Do Parrots Smell Bad?

Do parrots smell?

A healthy parrot with good hygiene should have no smell. That being said if you are noticing there is an unpleasant smell it generally is the bird’s droppings and not the actual bird. It can be the actual bird but most times it is not.

Some reasons your parrot may smell;

Poor overall hygiene – just like us parrots can give off an unpleasant odor if they are not getting frequent baths and are not in a clean environment. Birds are messy, but it is very important to get into a routine and keep on top of it. It is not good for you or your parrot to breathe in that air.

Illness – it is very rare for the actual bird to smell bad, but it can happen. If you are noticing a foul smell coming from the bird’s beak area this could be a crop infection or other crop issues. If a bird does not digest their food properly it can go foul. This is something that absolutely needs to be seen by an avian veterinarian. Another issue this could be is an infection in the digestive system (more specifically the lining of the throat or stomach) which causes digestive upsets resulting in a smelly dropping. Bottom line if your bird has smelly droppings or the actual bird smells bad you should contact your veterinarian.  Learn more about general signs of sickness in parrots: Signs Your Parrot Is Sick – Optimal Avian

Diet – this is another one that is also commonly seen in humans. You know how after you eat a bunch of fast food. Say you were on vacation and that’s all you ate and you feel gross and smell different the same thing with birds. If they are not being fed a proper diet with lots of variety they can smell. Read more about diet here: Basics of a Small Parrot Diet – Optimal Avian

Recent meal they ate – as you know birds are very active eaters. Small birds sometimes lay in their food and rub their head in their food. Birds get food all over their beak, inevitably this means they will likely smell like this for a few hours after they ate. This is completely normal and nothing to be alarmed by. That being said if you haven’t fed your bird beans in days if they smelt like beans that would be concerning and certainly worth a veterinarian call.

Water dishes – this is something that is so often overlooked. When you think of cleaning your parrot’s cage you think of the bottom. You should be cleaning your dishes twice a day. Dishes get slimy and stinky and could be the reason your parrot’s area smells bad.  Toxic Parrot Food Dishes – BioFilm – Optimal Avian

Ways to Improve the smell of your home with parrots

Seeing as you cant use candles or air fresheners in your home you could be thinking okay so I’ve addressed the issue but I want this smell gone, how can I deal with this safely.

     Simmer pots, simmer pots are simply a pot of water on your stove top with most commonly a cinnamon stick and apple slice but some other ideas are; lemon slices with rosemary, cranberry and cinnamon, or orange slices. These are completely natural and do not give off the chemical candles and essential oils do that are toxic to parrots.