Basic First Aid Kit For Your Bird

Always have a basic first aid kit to hand. It should contain a few simple things that will be useful should your bird become injured. We always recommend that if your bird has any type of injury, that it is taken to a vet as soon as possible.

These are the basic minimum items that should be at hand in case of an emergency:

1.  A substance to stop bleeding (Cornflour is good for this, however there are proprietary brands available in all good pet shops.)

2.  A bird safe disinfectant (Such as Avisafe)

3.  Cotton wool balls or cotton buds.

4.  Tweezers and sharp scissors  

5.  Savlon cream (The ONLY human medication that can safely be used on a bird)

6.  A soft, dark, non striped towel, for restraining an injured bird. (A light, striped towel would represent a preditor to the bird.)  

7.  De-stressant / Shock medication   

8.  Probiotics / White cell support / Electorlytes  

9.  Heat source (Heat lamp to help with shock.)  

10.  Pen light  

11.  Bandage material (½ Inch masking tape or micro-pore tape.)  

12.  Nail clippers  

13.  Eye dropper (This must be well cleansed if it has been used for other purposes!)  

14.  Important Telephone numbers (i.e. Vets, Taxi companies)  

15.  A suitable sized bird carrier (Even if your bird is trained to travel on your shoulder, a carrier should be available incase the bird is physically injured or in shock!)

Do NOT bathe the bird.

A sick bird needs warmth, darkness and a quiet atmosphere.

DO NOT HESITATE TO TAKE YOUR BIRD(S) TO THE VETS IF YOU SUSPECT THAT THE BIRD IS ILL. OFTEN WITH BIRDS TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. THE ABOVE LISTS ARE TO BE USED AS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE AND NOT AS A FORM OF CURE FOR A SICK BIRD!