Scales and Tales - Winter Aviary Cleaning and Care

 Preparing for the Winter Season, Part 3: Winter Aviary Cleaning and Care

 

Every season has its unique challenges in caring for our captive animals. Although most are native to Maryland, their captivity and various disabilities often mean special care is

necessary to keep them healthy and comfortable. Two specific health concerns to be aware of for our captive raptors are cold weather anemia and frostbite.

 

Cold weather anemia is the result of an insufficient number of red blood cells in a bird (Redig). It can be caused by illness, lack of proper nutrition, exposure to sudden temperature shift, or a major change in a bird’s routine. It is most likely to be seen from mid-November to March in cold climates.

 

The symptoms to watch for are:

1) change in behavior

2) lack of appetite

3) unwillingness to fly

4) weakness

5) minor tremors and shaking

6) sudden noticeable prominence of keel

7) excessive sleeping during the day

 

This is a serious condition that needs to be treated by a veterinarian when it occurs. To prevent cold weather anemia from developing, feed birds a high quality, varied diet (whole prey) supplemented with vitamins such as Vitahawk. Keep careful feeding records and monitor the birds’health and behavior daily.  Keel and body cavity feels also reveal overall body condition.  This is very important as body weight may be lower in the summer than winter, but their body condition may indicate an overweight bird.  Vice versa, birds well-over the measured summer weight during winter months are not necessarily overweight. The correct formula is only reached when combining the two methods. 

 

Species with bare legs (e.g. American kestrel, bald eagle, common barn owls, peregrines, and vultures) are most prone to frostbite during times of very low temperatures and low wind chills.

Mild cases of frostbite may be irritated skin but extreme frostbite can cause tissue death and may lead to mortality of the bird. Minor frostbite appears pale in color and dry. Severe frostbitten skin will darken as the tissue dies.

 

 

 

If any form of frostbite is suspected, immediately bring the bird into a warm environment. The foot should be rinsed or soaked in lukewarm water to begin rapid warming of the tissues.  Never use overly warm or hot water.   The bird should be kept in a warm and quiet environment to heal, using triple antibiotic ointment or aloe vera to encourage reparation.  Extreme cases require immediate veterinary care and advice.  Often, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (often referred to as NSAIDs) and pain killers (opioids) are necessary to alleviate swelling, and to prevent infection and pain (Cooper). Many cases of frostbite appear weeks after the exposure (probably because of scales), making prevention key to combating this cold weather enemy. 

 

Knowing how to prevent frostbite takes a common sense approach.  The disease can develop from ice buildup under jesses or on perches; be sure to check each daily. Metal feeding trays or water dishes should be replaced by plastic during the cold season as frostbite could develop on the feet of birds perching or standing on cold metal surfaces. Some birds are also at risk of developing frostbite on their wingtips (wing tip oedema), especially birds with amputated joints and bare, featherless surfaces.   Providing these birds with a supplemental heat source, and shelter from wind, extreme temperatures and precipitation, may be necessary. Have a standard operating procedure in place for these weather events. 

 

Protect Birds from Dangerous Low Temperatures

 

Heat lamps and ceramic heat emitters used as supplemental heat sources are an excellent way to protect birds from low temperatures, but they need to be monitored closely. Bulbs can burn

out, timers may need to be reset after power outages, and dangerous heat can build up around ceramic heat emitters. The birds should not be able to directly contact any supplemental heat source used. Sometimes it may be necessary to bring a bird inside during times of extreme cold and weather.  For example, smaller sized and higher metabolism birds without supplemental heat sources should be placed in carriers below   They can be kept in a carrier of sufficient size without being leashed/tethered.  See previous blog for more on heat emitters.

 

Clear Snow and Ice

 

Whenever possible, keep snow and ice cleared off all surfaces the birds may stand or perch on. Brooms, brushes, dustpans, scrapers, and squeegees can be used to clear shelves, perches and ledges. If unheated water dishes are used in a mew during a winter cold spell, the ice emptied each day can quickly build into a hazardous pile of sharp, frozen ice. Remove this ice daily from the mews and allow to melt by a drain or in a sink inside (if you have an inside work area). If it can be done safely, remove heavy snow cover from the roof of the mews. Heavy snow can damage the enclosure and also keeps out light. In addition, when snow begins to melt during the day, the drips can form icicles that can be dangerous to birds and cleaners. Birds that become unsettled by the noise and activity during snow removal should be removed from the mews and placed in a carrier.  Activity above them may cause stress and fear, forcing them to panic and injure themselves.

 

 (kestrel on perch with icicles)

 

Cold Season Mew Cleaning

 

Using water to clean the mews is necessary, but extra care should be taken to avoid adding any additional water to the mew during freezing temperatures. A bucket with warm soapy water and brush can be used to clean perches and shelves instead of the hose. A reusable towel can be used to dry the surface.  Refrain from hosing the gravel or other surfaces until the weather warms sufficiently. A scraper (wide putty knife) works well for removing frozen droppings from ledges and the excrement can be dumped into a trash bag or bucket for removal. Rake the gravel, especially since it may reveal frozen ice just below the surface.   

 

Common Sense Approaches

 

Regularly inspect the outside of all enclosures for damage to prevent escape or predator entrance. The weight of snow and ice can quickly unseat nails and screws, providing possible openings.  For quick clean-up, Deep Creek Lake often utilizes large sheets of plastic in the hawk cages when there are numerous days before they can employ other cleaning methods.

 

 

Bottom line: each aviary is different.  Using what has worked best for you in the past is always recommended.  However, try some of these other ideas or add a response below if you have an alternate suggestion.

 

 

Cooper, J.E. and Harrison, G. (1994) ‘Dermatology’. In: Avian Medicine: Principles and Appli-cation (Ritchie, B., Harrison, G. and Harrison, L.) (eds). Wingers Publishing, Lake Worth,

Florida, pp. 607–639.

 

Redig, P.T. and Ackermann, J. (2000) ‘Raptors’. In: Avian Medicine (Tully, T.N., Lawson,

M.P.C. and Dorrestein, G.M. (eds)). Butterworth-Heinemann, Woburn, MA, pp. 180–214.