extremely sticky bird

[psychotic feather]

Hey guys long story short I just got off work at 1am and found a pigeon that is covered in a very sticky substance. It is so sticky it can't move. It's head is glued to its body. I brought it home and have tried several baths. It is at the point that it can now move its head and open its eyes but no matter how much I wash it it is still sticky. Any advice?

[Unikorngrrl]

Do you have any clue what the sticky is? Does it smell? Is is tar like sticky, gum like sticky, glue like? etc... I'm trying to think of things safe for animals to remove adhesives but all that comes to mind is nail polish remover. OF COURSE THEY CAN'T INHALE MUCH OF IT. You would have to use it slowly but surely and OUTSIDE. I assume dawn dish soap didn't help correct?

[psychotic feather]

All I have on hand is dawn dish soap. It helped but it isn't getting it all off. The sticky substance has no smell at all. But no matter how much I wash the poor thing it is still sticky. I tried mixing in some canola oil with the soap to try and help but that didn't do much either. It is kind of like a dried syrup sticky. Maybe someone sloshed soda on the poor guy? I can't even get the sticky stuff off of my arms it is so bad!

[Unikorngrrl]

No, that's not soda. Soda will wash off with hot water. Let me walk through my house and look around and see what I can think of. I'll be right back.

[psychotic feather]

Also my hair dryer doesn't blow out hot air. I never got a new one because it is so hot and dry here in Arizona that my hair dries instantly outside. How bad is it for this little guy to get cold?

[Unikorngrrl]

Alcohol is used a lot to removed adhesive from the skin, but not thinking the bird could handle the fumes. I'd try ON A TAIL feather: alcohol & table salt mix, then maybe another tail feather try peroxide, then maybe another tail feather try laundry detergent dissolved in water.

The alcohol and salt mix works REALLY well on some REALLY sticky stuff. If it works you may be able to sit in front of a fan and slowly clean him. I'm going to do a google search too though I'm sure you already have.

[psychotic feather]

I don't have alcohol and I'm super allergic to peroxide. I can pick anything up from the store tomorrow but none of them are open at the moment.

[Unikorngrrl]

I don't have alcohol and I'm super allergic to peroxide. I can pick anything up from the store tomorrow but none of them are open at the moment.

Then make the poor baby as comfortable as possible for tonight and call a veterinarian in the morning. Or better yet, take the baby to a wildlife center tomorrow. If those aren't an option then maybe try the stuff I mention (I'm not sure if they are safe or not though) or maybe someone on the board will have some good advice by the time you wake up. The only reason I suggested things I am not sure about is b/c I figured at this point anything would have to be better than nothing or death! Good luck and bless your heart for trying so hard!!! :grouphug I'm still trying to see if I can find anything online.

[Unikorngrrl]

found a site that says vinegar removes some adhesives...

[psychotic feather]

I am still looking too :/ I think my cat will have to give up her heated bed tonight. The poor little guy is shivering so much

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/pandafishies/005-1_zps7ed58c03.jpg (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/pandafishies/media/005-1_zps7ed58c03.jpg.html)


I will pick up some vinegar tomorrow T__T shame on me not even having that... lol I don't cook much

[Unikorngrrl]

Yes, most definitely keep him warm!!! Make sure you offer water and food if possible. No towels though, use a sweatshirt or sheet!!

[Unikorngrrl]

Did you try just rubbing the vegetable oil all over him and working it into the feathers? I'd try that, leave it for a while, even over night and try the dawn again in the morning.

[psychotic feather]

I have crackers is that okay? They are the wheat ones but have salt on them though. I would leave the oil on him over night but I am just about to turn this apartment in and I can't risk him messing up all of the carpets. I am definitely not supposed to have a wild animal inside xD good thing my cat seems to be scared of him though :thinking

bad cell pic but you can see all the stuff stuck to his poor feet

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/pandafishies/006-2_zps6a0ebfab.jpg (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/pandafishies/media/006-2_zps6a0ebfab.jpg.html)

[Unikorngrrl]

It's all repeating on google. Same things over and over. Dawn, vinegar and veg oil.

