Food coloring!

[Buy A Paper Doll]

OK can someone please explain why it is that food coloring will NOT stay on bird toys, but if it rubs off on the bird, it's there permanently?

I took their cage outside this morning (gorgeous day today) and as I was pouring water through the cage bars into their water bowl, both birds ran under the stream of water, splashing and having a grand old time. Well then dear Miss Melly must have brushed up against one of her toys ... she is now sporting a fancy blue mohawk. Later this afternoon I tried to dab it with a bit of water, thinking that if it got on her with just water, it would come off with just water. Nope. The blue is NOT coming off. It probably has to molt out, doesn't it?

[butterfly1061]

:rofl: A lovie with a mohawk! :rofl: Got any pictures?

Uhmm...sorry, I've never had any problems with food coloring - yet. They have toys with it, but I've never noticed it rubbing off on them.

[Elle]

She wants to be just like Milo!

It will wear off in a few days (or week). She doesn't have to molt to get rid of it. I know what you are saying about it not staying on the toys. For some strange reason, I will show up at work woth indigo blue hands, green hands sometimes bright pink.

I do rinse off the toys many many time before I put them in the cage for the fist time to remove as much dye as possible. I don't like the tought of Blu being covered in food coloration. I never know what kind they use.

[Z28Taxman]

Yep, it'll come off on it's own after a few baths. Ditto gave himself pink and blue cheeks a few times. He'll get his face wet in his water dish, either from a bath or just getting a drink, then when he rubs on the colored wood on his toys...... colored cheeks. :happy:

[shylevon]

Danae has a pink toy that she chews on quite voraciously. Then she has a bright pink beak for a few days. It does come off though it takes a while.

Food coloring does look bright, especially on lighter colored birds. Little Melly is all ready for Halloween with her bright blue Doo.

[Angelwing]

I have orange mineral blocks in my bird's cages, and occasionally a bit of it will rub off on their foreheads. It looks especially nice on Sunburst.

Their swing bed has dark blue dye on the bottom piece of wood, which I, too, usually wash off as much as possible. I haven't had problems with that getting on any of the birds, though.

[linda040899]

I've had this problem with one particular brand of fortified seed, but only pink. My lovies would pick up the seed, take it over to the water dish to get it wet (soup) and the pink would stain their feathers. I never paid a whole lot of attention to it, although I knew the color was there, until I took some of my birds to a show. I had several people come by and comment on my petty "pink" lovebirds and wanted to know where the mutation came from!!! Obviously, if my birds are wearing the coloring associated with the vitamins that are supposed to be on the seeds, those vitamins are not doing them much good. I now use unfortified seed and add other things to make up the difference.... :lol