty, too, and it's normal. Dusty birds' feathers self clean by slightly "crumbling" into a white residue. Worn feathers are replaced periodically when they molt.

 

[wrench13]

Moving to northern location, the heat in the new house is likely on more frequently, with a corresponding loss of humidity in the air. You might want to check it and get a humidifier if its very low. That would explain the change.

 

[rheashard2]

As stated CAG's are dusty. Double check lighting. Correct amounts of sunlight stimulate a variety of actions that aid feather, skin, bone etc health. The next is humidity. Steam up your bathroom real good a few times a week. You and your feathered friend sit in there as long as you can. This gives a real humidity boost. My CAG's loves this better than being sprayed! She walks along shower rod talking, having fun. I started this because she got dusty to point of looking like a dust storm. I couldn't seem to get room humidity up. This helped immensely. You're probably already checked diet. But a double check can't hurt.

 

[largatha]

Some people use aloe diluted with water. I would just use water. Could you put a hand held showerhead in one of the tubs?

She will freak out in a tub but l could try the aloe thanks.

 

[largatha]

As stated CAG's are dusty. Double check lighting. Correct amounts of sunlight stimulate a variety of actions that aid feather, skin, bone etc health. The next is humidity. Steam up your bathroom real good a few times a week. You and your feathered friend sit in there as long as you can. This gives a real humidity boost. My CAG's loves this better than being sprayed! She walks along shower rod talking, having fun. I started this because she got dusty to point of looking like a dust storm. I couldn't seem to get room humidity up. This helped immensely. You're probably already checked diet. But a double check can't hurt.

 

[largatha]

Thanks l will try that

As stated CAG's are dusty. Double check lighting. Correct amounts of sunlight stimulate a variety of actions that aid feather, skin, bone etc health. The next is humidity. Steam up your bathroom real good a few times a week. You and your feathered friend sit in there as long as you can. This gives a real humidity boost. My CAG's loves this better than being sprayed! She walks along shower rod talking, having fun. I started this because she got dusty to point of looking like a dust storm. I couldn't seem to get room humidity up. This helped immensely. You're probably already checked diet. But a double check can't hurt.