Removing Bird Dander: An Ongoing Process for Bird Lovers
Birds are beautiful creatures, and if you live with one or more of them, expect bird dander to be a continual presence in your life for as long as you have your bird. However, you can reduce the amount you and your bird are exposed to.
Contrary to what some would have you think, these dead flakes of skin are invisible. They are constantly falling off as newer, healthier skin pushes on them. It’s the skin protein that triggers allergy flare-ups, and if you’re sensitive to it, you don’t have to see it to believe it’s there.
One way to minimize dander is to limit the number of birds you have. This can be a difficult decision to make at first, but giving fewer birds a quality life is better than not being able to provide a healthy environment.
Another way is to provide them with water for bathing. Just like people, everyone has their own personality, and some will like water more than others.
For those who really like water, installing a shower hanger for them is a way to spend quality time with them and still give them a chance to remove excess dander and minimize the amount available to escape into the air. . Also, they will not be critical of your physique!
Feeding your bird a healthy diet is another way to ensure that the skin stays healthy and that it does not shed excessively due to poor health. Only good things come from feeding your friend the right things.
It is important to change the paper of the cage daily and wash the cage well. Dander is a sticky material, so it can stick to all kinds of particles, such as feathers, feces, and food. Therefore, keeping a spotless cage will also minimize these particles.
Cleaning with water makes the particles heavier and is more likely to prevent most of them from escaping back into the air. This is important for the health of your avian friends. Your air passages are so small that it doesn’t take much for them to become clogged, and once they do, they can open the door to diseases and infections that are difficult to reverse.
But one of the best ways to continually reduce airborne dander is to filter the air with an air purifier that has a filter specifically designed to remove airborne particles.
The most effective filter for particulate removal is a high-efficiency particulate arresting filter, often abbreviated as HEPA. This is the type of filter used by hospitals to ensure clean air.
To receive this designation, you must remove 99,997 out of 10,000 particles that are 3 microns or larger in size. And one of the best things about this filter is that it only produces fresh air.
This is important because other filtration processes involving ozone and ionization are controversial not only because of their effectiveness, but also because of the potential negative effects they can have on birds and humans.
By cleaning the air for your avian friend, you also make the air healthier for the humans who love and live with them. That will go a long way in helping you all enjoy a long and happy life together with your pet. Life is good.