36 Daily Express Monday, April 6, 2020expressyourself
Beauty news
Do we let budgie out of his cage?
Pampered Pets
OUR VET DAVID GRANT
WORKS HIS MAGICQ
WE’VE inherited a five-year-old
budgie. He’s happy whistling
and chattering, however his
previous owner never let him out.
He has plenty of toys, but we are
wondering should he be allowed to
fly free occasionally?A
INITIALLY it might be better
to ensure he has as large a cage
as possible with several perches so
that he can fly between them and
get his exercise that way.
If he continues to be chirpy itmay not be essential to allow him
out, because there are some dangers
to avoid and hurdles to overcome
before this is advisable, leaving
aside the stress. A five-year-oldcould take up to a month of patient
training before being reasonably
safe to let out – it’s much easier
with younger birds. For each room
he might fly in, there is a riskassessment. Likely hazards would
be windows to crash into, blinds to
get entangled in, lamps, fans, other
pets in the room (cats obviously),
and the biggest risk of all – escape.
Until fully trained, if someone
leaves a door or window open this
could easily happen. Once escaped
you won’t get him back as budgies
can fly vast distances in a day.
Training begins by encouraging
the bird to perch on your finger
with a reward, such as a piece of
apple. Once he regularly perches on
your finger you can gradually move
him out of the cage, in a small room
at first, and always give him a
reward when he flies back. Search
online for advice at pdsa.org.ukQ
I READ an article recently
about using essential oils to
keep bathrooms smelling good. The
advice was to sprinkle oil on rugs to
keep them fresh. I was told by
the health food store that some
oils are harmful to dogs. Are
any safe to use?A
ESSENTIAL oils are
made from highly
concentrated plant
substances and are
extensively used,
particularly in diffusers,
for their pleasant aromas.
There are a large
number that are
potentially harmful to
dogs. In one article I
found more than 30. Teatree oil, according to one veterinary
authority, is the most common.
Poisoning occurs if undiluted oil
comes into contact with the skin or
is accidentally ingested. Diffusers in
poorly ventilated rooms have been
known to cause problems too.
The risk with passive diffusers
(those with a reed for example) is
small, but active diffusers that run
using electricity are more likely to
cause symptoms.
There are a number of signs to
look out for. Initially there may be
skin irritation and a localised loss of
hair, if oil has been in contact with
the skin. If licking occurs this will
often lead to salivation or retching.
With higher doses other
symptoms could include
behavioural changes, as well as
central nervous system problems
such as depression, difficulty
walking and breathing problems.
Lavender is recommended as
being relatively safe, when used in
a passive diffuser in the bathroom
for example. But I would not use
any oil on rugs, and obviously
take precautions to avoid
accidental spillages.● David Grant MBE
was a vet at the RSPCA
Harmsworth Hospital for
Animals. Email questions
to him at pamperedpets@
express.co.uk. He is
unable to enter
into individual
correspondence.GETTING
A GRIP:
Budgies
can be
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