Artificial preen oil

[SilleIN]

Hi all.

I know I'm not the most loyal in here, but you guys are still my go to place, when I've tried every other place.

I rescue parrots and have over the years come across some terrible cases.

Unfortunately they don't stop coming.

Please greet Bondi

Sweet Bondi has been mutilated for at least 10 years (she's 23 y). She is in good care now, but she no longer has a preen gland. See below picture for mutilation. Viewer discretion is advised :smile014:

I am looking for a solution so she can oil her beak and feathers, now she does not have her own preen gland anymore.

Please help me make this beautiful baby whole again

 

[SailBoat]

We begin a two year trial with Julio to mitigate plucking by minimizing the sharpness of his Upper and lower Bill. The goal is to monthly make very minor trimming of the upper and lower Bill. Keeping its overall size, but limiting the points. This cannot be preformed by just anyone as the work is micro and near everyone will remove too much.

There are natural oils available and the greatest problem is, by error, providing too much. The amount of oil that a gland normally products is barely a drop per day. Which oil, is an issue as purity is always a problem.

Once again, working with an Avian Professional is key.

 

[Scott]

Welcome back, respect for your continued dedication to rescuing parrots!!

Searched the internet for scholarly articles assessing missing uropygial glands and found the issue is rather complex, well beyond preening of feathers. Seems replacement oils may help feather production but did not locate independent research articles to support specific types. I'd definitely seek CAV veterinary expertise. As Sailboat suggested, finding appropriate pure oil without potentially harmful additives is critical.

Thanks for rescuing Bondi, I'm certain she will improve with your love and care!

A few articles:
https://www.scielo.br/j/bjb/a/NqXfpzFT3X5nshWVxVyRHGS/?lang=en
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ew_of_the_evidence_Preen_oil_and_bird_fitness
Very old but descriptive narrative: https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v066n01/p0006-p0031.pdf

 

[SilleIN]

We begin a two year trial with Julio to mitigate plucking by minimizing the sharpness of his Upper and lower Bill. The goal is to monthly make very minor trimming of the upper and lower Bill. Keeping its overall size, but limiting the points. This cannot be preformed by just anyone as the work is micro and near everyone will remove too much.

There are natural oils available and the greatest problem is, by error, providing too much. The amount of oil that a gland normally products is barely a drop per day. Which oil, is an issue as purity is always a problem.

Once again, working with an Avian Professional is key.

Thank you

Bondi is on antidepressants, which 100% makes her stop her mutilating behaviour, so at this point I won't be making any changes to her physically, but definitely a solution for some pluckers. The antidepressants are usually my last thing to use, but I need her to stop mutilating or I am afraid she will die. She has eaten her tail all the way to her cloaca.

 

[SilleIN]

Welcome back, respect for your continued dedication to rescuing parrots!!

Searched the internet for scholarly articles assessing missing uropygial glands and found the issue is rather complex, well beyond preening of feathers. Seems replacement oils may help feather production but did not locate independent research articles to support specific types. I'd definitely seek CAV veterinary expertise. As Sailboat suggested, finding appropriate pure oil without potentially harmful additives is critical.

Thanks for rescuing Bondi, I'm certain she will improve with your love and care!

A few articles:
https://www.scielo.br/j/bjb/a/NqXfpzFT3X5nshWVxVyRHGS/?lang=en
https://www.researchgate.net/public...ew_of_the_evidence_Preen_oil_and_bird_fitness
Very old but descriptive narrative: https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/wilson/v066n01/p0006-p0031.pdf

Thank you for spending your time investigating.

I have tried to ask several places and also googled and have not found any type of oil, which could be suitable. I am certain I would be able to find a clean/safe oil if I only knew which oils would be suitable.

The best oil to use on horses hooves is horse fat. I therefore have bought some horse fat from a dead horse and have extracted the oil myself.

Maybe fat from ducks or other poultry could be a good alternative? I would then be able to buy fat directly from a butcher and extract the oil myself. Any thoughts? My concern regarding fat from poultry is the oil will be swallowed to some degree.

Personally I would prefer a vegetable based oil to avoid any cross contamination. However extracting oil from fat involves very high temperatures, so any bacteria, fungi or virus should be killed during the process.

 

[SailBoat]

I was thinking a veggie based oil with near zero flavor as the goal is to use it not eat it. It maybe possible to just lightly coat the beak.

Love what you do!

 

[Scott]

My pleasure, helps me to learn in the process!!

I'd also think vegetable based oil as least offensive but unsure if they have sufficient properties?

Curious which antidepressant for Bondi? Many years ago vet prescribed Haldol (Haloperidol) for one of my wild B&G macaws so I could medicate her. A very old but stable drug for parrots, perhaps newer meds available today?

 

[SilleIN]

My pleasure, helps me to learn in the process!!

I'd also think vegetable based oil as least offensive but unsure if they have sufficient properties?

Curious which antidepressant for Bondi? Many years ago vet prescribed Haldol (Haloperidol) for one of my wild B&G macaws so I could medicate her. A very old but stable drug for parrots, perhaps newer meds available today?

Nope, still Haloperidol and it works a charm on cockatoos. I have used them on macaws, but they don't tend to works just as well on them.

I think I have made a strange observation. At the moment there is a heatwave here in Denmark and my head therefore gets quite greasy. Bondi (now called Bonnie as Bondi in Danish is pronounced as Bundy- as in Ted ) is spending A LOT of time getting the grease out of my hair in the evening. I am wondering if my head grease has some of the right properties.

I am aware there is also an amount of salt due to sweat, but hope as there is no other salt in her diet, that it's ok.

 

[SailBoat]

Great observation! Remember that Salt is a naturally occurring mineral in a vast number of natural items in her diet. The problem with adding Salt as part of dry foods is when it is an additive. The amount of Salt from Human skin /hair would be minimum and likely not be a serious problem unless the leaves in dry foods are high.

She would clear pick oil from your skin/hair and it would be limited in amount.

 

[Scott]

My pleasure, helps me to learn in the process!!

I'd also think vegetable based oil as least offensive but unsure if they have sufficient properties?

Curious which antidepressant for Bondi? Many years ago vet prescribed Haldol (Haloperidol) for one of my wild B&G macaws so I could medicate her. A very old but stable drug for parrots, perhaps newer meds available today?

Nope, still Haloperidol and it works a charm on cockatoos. I have used them on macaws, but they don't tend to works just as well on them.

I think I have made a strange observation. At the moment there is a heatwave here in Denmark and my head therefore gets quite greasy. Bondi (now called Bonnie as Bondi in Danish is pronounced as Bundy- as in Ted ) is spending A LOT of time getting the grease out of my hair in the evening. I am wondering if my head grease has some of the right properties.

I am aware there is also an amount of salt due to sweat, but hope as there is no other salt in her diet, that it's ok.

You may have discovered a harmless and helpful symbiosis with Bondi!

 

[SilleIN]

A small update about a month into Bonnies road to recovery.

Compared to what she looked like when she arrived the 6/7-21

A picture says more than a thousand words. I think the progress speaks for itself :smile015: :smile015: :smile015:

I am so pleased with the result so far and feel hopeful that this baby will heal nicely. I just had to share it with you

 

[Scott]

Thank you for an encouraging update! Road to recovery long and measured with slow progress. Thanks so much for caring enough to rehab.