Good hygiene for bird handlers

[The Outlaw]

With the post concerning Beak and Feather disease in the Ask the Experts section, I feel its a good time to educate new owners and refresh veteran owners about good hygiene when treating and handling sick birds.

It is our obligation to understand disease transmission and to try to break the chain that helps diseases spread.

If you handle birds at a store or perhaps as a groomer, you must always sanitize your hands before picking up the next one. There are countless sanitizers on the market, but frankly good old hot water and soap are still the best. You should try to keep your hair away from birds for they will instinctively try to preen your tresses. You won't have the opportunity to wash your hair as you go from cage to cage. Think in terms of food handling: perhaps a hair band or updo would be a better option.

I would suggest wearing a smock that you can put on before handling the birds and remove and launder at the end of the day. You don't want to carry any diseases home to your own birds. I would assume that anyone reading this thread likely has their own bird/birds. I would also suggest changing shoes before leaving. Flip flops are a great choice because you can throw them in the washer or even the dishwasher. Heck, they are only a buck at the Dollar Store.

I recommend that if you take your bird to have its nails and wings trimmed, its a good idea to buy your own scissors and clippers. Make sure to sterilize them after they have been used. I've seen a lot of bird shops that just keep clippers under the desk and don't even clean them between clients. That's a terrible idea, for often the vein is nicked and bleeding can occur. This of course exposes the next bird to infection.

Also, when you go to bird stores and bird fairs, be sure to change your shoes before you get into your car. You don't even want to contaminate your car. Bird Talk did an article about a year ago on infectous diseases at bird shows all over the U.S. It was absolutely shocking to see the germs and bacteria that they grew from swabs taken at these events. Just about every major bird disease was represented at almost every show. That included PBFD and Chlamydia. No doubt, PDD was also there.

Please think it through. Since most of our pets are confined to cages and playrooms WE are often the vector for disease transmission. Also when cleaning cages and equipment, be sure to rotate your disinfectants. That way germs that survive will likely be killed by the next cleaning agent. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

[Sophiestkated2]

Printing this off right now and taping it next to my bird carriers. Excellent article, Nanthee! Thank you!

Jeth

[TooLover]

Originally Posted by Sophiestkated2

Printing this off right now and taping it next to my bird carriers. Excellent article, Nanthee! Thank you!

Jeth

Ditto! Thanks for the reminder!

[Captain Jack]

Good article, we to are printing it, thanks Nancy!!!

[Tiki]

Thanks for the reminder, I have a bird show coming up April 30.