Heated houses in winter tend to remove humidity from the air. This can cause your bird to have dry skin and itchiness. It can lead to your bird plucking out feathers due to the discomfort.
One way to help eliminate the problem is to bathe your bird more often. Your bird should always be placed out of drafts. If you are concerned about the cold, bathe early in the morning. This gives your bird lots of time to dry as the day warms. There are bath sprays available, but you must read labels carefully. Fewer ingredients equals safety and contents of those products are usually more natural. Beware of any ingredients that can irritate your bird or worse.
If you’re still unsure about the cold temperatures, you can purchase a heat lamp. Just make sure it’s one that’s guaranteed bird-safe and is specifically for avian use.
Winter heating devices such as fireplaces and space heaters can pose a real danger to birds. The fumes from these appliances can kill your bird. Check with the manufacturer or someone knowledgeable about birds before using them.
Make sure your smoke detector is working. You can add a carbon monoxide detector to your house for everyone’s safety.
Lighting a fire in the fireplace? Remove the bird from the area to a place where fumes won’t reach him/her. In case your bird escapes to the fireplace area, be sure it is covered and the bird can’t reach the flames.
If your bird is overheating, s/he will hold wings away from the body and pant.
You can produce humidity in your home in other ways:
Place a pan of water in a warm oven.
Place pans of water or damp towels on or near radiators.
Mist houseplants regularly.
Dry laundry in the house.
Wishing you and your bird a safe and happy winter.
