There are many household dangers for birds in our homes. As our loving feathered companions, it’s our job to birdproof our homes to make sure they are safe from these dangers. Let’s take a look at this list of things you need to avoid and why.
HOUSEHOLD TOXINS
Acrylics
Aerosol
Air fresheners
Alcohol
Ammonia
Ant syrup/paste
Antifreeze
Arsenic
Asbestos
Automotive products
Bathroom and kitchen cleaners
Bleach
Boris acid
Caffeine
Camphophenique
Candles (scented and unscented)
Carbon monoxide
Carpet cleaners/fresheners
Cement
Charcoal fluids
Chlordane
Chlorine
Cigarette smoke
Copper/brass cleaner
Corn and wart remover
Deodorants
Detergents for laundry
Diazinon
Disinfectants
Drain cleaners
Epoxy glue
Felt tip markers
Flea and tick products
Flintiest tablets
Floor polish
Formaldehyde
Furniture polish
Garden sprays
Gasoline
Guns products and cleaners
Hair dyes and sprays
Herbicides
Insecticides
Iodine
Kerosene
Lighter fluid
Lighters and matches
Lye
Melaleuca oil / tea tree oil
Mold
Mothballs
Nail polish and remover
Nitrogen dioxide oven cleaner
Non stick cookware
Oils and grease
Oven cleaner
Paint
Paint thinner
Perfume and cologne
Pesticides
Pharmaceutical drugs
Photo solutions
Pine oil
Rodenticides
Rubbing alcohol
School glue
Shaving cream
Shellac polish
Show polish
Snail bait
Spray starch
Stain removers
Strychnine
Sulfuric acid
Suntanning lotions and oils
Super glue
Teflon
Teflon cookware
Unsafe plants
Wax
Weed killers
Window cleaners
Wood preservatives
Other Pets can also be a danger to birds like cats, dogs, ferrets, snakes and lizards. We have a very unique case with Lambo and his feathered brother and sister, he is well trained and very gentle but not all dogs are like this and big dogs can do a lot more damage to a bird. Some of these animals have a natural hunting instinct and your bird may become the victim. Never leave these animals alone together unattended.
In addition to other pets, this includes not our fish but fish bowls or open aquariums. Any open container of water should be considered a danger zone. If the bird should fly in it, it may drown.
Many people love house plants, I know because I am one of them! I love the life it adds to our home and the greenery. But not all plants are equally safe for our birds. You will want to keep your birds out of the soil of your plants but also avoid plants that are not on this list as they can be harmful and/or toxic to parrots.
From hot stoves, and Teflon cooking pans, to a variety of toxic foods, sharp utensils, boiling water, appliances with cords, and even chemicals and toxic cleaners we store under the kitchen sink. You also want to make sure that when you are cooking your birds are not in the kitchen or near the kitchen because of all the smells and fumes that come with it. Also, be careful of any gas leak from appliances (even a small leak could prove deadly to a bird)
Teflon Over-heated Teflon-coated cooking appliances and self-cleaning ovens release a colorless, odorless gaseous toxin (PTFE) that does not seem to affect mammals but can cause death to a bird within 24 hours. Your bird does NOT have to be near the kitchen for this to happen. Birds affected by Teflon fumes need immediate veterinary attention.Â
Inappropriate Foods These range from those that are just unhealthy to those that might kill pet birds. Anything high in sugar or salt is inappropriate, as are fatty foods. More serious are things such as chocolate, which is toxic to many pets. Check out our list of safe and unsafe foods.
Non-Stick Coatings This technically falls under poisoning but warrants a special mention because the use of these products is very common. When overheated, the non-stick coating emits fumes that are very toxic and will kill birds. This coating is found on non-stick cookware but also waffle irons, bread machines, irons, ironing board covers, curling irons, space heaters, blow dryers, and more.
MORE DANGERS!Â
Bathrooms Open toilet bowls and full sinks or bathtubs are dangerous for a bird. Pet birds do not swim and should never be around hot water as it may severely burn them.
Temperature and Humidity Moderate and gradual temperature changes that are about 10 - 20 Fahrenheit or 2 - 5 Celsius are tolerated well by a healthy bird. But sick birds need a consistently warm temperature. Ideal humidity should be in the range of 40 - 50%. It’s better to provide them with an environment that’s more humid instead of one that is too dry.Â
Drafts Birds should always be free from drafts such as those created around windows, hot and cold air vents, open doors, furnaces and radiators. Their cages should be in a location where is a draft.Â
Air Pollution Birds have a very efficient respiratory system and are very sensitive to pollutants in the air. Cigarettes, cigars and pipes should not be used around your bird and never in a home where a bird lives. Cooking fumes, gases such as carbon monoxide, volatile cleaning products, paints, varnishes, fireplace fumes and dirty household air ducts are also dangerous for pet birds as they can lead to respiratory problems.
Noise Pollution Birds generally seem to enjoy a certain amount of commotion and noise. They may even become vocal or playfully excited by certain sounds or types of music. But excessively loud noise from televisions, music speakers, construction or even appliances such as vacuum cleaners or blenders may cause stress for some birds. Remember the bird is captive in your home and cannot freely escape these sounds. Exposure to any reasonable noise should be limited to the bird's normal waking hours and during their sleep hours, they should have silence.Â
Paints, Varnishes, etc. Generally, if you can smell it, then consider it unsafe for the bird. A bird should never be exposed to these smells and removed from the environment before painting and ventilate the environment well after use of any of these products.
Mirrors and Windows Birds may not ever master the concept of glass or mirrors. To the bird, there is nothing solid there so there are no barriers perceived. Curtains, sheers, an object in front of, blinds, or something stuck to these surfaces like stickers will provide some objectivity for the bird
Fans Never allow a bird to fly while a fan of any sort is running but especially ceiling fans. A bird will not see the blades while they are in motion and can cause serious injury or even death can occur especially with ceiling fans. Birds tend to be nervous with things moving above them, so they may be stressed out by a ceiling fan running above or near their cage.
Electrical cords and wires Birds love to chew and the soft, rubbery, chewable coating of electrical cords may be a very enticing play toy for your bird. Due to the potential danger of electrocution, burns and fire hazards, all electrical cords need to be hidden from the bird’s reach and view.Â
Open Windows and doors When your bird is out of its cage you need to ensure all windows and doors are safely closed. Once a bird escapes and finds itself in a tree, even the friendliest, a trained bird may find it difficult to get the courage to come back down.Â
Lead and Zinc poisoning Lead is commonly found in many places around our homes. Some examples include curtain weights, fishing weights, certain types of putty, plaster or ceramic glazes, batteries, stained glass windows, old paint, custom jewelry and zipper teeth. Lead is soft, fun to chew on and easily swallowed. Also known as heavy metal toxicosis, lead or zinc poisoning is life-threatening and needs immediate veterinary attention.
Toys There are a lot of toys on the market for birds but it’s important to check toys for loose or open clasps, removable or chewable parts, and sharp edges before offering them to a bird. Read about which toys are safe and unsafe for your bird.
Because of all these dangers in a home, it’s important that your bird isn’t left out unsupervised. If you can’t watch your bird then they should be in a safe place like their aviary.Â
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