Possible lump in nostril?

[Greyviator]

Hey guys,

First time poster here. Looking for some guidance - noticed a some kind of bump in my 12 year old grey’s right nostril (photo attached) earlier today and was a bit concerned. She seems to be fine and eating normally but I thought I could here her wheezing momentarily earlier today.
Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[ravvlet]

That definely looks like a blocked nare. If you’re in the northern hemisphere & somewhere cold, the drop in humidity from running heaters can cause their sinuses to dry out, and their little noses get crusty.

How often does she get baths? I’d try gently misting her face first and see if it works itself out on its own. A blocked nare will cause a whistling noise (if they can breathe through it at all).

If a bath doesn’t work, AND if you are comfortable toweling or your bird is cooperative, you can try using a saline solution. You can purchase saline intended for nostrils at most pharmacies, make sure there isn’t anything but saline in it. You can add a drop to each nostril up to two times a day to help soften the mass.

In our experience the long term solution for this issue is to increase the humidity (I love our wick/fan powered humidifier; almost no moving parts & easy to clean) and bathe them more frequently. Greys are very dusty birds and when the air is dry that dust can accumulate.

 

[HeatherG]

I am wondering if this Grey enjoys showers and would benefit from some shared showers? A humidifier also sounds like a great idea, or maybe some nice misting spray. If her nose appears to be functioning normally, she doesn’t have respiratory symptoms, I would just watch it and hope it falls out.

 

[Greyviator]

That definely looks like a blocked nare. If you’re in the northern hemisphere & somewhere cold, the drop in humidity from running heaters can cause their sinuses to dry out, and their little noses get crusty.

How often does she get baths? I’d try gently misting her face first and see if it works itself out on its own. A blocked nare will cause a whistling noise (if they can breathe through it at all).

If a bath doesn’t work, AND if you are comfortable toweling or your bird is cooperative, you can try using a saline solution. You can purchase saline intended for nostrils at most pharmacies, make sure there isn’t anything but saline in it. You can add a drop to each nostril up to two times a day to help soften the mass.

In our experience the long term solution for this issue is to increase the humidity (I love our wick/fan powered humidifier; almost no moving parts & easy to clean) and bathe them more frequently. Greys are very dusty birds and when the air is dry that dust can accumulate.

Thanks for the reply! Yes being in the UK in winter it’s starting to get a bit chilly so we have the central heating on and a portable heater in the living room ( where her cage is kept) I generally bath her twice a week - primarily using a mist spray as she doesn’t tolerate splashing or dipping well, but I tend to avoid spraying directly in the face - will have to give that a try and see if it dislodges the obstruction. Thanks for the suggestion for the humidifier, I will give that a go with some spray and if not will try the saline. She still seems perky and chatty so hopefully nothing to worry about. Thanks a lot

 

[ravvlet]

It’s not a health issue usually so much as a maintenance issue! They can develop sinus infections and/or rhinoliths though if the nare stays closed off or accumulates too much foreign matter.

If you’re worried definitely consult your vet. They know your bird better than we do and might have good tips for how to manage it so she’s not getting blocked up!