[Unikorngrrl]

Do you have a box of any kind? close him up in a box, make sure he has air holes and coat him in veggie oil. If no box, put blankets in the shower/tub with him so he can stay warm and pull the curtain closed. I'm sure you don't have carpet in the bathroom right?!? And by coat in veggie oil I mean work it into his feathers and skin with your fingers. Like you would conditioner for your hair.

[psychotic feather]

hmmmm I found this .... http://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/UWS/BrdCtrl/AZRpbStickyBrds.html

It says the lady used cornstarch which.... I have! shocker lol

[Unikorngrrl]

OH, that looks promising!! Try that. Do you want me to PM my number to you?

[psychotic feather]

Nah its alright. I have to sleep lol I worked a 10 hour shift and I'm beat. I am just going to leave the little guy in my cat's tree. It has a box and I can just put something over it to keep him inside. I will figure this out tomorrow

[Unikorngrrl]

Good luck! but it sounds like that may be exactly what this poor guy got into. I think a wildlife facility is what you are going to need to do. That way they can take care of it for months on end if they have to. Sorry I couldn't be of more help!!

[farrelli]

Various oil-type products (veg oil, peanutbutter, etc.) will desolve others, and citrus products (orange, lemon, etc,) oil can even do a better job, but will also remove the natural oils and can delay release. Same for alcohol. Spot tests are best.

Keeping him in a dark, warm, silent environment is best.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

they make stuff to spread out that glues pigeons up. It traps them and kills them. I bet that is what it got into.

google up pigeon glue, wonder if there is an antidote? i bet.

[kastillo]

they make stuff to spread out that glues pigeons up. It traps them and kills them. I bet that is what it got into.

google up pigeon glue, wonder if there is an antidote? i bet.

Omigosh, that's horrible! Who would do such a thing? They are not cockroaches, jeez.

[psychotic feather]

They are putting up a new building next to where I work maybe they are trying to keep pigeons off of that? I will go and pick up some nail polish remover and vinegar, hopefully we can get this little guy back outside!

[CrazySquirrelLady]

no nail polish remover, let me google an antidote. hang on.

acetone might kill it from the fumes.... i used it to kill butterflies with in my youth for 4-H...... hang on.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

ok pigeon glue, tanglefoot, all the same thing. here is what the website sez to do to dissolve it and stuff. it lasts for ONE YEAR. oh no!






Where should I apply Tanglefoot?
Tanglefoot Bird Repellent is generally used on resting places, such as window sills, roof ridges, gutters, ornamental coping, stonework and ledges. Do Not apply on steeply angled or vertical surfaces as slumping may occur. Tanglefoot can remain effective from 2 months to 1 year depending on the environment. Excessive dust, pollution, bugs and debris can reduce effectiveness and longevity. Reapply when completely covered by dirt and debris.

Clean-Up
Use vegetable oil, followed by soap and warm water to clean hands and tools. Remove from surface by scraping and cleaning with mineral spirits.

For a permanent bird barrier system, go to the Premium Nixalite Bird Spike page.
Nixalite's Premium Bird Barrier Spikes are an all stainless steel bird spike barrier that repels all pest birds, in all infestation levels, on all types of installation surfaces. It works for ALL birds including pigeons, seagulls, sparrows, starlings, swallows, etc.

Return to Bird Control Products main.

[psychotic feather]

yah but the oil wasn't very effective at all

[CrazySquirrelLady]

what are mineral spirits? that is what you use to get it off the building.

[Liza]

I think mineral spirits is paint thinner. Probably not a good idea..worse fumes than acetone.. How about goo-gone? You get it at the hardware store, it smells like oranges. My husband uses it to get tile glue off his hands.. ?? Not sure if it is harmful to birds but at least it doesn't smell like a toxic chemical..??

