# Neem Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Other Essential Oils



## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi everyone...


I wanted to ask those familiar with these, how do you use them? 

What do you use them for?

What other Oils do you use?


Phil
Las Vegas


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Don't use 'em myself, but I believe that essential oils are toxic to pigeons.

I'll check with Cynthia - she had some unfortunate experience of that years back, I recall her mentioning once.

John


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## windyflat (Jul 19, 2007)

The only oil i use is olive oil. I feed Chisholm trail health blend on the feed and i use olive oil to make it stick.
Tom


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I know the _aromatic_ oils are toxic to birds.

When I was so new to rescue I asked someone who had been recommended as "knowing all there is to know about pigeons" how I could make her comfortable for the night. She advised sprinkling essential oil of lavander on her bed. She was dead the next morning and I later found out that a lot of this rescuer's pigeons and doves didn't last the night.

According to Wikipedia Neem oil is not toxic to birds. However, Tea Tree Oil has proved to be toxic to cats. I know a lady that has pigeons on her balcony and found one with canker. Instead of phoning me to collect it (I had given her my number) she decided to wash it in Tea Tree oil to "get rid of all the bacteria". She said something must have gotten at it during the night because it was dead the next morning, it could have been the canker and it could have been the combination: . I don't know how strong the dilution in the bathing water was.

Cynthia


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Phil, Treesa is the most knowledgeable person I know about this. Here is one of her threads on Neem Oil.

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=12627


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

Phil,
I haven't used essential oils with my birds but do use them for humans. If you decide to use them, be cautious about the quality of what you buy. There are many doctored up essential oils out there. Not everything sold as essential oil really is. Many have been adulterated, usually with perfume oil which is cheaper to produce.
This is a fascinating subject. Treesa, thanks for the info you posted.


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

I found this on line. Scroll down to the bottom.http://www.holisticat.com/essoils_arch.html Tea tree oil per this site is definitely toxic to birds. 

Margarret


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I use a tiny bit of cod liver oil from time to time to help with calcium absorption or a drop on the seed once in a while for all the birds as an added nutritional component.

I also give a bit of Flax seed to the birds, the oil is good for new feather growth during the moult. 

I use Neem oil as an overall immune system stimulant, anti-infectant. I just apply a drop to a garlic oil cap and give it to a needy bird.

I have used tea tree oil topically to dry up pox lesions, but use at half strength and only topically, where they can't pick at it. It is NOT to be used on cuts or any broken skin nor can t be ingested.


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