Feather dust in the room air

Many owners of budgies often only become aware of the problem of feather dust in the indoor air when allergic reactions to it occur.

Basics

When the horn tissue of the small down feathers of budgerigars decays, a feather powder called feather dust is produced.

This feather dust , along with other dust particles, is naturally stirred up again and again as the birds fly around the room and is thus inhaled, which is not beneficial to the health of either the budgies or the humans.

It also happens from time to time that people react allergically to feather dust, e.g. with asthma attacks or skin rashes.

Measures

General

Therefore, regardless of whether you are allergic to feather dust or not, it is recommended to ventilate the room with budgies twice a day if possible and to ensure sufficient humidity (%-60%).

Air purifier

In addition, it is always advisable to use a suitable air purifier in the room:

• This must offer sufficient performance for the respective room size.
• This should also have a HEPA filter to reliably filter out the feather dust.
• A time control or smart functions would be recommended to be able to switch it off automatically at night when the birds are not flying.

Due to the relatively high amount of dust, it is also advisable to remove and vacuum the filter from time to time.

Humidifier

To ensure sufficient humidity, especially in winter, it is also advisable to purchase a humidifier:

• Automatic control to maintain a set humidity level
• Sterilisation of the water or appropriate filters to remove bacteria and germs

Recommendations

I have already tried out various air purifiers and humidifiers and currently use the devices recommended here, which have proven successful for me.