Whew... I did a silly thing. I had allowed Cosmo out of his cage, while I was doing a painting nearby.

He flew down onto the table and then WALKED RIGHT THROUGH the paint! One foot smack bang in a dollop of white, and the other foot on my blob of cool red.

 

I grabbed him straight away and rushed to the laundry. While being grabbed, he shrieked and wriggled, so some paint got on his head and wings too.

 

I think I washed most of it off, but I haven't got it off all his feathers yet. Just waiting for him to dry up and make sure I didn't hurt him in the panic of the moment, I was afraid I might have twisted his foot but I can't see any sign of that.

 

Lucky he likes baths and lucky he trusts me so he doesn't seem too out of sorts now.

 

My big worry at the moment is whether he can die from preening his feathers now, if the paint is toxic. It's just that water based acrylic that you can buy from newsagents in tubes - brand is Chromacryl. How much should I try and get it off him? Because what if he does get some in his mouth?

 

I certainly learned my lesson

Whoops I would try and get it all off....even if you have to pick it off when it dries.

I'm wondering if it can actually dye his feathers... like even when I wash it all off some feathers still have a reddish hue, whether that is just the colour it will stay or whether there is still some actual paint hidden in there that he could eat. I will keep trying.

Thanks.

 

The paint says "NON TOXIC" but I am sure that only applies to children! I am having trouble getting it off his head but it's where his beak can't reach so I might try harder on the parts around his legs where he wants to preen Kicking myself. Don't want to traumatise the poor little fellow. He's being really good but his poos are runny now from the fright.

Edited June 18, 200915 yr by krosp

You can cut off the feathers where you can't get the paint out. I'm pretty sure he will be fine if he preens himself and only ingests a little bit of paint..I know for a fact a close friend of mine's cockatiel has chewed on things with some wet paint on it (that exact type of paint) and he was fine.

A little bit should be okay, so if you don't get all of it off and there's a tiny bit left don't worry. Best to cut off feathers with paint or staining on it however, and maybe you can soak his feet in something (if he'll stay still long enough) to get the paint off. Don't panic if you can't get it all off though.

Thanks Jen.. it's pretty much all off his feet. It's mostly his head that I can't get it off. Some of his wing feathers are growing back and I will cut those ones off at least. I'll get you some pics to show how much paint is actually still on him..... just a sec.

 

 

 

okay here they are:

 

 

 

 

Edited June 18, 200915 yr by krosp

Just for the record, the red will stain as well, so even if you get it the paint off the dye in the paint will dye natural fibers (ie: feathers)

You received good advice what an incident...you will probably have to wait for those feathers to molt out to completely get rid of the red staining.

Yeah, I guess he might have some red patches for a while! Oh well... if that is the worst of it I will be very happy.

 

He just has to dive head first into whatever I'm doing like a cat

Poor guy... We all do things and then after the fact go 'why did I do that' I know I have been doing it a lot of late... I'm so glad he's doing okay. I agree with the others about staining. I bet you're glad it was water based hey It would have been aa whole lot worse if it was oil based.

 

... and... colour and all, he's still cute!

Poor guy... We all do things and then after the fact go 'why did I do that' I know I have been doing it a lot of late... I'm so glad he's doing okay. I agree with the others about staining. I bet you're glad it was water based hey It would have been aa whole lot worse if it was oil based.

 

... and... colour and all, he's still cute!

 

Aww thanks Maesie I think so too.

 

Well in the meantime, I can just pretend that I got the elusive red budgie!

Poor guy... We all do things and then after the fact go 'why did I do that' I know I have been doing it a lot of late... I'm so glad he's doing okay. I agree with the others about staining. I bet you're glad it was water based hey It would have been aa whole lot worse if it was oil based.

 

... and... colour and all, he's still cute!

 

Aww thanks Maesie I think so too.

 

Well in the meantime, I can just pretend that I got the elusive red budgie!

 

Why not!!!

Without detracting from the potential seriousness of your little debarcle, Krosp... it is kind of funny looking at him with his red splotches! It isn't every day that you see a budgie looking as though he's spent the day in the studio creating Australia's next abstract masterpiece! Very cute!

Another budding PICASSO of the budgie world

Water based paint is meant to be safe for budgies. we use it on the inside of the show cages etc... try and get any loose flakes off, but i really dont think it will cause harm... if it was oil paint then there would be a problem.

That is damn cute. What a delightful little guy you have there Did you keep whatever it was he may have painted with his feet?

Edited June 19, 200915 yr by Carmen

Thanks for all your comments.... now that it's all over it's nice to see the funny side!

 

Carmen - no I was very quick to make sure he didn't walk on anything (we're renting!) so the only thing he actually "painted" was the palette.

Aww, well at least you can brag about him having red spot's should go away once he moults the feathers off.

Easy stomach...

He does look adorable. What a fright! I'm glad he's okay. He's such a handsome guy.

 

Summer

It will all be gone by the next moult.