Repurpose an automatic scent dispenser

CookieRob

New member
Mar 8, 2015
2
0
Ohio
Parrots
Congo African Grey
I have a CAG who loves to take a bath using his Lixit water bottle. He won't use the size appropriate water bowl that I have for him at the bottom of his cage or let me spray him with the pump-action mister sprayer that I found on line. But I thought that maybe if the water was available for him even at intervals, that he would enjoy it. So these things can be set to go off at 7.5, 15 or 30 mins. Use these as water misters for your birds. They can be hung on the wall to face the direction of your bird. So here's what you'll need. The automatic machine.
The AirWick and Oreck is what I have. I don't know if the other brands take a
6.17 ounce can or not, but that's the size refill can that these two use. A can of baking powder (empty out,rinse the can and snip away that metal at the top. Put the powder in another container. (Please note: DO NOT try to open a pressurized can. Even if it is empty. It is very dangerous to do so. So this is why you're buying a can of baking powder to use as the container for the water) A refill can of room freshener (Dollar General) (if you don't already have one and if they don't already come with the machine) saran wrap, aluminum foil, plaster of paris sheets. (Michael's Crafts) Fine mist Pump
sprayer with extender.(Midwestbottles.com) .33 cents each. The plaster of paris
sheets can be cut and sized with scissors before you wet it. Remove the nozzle from the air freshener can. The straw should remain.Center the saran wrap over the straw and press it firmly down and mold it around the top cone of the can.Center a dry peice of plaster sheet on top of the saran wrapped top enough to cover the complete top. Trim the dry sheet with scissors so that it will not extend past the saran wrap or it will stick to the can when it dries.Remove the dry sheet and prepare it with warm water. Place the now wet sheet of plaster and center it over the top of the can making sure the straw is peeking through the sheet. Mold the wet plaster sheet onto the can. You can use strips instead of one peice of plaster if you want to. Just make sure you cover the whole cone. DO NOT use a second application of the plaster to place around the straw on TOP of the can or around the can.It will be too thick. Let this dry. Fold a aluminum foil peice in half. Use enough to center over the straw and flatten the aluminum foil very well on top and around the cone of the can. Place another peice or strips of prepared plaster sheets over the aluminum foil. DO NOT place the plaster strip on the top of the can. Leave this part exposed. Place the plaster sheet under and around where the silver top was. Let it dry. Twist it off to remove the plaster form from the can. Using the plastic top that came with the baking powder can, put a small hole in the middle of it.(for the new sprayer) Place the plaster top on the plastic top and trim the mold using scissors. DO NOT glue the two together yet until you get your new pump sprayer. When inserting the new sprayer,remove the extender.Go through the bottom of the plaster top first making sure the straw top is sticking up through the aluminum foil top. Place your glue around the edge of the plastic top,put the straw bottom through it and press firmly and let dry. Place more glue around the sides of both tops and seal it good. Replace the extender top to the straw.Only fill up to the top of the can itself. The new plaster top is not meant to hold liquid. Make several tops. Make your own personal room fragrance. (Couple drops + water = YOUR favorites. Let me know what you think.
 
Last edited:

weco

New member
Nov 24, 2010
3,342
12
USA
Parrots
Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
Although I'm not familiar with either of the scent misters you listed, I am familiar with commercial ones, but those are like "poof, there it is"...not really much output.....this thing you built, how much output do you get & is can it be set for continuous spraying or is it like a pump sprayer?
 

Flboy

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2014
12,599
4,105
Greater Orlando area, Florida
Parrots
JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
What about residual fragrance? At the vets, where my daughter works, a woman brought in her 5 dead birds! She had just added a new bird to her flock a few days before and was sure the new bird was the cause. Turns out, along with the new bird, she picked up several plug in air fresheners! A very horrible mistake!
 

Sheeji

New member
Feb 18, 2015
100
Media
1
0
Al khobar Saudi Arabia
Parrots
16 month old Congo African grey called Leo
Isn't that dangerous though? We have stopped using all southerners in our house. We had one of those automated air wik ones that can be set to 5/10 min intervals but moved it far far away from our bird. I wouldn't risk this.
 

Puck

New member
Mar 8, 2015
802
4
I don't know how much all this would cost because I am having a hard time picturing it without an image, but for about $75 you can get an automatic pet mister. This would probably be a safer bet than resourcing fragrance dispensers. But thank you for the very detailed instructions--I always love when people share their birdie creations!

Automatic Mister
 

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