Niko is a wild-caught senegal that was released to our Center last weekend. We know that he is at least 17 years old. His owners in his previous home were chain smokers, which we suspect played a role in his feather destructive behaviors. He was kept in a budgie-sized cage and never let out or handled.
When he came to us, we gave him a bath, as it had been years since he'd had one and we wanted to get rid of his smoky smell. After a drenching bath, we towel-dried him, only to realize that both he and the towel STILL smelled of smoke. Taking a cue from wildlife rehabilitation, we gave him a bath in Dawn to help remove the residue. It worked! After his bath in Dawn, we thoroughly rinsed him with plain water and towel-dried him with a new towel. The smoke smell was mostly gone.
In this video, he is stomping around in the bubbles. Note that plain water is usually best for bathing parrots. In this case, extra ammunition was needed, and he was closely supervised for the duration of his bath.
Niko is not currently up for adoption, as he still has some rehabilitation to do. He had a full vet workup earlier in the week, and we await some test results; however, he seemed healthy upon examination. He currently has some balance issues as he has destroyed most of his wing and tail feathers. We hope that his feathering will improve on a better diet and removal from his smoke-filled environment.
Second-hand cigarette smoke is very detrimental to parrots. The adage of "canary in a coal mine" in apt. They have very sensitive respiratory systems. In addition, since most parrots use their feet to bring food to their beaks, if they are perched on a smoker's hand, they are likely to ingest nicotine or any of the other carcinogens that are present.
Niko's life was likely shortened by his time spent in the presence of so much smoke. Once his health has improved, we are looking for a wonderful home for him that will allow him to live out the rest of his days in smoke-free happiness.
As we've mentioned so many times, budgies are truly underappreciated in the avian community. They are delightful little companions with wonderful personalities. Compared to larger parrots, they are relatively easy-care.
If you're interested in adding a budgie or two (same sex, of course) to your house, please stop by. We have many to choose from! Once you live with one of these little jewels, it's hard to imagine being without one. Their zest for life can brighten any day!
