Foul smell?

Rachel.quaker

New member
Oct 9, 2016
4
0
Calgary, AB, Canada
Parrots
Female Green Quaker
Hi everyone,
So I recently noticed quite a foul smell coming from my 8 month old Quaker parrot, at first it was all over her body, I hosed her down in the shower then quickly realized the smell seems to be coming from her beak area and was probably spread over the body via preening. It's hard to describe the smell, it sounds odd but it's kinda like sweaty socks with a hint of popcorn? Anyway I know this isn't normal, she seems completely fine otherwise, no sneezing or panting or any abnormal behaviour, any advice? :confused:
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
93
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Healthy parrots usually don't smell bad. She could have an infection in his crop, threat, or other nearby area. I suggest an immediate trip to an Avian Vet, not just any old vet, and avian vet. Get gram stains done.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Loko

Member
Oct 1, 2016
393
19
Miami
Parrots
Sun Conure - Loco
Some avian vets will actually smell the birds mouth, with its beak open, while checking for any infection. Definitely go, and soon like morning as this could turn from something treatable to the end in a small amount of time.
 

janquito

Member
Aug 10, 2016
139
0
Wisconsin
Parrots
Two green cheek conures, one sun conure, and two quakers.
My gcc smelled like yeast when I first got him. I searched and found to put a little apple cider vinegar in his water dish and also in his bath water. You may want to try this since it's a natural and easy thing to do but, yeah, I suppose a visit to an avian vet may be in order.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
93
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
It may be yeast, but the risk is far too high to postpone a vet visit hoping that you have successfully identified the cause and can self medicate. A lot of people end up with dead birds that way.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
Media
2
212
Texas
Parrots
U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Any updates? Please make an appointment with an avian vet if you haven't already.
 

Meikasbirdhouse

New member
Aug 17, 2016
292
17
Edmonton alberta
Parrots
GWM, CAG, Alex, Tiel, MM, SM, LD, MP, Rosella, YSC, BCC, IRN, RRP, LB, Budgie, DC, Senegals, SC, U2, WEC, PFC, RCL, YNA, NC, canaries, finches, doves and fosters x 60
I'd love to hear an update on this thread if you have one :)
 

davefv92c

Banned
Banned
Nov 29, 2016
441
2
I would also like an update here. as my Amazon,and Eclectus both carry a slight smell.
smells same on both even after baths, not a bad smell. reminds me of an industrial type smell. maybe like an oil based smell. they also came home from the Aviary smelling like this. these birds are both young Lilly is a little over a year and Maxx is 8 months old.

I just figured the smell I'm getting is from whatever it is that keeps the birds feathers waterproof?
 

SilverSage

New member
Sep 14, 2013
5,937
93
Columbus, GA
Parrots
Eclectus, CAG, BH Pionus, Maximilian’s Pionus, Quakers, Indian Ringnecks, Green Cheeked Conures, Black Capped Conures, Cockatiels, Lovebirds, Budgies, Canaries, Diamond Doves, Zebra Finches, Society F
Birds do have distinctive smells; I'm not sure about your Amazon but a healthy eckie usually smells fruity and sweet. Of course each person identifies each smell differently, but I've never heard of described as industrial before.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

wrench13

Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Parrot of the Month 🏆
Nov 22, 2015
11,383
Media
14
Albums
2
12,567
Isle of Long, NY
Parrots
Yellow Shoulder Amazon, Salty
OP, that sounds like infection smell. Av vet is your best bet. Salty's only smell is when he is extremely happy ( like after a good scratch, playing or a special treat). He smells like Christmas cookies.
 

Flboy

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2014
12,598
4,101
Greater Orlando area, Florida
Parrots
JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
Seven days earlier, she posted her Quaker was eating his own poop! Not good! Hope she followed through with the vet!
 

EllenD

New member
Aug 20, 2016
3,979
65
State College, PA
Parrots
Senegal Parrot named "Kane"; Yellow-Sided Green Cheek Conure named "Bowie"; Blue Quaker Parrot named "Lita Ford"; Cockatiel named "Duff"; 8 American/English Budgie Hybrids; Ringneck Dove named "Dylan"
I was just going to say that I remembered the post about her Quaker eating her own poop all the time, and I was going to comment that I'm sure the bird has some type of awful infection in her crop from the poop. The feces has bacteria in it that will just sit in the bird's crop and that's what she's smelling. She needs to take her Quaker to an AVIAN VET IMMEDIATELY, NOT NEXT WEEK, NOT IN A FEW DAYS, BUT IMMEDIATELY to have her crop flushes and have smears done to diagnose the bacteria and get the bird on the proper antibiotics and/or anti-fungal as well, because chances are she has a yeast infection in addition to the bacterial infection, as the two are symbiotic.

She has to realize the crop is literally like a "holding tank" connected to her bird's throat and mouth. So whenever your bird has a bad smell coming from it's mouth it's pretty much always connected to what's going on in it's crop. If your bird is eating feces on a regular basis that means she also has feces sitting in her crop for hours on a regular basis...what do you think that's doing to your bird? Imagine what would happen to your child if it ate feces, full of bacteria, and the feces and bacteria just sat in your child's esophagus for a few hours before being dumped to his stomach...that's basically the comparison. You're just giving the bacteria ample time to invade a dark, wet, warm environment-perfect for them to multiply and attack!

I hope she took her Quaker to the vet asap, because every single time I've read "other than that she seems fine" in someone's post in the health section, it has not ended well...

"Dance Like Nobody's Watching"
 

davefv92c

Banned
Banned
Nov 29, 2016
441
2
just spent a few hours with my Aviary people at their store, and was told the slight scent is normal of both breeds but not noticed by many. I have them making a house call Tuesday to do all the birds nails,and a couple need feathers cut, and beaks trimmed if needed. so I will have them check out my concerns then, before I set a vet visit.

Industrial smell. it just reminded me of my days when I used to chase government construction work around the country building nuke plants and stuff like that also have some time in down at the Space Center. who knows all the miles I put on In my lifetime maybe everything smells like oil.lol nope that pizza I just had sure smelled like pizza.

thanks all
 

Most Reactions

Latest posts

Top