I googled goo-gone and found this about it

Goo Gone is an oil-based cleaner and solvent that safely removes gummy, grimey and gooey messes. Goo Gone is made with all natural ingredients, and will not harm most other commercial products such as carpet or plastic, or the environment. Goo Gone has a long shelf life and can withstand cold and warm temperatures without losing its effectiveness. Goo Gone comes in a variety of sizes from large one gallon bottles for commercial use and tough jobs down to a small two-ounce spray bottle or spray pen that can be carried in a purse or in the car. There is an aerosol can available that makes for ease of use and applies just the right amount of formula to prevent over spray and waste of product.

Goo Gone goes after sticky messes that have a tar or adhesive texture. The citrus oil and solvent attacks the adhesive and bond of the stain and breaks it apart, dissolving the base and leaving behind the byproduct---which can then easily be wiped away

I think its worth a try of the other methods aren't working....

[psychotic feather]

I have no idea :dono

[CrazySquirrelLady]

HOW TO HELP A TANGLEFOOT VICTIM:

Vegetable oil is always a good product to remove many toxic materials from animals' furs, feathers, skins...

Or you can try these methods:

You will need large container GO-JO hand cleaner, 3 small bottles Dawn dishwashing detergent, a container that can hold two gallons of water, 1 bottle Pepto-bismol. (The pink stuff for stomach aches) 1 eyedropper that measures in CCs (can get from pharmacy), a few towels, warm place to put the birds after cleaning. You will need someone to help you.

Before you begin to clean the bird, get some pepto-bismol and give it just 1cc of the pepto. You will need an eye dropper to measure this small amount. This will protect the bird's stomach from the poison.

Prepare a container of warm, soapy water. Add one half bottle of dawn detergent to one gallon of the warm water. It must be ready for rinsing bird after it has been cleaned with GO JO. Put the soapy water to one side of working area.

Now it is time to begin cleaning the bird. YOU WILL NEED SOMEONE TO HOLD THE BIRDS HEAD AT ALL TIMES--A MUST!! You must apply the GO JO to the bird starting from the crown of head and working down to the tail. DO NOT APPLY THE GO JO FROM TAIL TO HEAD-- WORK THE GO JO OVER THE BIRD "HEAD TO TAIL." This is very important. Again, APPLY FROM HEAD DOWN TO TAIL.

Get the GO JO in everyplace involved. After you have this on the bird make sure the bird doesn't turn it's head to preen--it must not get any GO JO in mouth. Someone must hold the birds head so it cannot turn around-keep head forward. A must!!!! Leave this on the bird for 5 minutes and then it is time to rinse with warm soapy water.

You need to get a that gallon container of warm soapy water. Mix the water and soap then place bird in water. Once again, hold the birds` head so it cannot get anything in it's mouth or eyes. Swirl the water with your hands and splash the bird, working head to tail try to gently remove every shred of this Tanglefoot. After you have done this you must rinse the bird with warm water. This step is very important. You must make sure that all soap is off of bird. If not it will lose its ability to repel water and die.

Before you get the bird in a warm place-guess what? Do it all over again--that is right--you must now clean the whole bird again exactly as you just did. Follow all steps and continue to be careful. After you have cleaned the bird the second time and rinsed it thoroughly, head to tail. Now the bird should be almost dry. If you got all soap off it should be slightly wet. Finally, place bird in warm place--it must be kept warm.

Watch the bird for 24 hours--if it appears to be okay you can release it-if there is blood or tarry stuff in its stool bring to a vet immediately.

Note--Do not release the bird(s) anywhere near where they got into this Tanglefoot. They will fly right back to the same place again and probably die. Release them "far away."

Tanglefoot is referred to as an "adhesive contaminant." The gooey substance destroys a birds feathers, therefore, destroying its life. Feathers are a bird's sole protection against the elements. Without feathers in good condition a bird cannot fly and falls prey to cats or other predators; without feathers, a bird cannot keep warm in the winter nor cool in the summer. Glue boards and Tanglefoot contain polybutenes for the stickiness. Polybutenes may not be toxic to humans, but can harm the unique and delicate systems of birds.

[CrazySquirrelLady]

hope that helps some all I could find on the subject.....

