Feather dust comes from the protective sheath of keratin that surrounds individual feathers. As the feather grows, it sheds this layer of protection, leaving the keratin to fall away as dust.
Budgies produce a small amount of dust, which will come loose through preening, grooming, and flapping wings. However, feather dust is limited because budgies are such small birds.
Budgies may produce less dust than other parrots, such as macaws and African greys, but the amount produced is never zero. So, you need to control the amount of dust that gets into the air.
Bird dust can still affect people with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Are Budgies Dusty Birds?
The feathers develop a fine, scaly powder that spreads over the plumage. Budgies have powder down feathers that insulate them from heat loss and protect against water damage.
Budgies are one of the least dusty birds you can own.
Unlike some types of parrots, budgies don’t produce an excessive amount of feather dust due to their diminutive size. The amount of dust their small feathers can produce is limited.
Also, budgies love to play and bathe in water, making it easy to clean away any surplus dust. Even if you don’t provide a bathing bowl, spraying the budgie with water will be beneficial.
Of course, that doesn’t mean budgies are dust-free. Like all birds, they produce a layer of keratin around any new feathers as they mature, protecting the growing feathers from damage. At that point, the keratin is no longer needed and flakes away.
This is a natural and healthy way for budgies to produce dust. You’ll find that the budgie creates more dust when it molts, but it only happens 1-3 times a year.
Why Is My Budgie So Dusty?
Usually, excessive feather dust signals that a budgie is molting.
At this point, it’ll be shedding many of its older feathers and replacing them with new ones. This creates more dust than normal. However, molting only takes place 1-3 times a year.
If molting doesn’t explain this sudden dust production, it could be due to the following:
Improper Care
Budgies need to be given regular baths and access to water. This is not only crucial for their health and enrichment needs. It’s also vital to keep their dust production down.
If you don’t provide your budgie with a water dish or mist it regularly, it’ll struggle to preen away its extra dust. This causes it to accumulate in the feathers.
Wild budgies are never far from water, even in desert climates. If you want the budgie to stay hypoallergenic, cater to that basic need for bathing.
Untidy Cage
Most budgies get extra dusty when their cages are left dirty. Even if you clean the cage, failing to do so regularly can lead to dust build-up.
The budgie will then be forced to:
- Play on dusty surfaces
- Stir up old dust whenever it flies or flaps its wings
- Walk in the dust on the bottom of the cage
- Get dust on it when it bathes in an unclean water dish
Spacing Problems
If you have several budgies in one cage, the dust will build up more quickly.
You’ll have more feather dust for the following reasons:
- More budgies will naturally create more dust.
- By sharing a cage, the budgies will be shedding dust onto each other.
- When very overcrowded, the excess body heat can lead to them shedding dust more often.
Give the budgies more space and clean their living space more frequently.
Hot Weather
Hot weather can cause your budgies to produce more dust than normal. To improve flock efficiency and prevent heat loss, your budgie will release more powder down.
This will naturally increase the dust it can spread around your home. Keeping your budgie cool and giving it access to water should be beneficial.
Can Budgies Affect Your Breathing?
Budgies can still affect your breathing, especially if you have a severe or sensitive condition. This usually happens when:
- Dust is allowed to build up
- Living in overcrowded conditions
- Not regularly bathed
In severe cases, being in the same room as a dusty budgie can aggravate a medical condition, leading to wheezing and persistent coughing.
According to Chest, exposure to budgies can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which is a disease that can lead to irreversible lung damage.
Do Budgies Affect Asthma?
People with asthma can be affected by budgies.
Even a limited amount of feather dust can cause irritation and trigger an adverse reaction.
If you have asthma, you should avoid keeping birds as pets. If you must keep a budgie in your home, consider installing an air purifier to reduce the chances of triggering an asthmatic attack.
Do Budgies Cause Allergies?
Many bird lovers classify budgies as hypoallergenic pets since they produce very little dust.
However, the severity of allergies varies from person to person. Some people are more sensitive and may experience allergic reactions when exposed to budgie dust, no matter how small the amount.
How To Get Rid of Budgie Dust
Here are ways to ensure your hypoallergenic bird stays dust-free:
Regular Baths
Giving your budgie regular baths is a recommended way of reducing budgie dust. A bath will rinse away the small amount remaining before it infiltrates the air. Also, misting with a water bottle can be helpful.
Daily Cleaning
It’s vital to clean your budgie’s cage at least once per week.
Ideally, this will be every other day or more often if you own several budgies. That will remove the small amount of dust present and help your budgie avoid getting dirty with old dust.
Wipe down the surface of the cage with a damp towel. You should also replace the tray lining every day to get rid of dust and droppings.
Air Purifier
An air purifier will suck out harmful molecules from the air, leaving you with enhanced air quality. This can be paired with a vacuum cleaner that uses a continuous HEPA filter.
Change Areas
Carpets, drapes, and fabrics retain dust, dander, and other particles.
Consider putting your budgie in a room with tile or hardwood floors rather than carpet. You can also swap out curtains with wood or plastic blinds.
Budgies create dust, but they’re considered hypoallergenic birds. By keeping up a regular cleaning routine and considering where your budgie’s cage is kept, you can further limit dust from becoming airborne.
