gloves & YOUR health

[ac12]

This is not bird health, but YOUR health.

I have had several instances of infection on my hand.
The doctor thought it might be bacteria or other "nasty stuff" from the birds getting into tiny cuts and/or scratches on my hand. So she instructed me to use gloves when I handle the birds food and poop.
I got a box of disposable examination gloves from Costco, and I have not had a hand infection since.

With the gloves on I don't worry about getting poop on my hands when cleaning the poop tray. That was something I did not like doing before getting the gloves.

Yeah they are a hassle to put on, especially if my hand is the least bit damp. And my hand sweats inside the gloves if I keep it on for very long. But not having a hand infection is worth it.

[nixity]

Is washing your hands not enough? You don't have that many birds... I had nearly 100 and I never had problems with this..
I think I may be a little concerned with what your birds must be carrying if it's passing to your hands?

[debbie276]

Was thinking the same thing, all these years I never used gloves and never had an issue. Wonder if your doctor could narrow down the bacteria or "nasty stuff" for you, might be a good thing to know.

[cindy]

Do you have home made cages or store bought? I have heard of people having reactions to the wire mesh if scratched and contaminated. The cuts from mesh are so fine at times it is like cat scratches.

[ac12]

The doc did not have lab test done on me, so we don't know what it might have been.

I manage to get scratches and cuts on my hands a lot, so that opens up the body to nasty stuff getting in. I probably should be using work gloves for some of the work I do around the house, then I would get less cuts on my hands.
And Cindy hit a nail. I do have home made cages, so that is probably another source of my scrapes. Although I tried, I could not round off the edges of the wire mesh where it cut them.

Also maybe I did not wash my hands well back then.

[JohnBoy]

Is washing your hands not enough? You don't have that many birds... I had nearly 100 and I never had problems with this..
I think I may be a little concerned with what your birds must be carrying if it's passing to your hands?

I have been breeding finches for over 40 years. I feed approx 200 plus birds a day, clean food and water cups and never have I gotten an infection. And I have cuts and scratches all over my hands from playing rough with my dogs.

[cindy]

Gary...I've seen/known people get reactions to cuts from the mesh. Try this it may help see if you can fine in Home Depot the rubber fitting that you can add around doors and windows (weather stripping) or order plastic door guards for around egdes of wire cage doors...I cheat and use the binding from clear report card covers.

My husband made me a really nice raised rabbit hutch a long time ago with a lid that raised up. The wind caught the door and it came down on me cutting my forehead, the edges were so sharp even with smoothing, it took a long time to heal and I needed antibiotics I still have a slight scar.

Also try a dremel sander to smooth the edges. Also soak and scrub the mesh before it. The key is cleaning the cuts and covering them. Wear work gloves when cutting it. Try not to scratch the site where the cut is, that will open it up to infection also, it could itch as it is healing...make sure your nails and hands are cleaned often during feeding and cleaning cages.

I've been cut elsewhere on my arms and hands but never to the point of having a reaction or infection except for the one time I think they put me on antibiotics since it was so deep...that was 20 some yrs ago.

[LuxandLolita]

this has never affected me and i have had birds for years now... Could you be allergic to your birds?

[cindy]

The allergic reaction might be to a material in the mesh wire...some people are allergic to metals such as nickle. It touches the skin or has contact for a prolong time and causes a reaction of sore in the area. I've seen children with nickle reations to a botton on say a pair of jeans.

You may consider having a allergy test done for metals and possibly the chemicals you use to clean with. The scratch allows the chemicals to enter the blood stream...it could be a possiblity.

[cindy]

The composition of the mesh may not be and can be of not the highest quality or composition of steele and could contain other alloys in it that once contact with the skin or it cuts you..you may have more of a reaction than most and perhaps scratch it more due to itching which could lead to secondary infection. It is kind of like women that can not wear earrings unless they are of gold due to the steele having other ingredients added especially the less expensive kind. Same thing with some patients requiring surgical steele implants for joints, less reaction.

I would definately consider speaking with your doctor in regard to metal allergies.

[ac12]

Interesting about metal allergy, that was about the time when I was also building some of my own cages, and I definitely did scratch myself on the wire mesh MANY times. That stuff is nasty to work with.

I used to raise pigeons when I was a kid and never had a problem.
My body might be changing and reacting to stuff it didn't react to before. Oh joy, another problem of getting older.

[Ursula]

I have very sensitive skin too but never had problems from the birds. But I do have a nickel allergy and can't wear any fashion jewelry, including for example watch bands. After a short time my skin breaks out in an itchy rash. And I also had very itchy and sore skin around my fingernails once when I was doing a lot of painting (doors). I think it was the latex in the paint.

I think too that you probably have the reaction from the cages and not from the birds.