[psychotic feather]

is the go jo just goo gone?

[CrazySquirrelLady]

is the go jo just goo gone?
No. they are 2 different products.

go jo is a hand cleaning product. It is available at like auto parts stores and stuff for mechanics with greasy hands. i think... lol.


that treatment came from a bird rehabber website , not my recipe.....

[CrazySquirrelLady]

pic of gojo

[skippy]

Learn something new everyday. I've never heard of this product.
This is absolutely horrible.
Kudos to all of you trying to find a solution to help this bird.
What's a little bird poop on your window or the side of a building!
I'm so glad I wasn't born with a heart or mind that looks for ways to kill things.
I'm go grateful to read posts that go on in the wee hours of the night by loving humans trying to save one sweet soul.
I hope this little one survives and gets to experience the love that humans are capable of giving as opposed to the hate and suffering they can inflict.

[Jackie in Tampa]

yeah me too... learning here:thumbsup
I had no idea about GoJo...we always have it... not for mechanical grease, but to remove paint & thinners etc from our skin. good stuff...

hoping you find something that works...

[Liza]

We have go-jo also, but goo-gone is more a natural solvent made with orange oil. It actually dissolves the glues that my husband uses in his business.and he has really sensitive skin. It doesn't seem to bother him at all.. Go-jo is abrasive and gritty and they use it to scrub stuff off the skin..kind of like comet does for your sinks! (I have a giant squirt dispenser of go-jo at my kitchen sink at all times, with a mechanic sona dn a contractor husband..lol)

[psychotic feather]

I don't think I have ever seen go-jo in the stores around here. Most of the stores are stocked for college students since we make up pretty much the entire city xD I will try and find it but if not I am pretty sure I have seen goo gone. And lol about the loving care thing. This bird sure does have an attitude. He pecks at me every time I try to touch him. :rotfl

[island rehabber]

Learn something new everyday. I've never heard of this product.


Go-Jo is a wonderful product that always has a home in my house because of my mechanic/boat owner/marine maintenance/crazy metalworking project BF. I found out last year that it is also the ONLY thing that will take those yucky mildew stains off the caulking on my 25-yr-old fiberglass bathtub :thumbsup.

[psychotic feather]

Just a little update... god this little guy has such a nasty attitude today lol pecks at me every time I get close. I have been feeding him some thawed corn and peas. He seems to really like it

[CrazySquirrelLady]

i'm sure they have gojo at auto parts stores everywhere, if not at walmart.

[psychotic feather]

I called my mom and she said to use wd40 any objections to this :dono

[SammysMom]

Have you looked for the GoJo?

[CrazySquirrelLady]

no no no! wd40 is bad ! oil is not good. I think you are pulling our legs! The smell alone would kill it.

try the rehabber advice, with the go jo. we know it is safe. try that please.

[psychotic feather]

I know its safe but I just can't find it! I checked out walmart and target but they didn't have it. :dono I see it on amazon but I can't order anything since I will be moving in 2 days and it wouldn't get here on time

[Unikorngrrl]

I know its safe but I just can't find it! I checked out walmart and target but they didn't have it. :dono I see it on amazon but I can't order anything since I will be moving in 2 days and it wouldn't get here on time
How is the bird doing? Did you check autozone or advance auto parts for the go jo?

[psychotic feather]

I checked the auto section and asked the employees but they said they have never heard of it. I will just wait until I move to my new apartment and then order it off of amazon.

edit: I think he looks tons better but the bird's attitude has gotten worse xD He screeches and flaps his wings at me. I swear you would think I was trying to eat him.

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h351/pandafishies/IMG_0435_zpsf1fc8227.jpg (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/pandafishies/media/IMG_0435_zpsf1fc8227.jpg.html)

[psychotic feather]

:) just a little update... a rehabber specializing in pigeons and doves picked up the little guy

[CrazySquirrelLady]

yay! thanks for helping out.

[skippy]

Thanks for letting us know. :)

[kastillo]

:thumbsup