Cockatoos are some of the most beautiful parrots available as pets. However, handling the white wing powder they produce can be overwhelming. Nothing will remove all the dust, but here are 5 things you can do to dramatically reduce the amount you and the bird are exposed to.
This powder is healthy for your bird, but for you it means that your air has the potential to generate a ton more particles than a normal bird would. Here are 5 manageable ways to keep the air clean and fresh for you and your bird.
Bird Baths — This can be accomplished in a number of ways. You can spray your pet with a fine spray from a spray bottle. Or you can leave a bowl of clean water separate from the drinking water and allow your bird to take care of its own bath.
Another thing that can be fun for you and your bird is installing a shower perch. These are fairly inexpensive and can be found in many stores that carry bird supplies.
If you decide to do this, make sure the water is misty rather than a hard stream. Position the perch away from the water source so your pet can choose when to approach the water and can use the perch as a retreat location.
Clean Frequently — To keep dust and dander low with this type of bird, there is no way around frequent cleaning. And even with daily cleaning there is no way to remove it all, but it can decrease the amount of particles that are available to go into the air and be inhaled by you and your cockatoo.
Reduce Particles with Water – Use water to clean, whether you’re mopping the floor or dusting. Cleaning slowly and gently with a damp mop or cloth makes the particles too heavy to return to the air.
So instead of stirring the particles again, you can actually catch them and remove them from your environment. Reducing the number of particles is the end goal.
Know How Much You Can Do — Providing the best environment for a bird is truly a gift. If your space allows you to do that for a bird, acknowledge it and provide an absolutely fabulous life for that bird.
While it may seem like you’re being generous by adopting numerous birds, that’s only true if your environment (and yours) doesn’t suffer because you can’t maintain healthy conditions.
Filter the air — The best way to effectively remove particulates and gases from the air is to filter the air continuously. Since the composition of the particles differs from that of gases, the filters of an air purifier must be able to remove both types.
For particulates, the most effective type of filter is a high-efficiency particulate stop filter (or HEPA). It can remove airborne particles that are 3 microns or larger in size.
The benefit for you is that out of every 10,000 particles in the air, you will remove 99.997 of them with an efficiency of 99.97%. Although nothing will remove all the particles, this is pretty close.
For gaseous pollutants, the best type of filter is carbon. Well known for its ability to remove gaseous pollutants, it is highly effective in removing harmful odors, gases, and chemicals that can have such serious effects on bird health.
A carbon cloth filter in one unit is the best of both worlds because it can remove gaseous irritants because it is carbon based and particulate because it is woven like a cloth.
By following these 5 steps, you will be happier with the appearance of your bird’s room and home, as well as healthier because there is less air in the air that can cause health problems for you and your bird.
