Smell under wings?

Sunnyclover · Sep 24, 2017

Ollie sometimes (for months now) will smell sort of sour under his wings like once a month. He bathes every other day so I don't think it's because he needs a bath because he has plenty of those. He has been to the vet and had tests recently and I forgot to ask about this because it didn't happen for a couple of weeks. He is a year old and probably going through hormones at this point, could that have something to do with it? Is this normal at all?

clark_conure · Sep 24, 2017

smells under his wings.....does they smell?

Clark does that several times a day. while preening unless he's not actually smelling...

SailBoat · Sep 24, 2017

Sunnyclover said:
Ollie sometimes (for months now) will smell sort of sour under his wings like once a month. He bathes every other day so I don't think it's because he needs a bath because he has plenty of those. He has been to the vet and had tests recently and I forgot to ask about this because it didn't happen for a couple of weeks. He is a year old and probably going through hormones at this point, could that have something to do with it? Is this normal at all?

And, you say that this 'sour smell' occurs once a month and its only occurs from under the wings. That combined with your bath schedule has this one either an oddity of the species or a very unique event driven by something that your Parrot gets into on this regular schedule.

Unless someone else has the key, you are likely going to need to keep notes and be very mindful of what is happening just before during and after.

SirEdwin89 · Sep 24, 2017

Sour smell? Hmmm... Don't think that's anything I've personally noticed with any of mine. I think cockatoo's smell like french toast sticks, but I don't think that's what you have in mind

Possibly the result of something in his diet? I know there are many foods that can effect the way people smell, I'd imagine that's not so different in the avian world.

Sorry, not much I can think of suggesting to help aside from doubling up on what Sailboat said, take notes and try and link it with something more specific when you notice it.

Sunnyclover · Sep 24, 2017

Hmmm, he was in his cage more then usual yesterday for sure but I only noticed it this morning because I was not the one who put Ollie to bed last night. I will have to 1st wash him lol then keep track of the next time he smells (pits out?) and see what happened to possibly make his smell. Weird that it's in his arm pits because why would he put a small there lol...so weird. You would think it would be on his body not under his wings.

Kiwibird · Sep 24, 2017

Hmmm... can't say I've ever met a parrot with smelly pits! They aren't really stinky animals in general and usually a foul smell from a parrot is a sign for real concern. Is it possible your bird puts food under his wings or wipes his beak under there? I might give the vet a call in this case and see what he/she recommends.

texsize · Sep 24, 2017

Does anyone make a parrot deodorant?

LoL

Billdore · Sep 24, 2017

My Timneh was starting to have a funny smell and I could t figure out where it was coming from. One of her coconut toys was starting to break down and the smell was getting on a Timneh. I promptly but reluctantly tossed the 35 dollar toy in the trash. Timneh was not impressed.

chris-md · Sep 24, 2017

Under wing might be an infection. When I first got Parker, he had a yeast infection under his wings.

Sunnyclover · Sep 24, 2017

I will call the vet and see what they have to say. Thanks guys...I thought it might be an infection of sorts but wasn't ready to jump to that just yet.

RisingSun · Sep 24, 2017

You say he bathes every other day. Does he do it later in the day? Is it drying completely under the wings? Does he have access to a sunny window to dry off quickly?

Another possibility is that he is not able to reach under his wings. I have never smelled a bad smell from Mattise, but I take him into the shower with me and sometimes I will hold him partially under the shower stream (not his head), and will "tickle tickle" him under each wing, and when he raises it, I will let the water drench under there and give him a good soaking.

Sunnyclover · Sep 24, 2017

I shower Ollie with me in the shower and I lift up his wings and spray gently with the hand shower directly under his wings. He's definitely getting cleaned there. He showers around 3pm and goes to bed at 8 and he's definitely dry at that time. I snuggle with him from 7 to 8pm nearly every night and that's usually when I'm smelling him closely. I play with him various times in the day too so it's easy to catch when his smell is off. I for some weird reason have been periodically lifting his wings to smell them for months now, it's possible no one else would ever notice this about a bird but I'm worried now! Calling the vet in the morning and I'll update with any information I find out. Ollie mostly smells amazing so it's super weird when this happens monthly.

LordTriggs · Sep 25, 2017

see if it was constant I would 100% agree on minor skin infection.

but only once a month is strange, a bit too "clockwork" will be interesting to see what the vet has to say

Sunnyclover · Sep 25, 2017

I went to the vet this morning with Ollie aka Mr. Smelly Wings and she that he has the most mild of yeast infections. The reason it comes and goes monthly is because it has never fully developed so it never really had a chance to go away but was definitely not in any way life treating at any point. So Ollie is going to have apple cider vinegar in his water and I'm going to cut back on sugary foods (ie fruit, corn, sweet potato) for a while until the smell is gone. If that doesn't work she'll prescribe something for us. I have a feeling someone in my family is giving my baby extra sugar foods that I don't know about... it's possible it happens once a month because whoever it is only does it for a few days. Further investigation needed...

Kiwibird · Sep 25, 2017

Glad to hear he's going to be ok. I never knew a parrot could get a yeast infection in the wing pit! I guess it was a good call to take him to the vet because now you know what it is and how to treat it before it becomes a more serious issue.

chris-md · Sep 25, 2017

What my vet had me do was topical soother spray cut with apple cider vinegar. Worked like a charm! I’d say topic is the smart way to go. In the water to drink won’t do much.

Sunnyclover · Sep 25, 2017

Okay I'll do that also...thanks!

Sunnyclover · Dec 27, 2017

I thought I'd update this in case anyone has the same issue. So I took Ollie to the vet and she said it might be some yeast told me to give him apple cider vinegar. I did this AND sprayed a diluted mix under his wings for 2 weeks and the stink resolved itself. However, about 2 weeks later it came back from time to time and came and went. That was in the summer/fall months and early call. Since it got colder about 2 months ago he hasn't even had a hint of it...not even a little bit. He smells totally clean and fresh. I did buy a bird bath spray that a use every so often under his arm pits and his other feathers so I wonder if that's keeping it at bay. I also had my husband (the culprit was cought!) Stop giving Ollie bites of his almond protein bars which are really sugary. So yeah still really weird...I wonder if it will be back in summer.

Sunnyclover · Mar 31, 2018

Sooooooooo guess what? Warmer weather just hit us and Ollie's stinky wings have returned! It's only slightly smelly right now, I'm guessing because it's only slightly warm. And guess what else? Finley is stinky too! How weird is that? Some days are stinkier than others and you'd only noticed it if you actually have their under wing (Ollie) or butt/belly (Finn) in your face. Which ofc I have birds using my face as another form of play gym so I notice everything. They can't be getting into anything...I have observed any possible smelly encounter with anything in the house and their cage. This is beyond weird!

smbrds · Mar 31, 2018

Wowzers. This is peculiar indeed. It seems that infections have been cleared, but to rule it out again...could it be another yeast infection due to it being warmer? Maybe the foods again? Foods not being digested well in the crop and carrying to the wings when preening? I will say that, though I have a tiel...he can have a smell around this time, but then it's gone after a few days or a week. Sometimes when giving a bath they give off that ''wet bird'' smell.

Is Ollie and Finley molting?

I smell Baby's hiney and it doesn't smell, as much as he does birdy poo poo bombs. Can't help but to rub my nose in his feathers either (um, aside from his birdy butt of course)!

Smell under wings?

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What medical tests are necessary for a first-time visit to a vet?

Smells?

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