What should you do if the styptic powder does go down into his mouth?
How long can you restrain a bird to apply hemostatic powder? What signs do you look for that it needs a break so to speak?
Are there any Vitamin D3 supplements for birds? If there’s not much sunlight for a bird and you don’t use the special lights that mimic sunlight?
Hi Monika,
I’ve always used Kwik Stop for Birds and have never had an issue with a bird being poisoned by it. For a beak, I hold the bird with the head pointed down, tail up, so any extra powder falls to the floor. I also blow on it so any loose powder will blow away, rather than end up being swallowed. The best thing to do is put the powder in the inside of the lid or another plastic lid and place the tip of the beak on it and press. This way all the bird can bite is the plastic lid and it also helps to keep the powder from going in the mouth. Once applied, we have always placed the bird in a cardboard box with no lining of any type, in a quiet dark room or closet. This calms the bird and lowers the heart rate. As long as you are restraining the bird, the bird is stressed and breathing hard and the blood is really pumping. In most cases, the dark quiet box calms the bird for long enough that the blood will clot. Keep the bird inactive for at least an hour, with no food and definitely no water. Look for a dry beak before putting the bird back in the cage or offering any food or water. Watch carefully for any signs of more bleeding, but usually it doesn’t reoccur if it’s clotted and dried.
As long as you are feeding a nutritionally balanced diet – which you are – Atticus should be getting all of the vitamins he needs. You have to be very careful of supplements, especially with small birds.
Keep an eye out for the announcement for the First Aid webinar on November 20!
See you there!
Brenda
