Ear Wax

[Abbayarra]

Hello,
My ruppell Meyer parrot is really into cleaning my ears and eating the wax. Is ear wax okay for Parrots?

 

[SailBoat]

Even with a long time relationship in place, I would not be comfortable providing any parrot that level of access to an ear. A miss-step /slip and very sensitive body parts are seriously damaged.

What is trapped within the ear wax is a composite of everything you have come in contact within the last few hours, days, and with hope not weeks or more. In general, ear wax should not be building-up to levels that are easy for a Parrot to access. Consult your medical expert on current recommendations to limit /eliminate ear wax build-up.

It does not matter to me if ear wax is safe or not, access is not safe and that is all that really matters.

 

[BoomBoom]

Fungus growth inside ears is a thing. Look up ear fungus and wax extraction on YouTube. It's fascinating in a morbid way.

Birds can get fungus. Just not sure if they can get fungus off humans. I would keep him away from your ears to be safe.

 

[Owlet]

So in short, no, it's best you don't let this behaviour happen .

 

[wrench13]

I used to get ear whacks from my Dad when I said something stupid.

 

[EllenD]

I'm hoping you don't have so much earwax that your bird can actually get a hold of some, if you do, then you have a health issue yourself that you need to address, as already mentioned...But no, do not let your bird eat your ear wax, for a multitude of reasons...

 

[GaleriaGila]

Agreeing. Wrong on many levels. I'm glad you asked, and glad you won't be doing that any more.

 

[Sunnyclover]

I'm thinking:
1. Clean your ear wax.
2. Teach your bird to stop digging in your ears as much or at all if you can manage it.
3. Introduce another activity to full fill your bird such as buying a plastic pearl necklace and tie some bits of usd toys or paper to it. I do this on the daily and my birds stopped ear digging and earing eating.

 

[Inger]

Do not search earwax extractions on YouTube. The next thing you know, you’ll have lost hours, even days of your life watching gross things come out of human bodies. Because it doesn’t stop at earwax. Oh no. Then it’s Dr. Pimple Popper. This is a downward spiral that you must avoid. Ask me how I know.


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[RavensGryf]

What a coincidence! The other day, I too had a Ruppell’s Parrot in my ear. In this case though, it was I who didn’t fare so well... The crazy out-of-nowhere-biter that he is, clamped down on my ear and folded some of the cartilage at the same time as he sliced through with what felt like the beak strength of a macaw. It hurt so bad it actually brought tears to my eyes and made me scream out (and kept screaming) I know, I know.. but I couldn’t help it, it hurt that badly!

Who knows why he bit me, that’s just the way he is. Could it be that he was upset when he found NO earwax?!

 

[BoomBoom]

Do not search earwax extractions on YouTube. The next thing you know, you’ll have lost hours, even days of your life watching gross things come out of human bodies. Because it doesn’t stop at earwax. Oh no. Then it’s Dr. Pimple Popper. This is a downward spiral that you must avoid. Ask me how I know.


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Inger, you are my spirit animal.

 

[EllenD]

Do not search earwax extractions on YouTube. The next thing you know, you’ll have lost hours, even days of your life watching gross things come out of human bodies. Because it doesn’t stop at earwax. Oh no. Then it’s Dr. Pimple Popper. This is a downward spiral that you must avoid. Ask me how I know.


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Ask me why I don't have to ask you how you know.

 

[Sandy19]

Do not search earwax extractions on YouTube. The next thing you know, you’ll have lost hours, even days of your life watching gross things come out of human bodies. Because it doesn’t stop at earwax. Oh no. Then it’s Dr. Pimple Popper. This is a downward spiral that you must avoid. Ask me how I know.


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Have you ever watched tonsil stone extractions? That's fun to watch too.

Unfortunately I don't have tonsil stones or waxy ears. Just one time I'd like to put a Q-tip in my ear and have wax come out, but all I ever get is a barely yellow Q-tip. If I did have ear wax, however, I wouldn't let Peanut eat it. That's kind of gross.

 

[BoomBoom]

I love the ones where they pull out white heads one by one with a tweezer. I'm tempted to post Youtube links...

 

[SailBoat]

I believed that this discussion has spun way out and away from the original OP's question. Time to return to the founding discussion.

 

[Abbayarra]

Thank you very much for the replies. The reason is that he has a very long tongue and a very long beak. He was actually preening my hair and voila! Not letting him do it anymore. I will miss his panting breath in my ear.

 

[Owlet]

Ruppel meyers should not have a long enough beak to get THAT far into your ear. If his beak is longer than it should be you should get it trimmed and check for a fatty liver.

 

[ChristaNL]

How the *bleep* can someone have so much earwax-build-up that a parrot could get a substantial amount in his/her beak?


Grinn, I have not googled ear-fungus (yet) -- I know humans can pick up fungi from birds/ birdpoop, Haven't heard about it going the other way.
(But if you gave me a dollar for everything I haven't heard off I'd be richer than most people anywhere)


No earwax .... no problem right?
So, go clean your outher ear (no need to go all the way to the eardrum -> that can cause damage) at least to the depth your bird can reach...


Like every other substance you are not sure off: get it out of your parrots reach

 

[Sandy19]

Peanut likes to put her beak in my ear like one of those scopes the doctor uses. I can hear her breathing in there and I don't know what the heck she's looking for in there (possibly ear mites), but I take her off my shoulder right away when she does it.