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Dangerous
Household Products
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The danger of
Teflon and other non-stick pans and
surfaces - FOR ALL BIRDS!
A pet bird should never be kept in the
kitchen. In addition to gas fumes and occasional smoke from
cooking food, there is another, more dangerous, threat to
birds in the kitchen. Overheated Teflon or other non-stick pan
coatings emit fumes that are deadly to all birds. Often, a
family member inadvertently leaves a non-stick pan on a
lighted burner and the coating overheats and releases toxic
fumes. Birds that inhale these fumes die quickly. Newer
appliances such as toaster ovens, self-cleaning ranges, drip
plates, and hair dryers can also contain non-stick surfaces
that can release toxic fumes even during normal use.
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Avocado |
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Never feed avocado or any
products containing them to your pet bird. They have been
linked to fluid build-up in bird lungs which is often fatal.
Besides whole avocado and guacamole, many beauty products such
as facial "mud" masks may contain avocado and care
should be taken that these products are not anywhere that the
bird could contact and potential chew on the container. |
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Air Fresheners and other aerosol sprays and fumes
Although
there is little scientific research on this subject, it is
generally thought that air fresheners, including the ones that
plug into the wall, hairspray, lysol spray, heavily scented
candles, and other indoor air pollution can damage the
sensitive lungs of birds. There are anecdotal accounts of some
of these products causing death. It is a good idea to use all
of these products in a different room if you must use them.
Remove your bird from your home if you smell gas or paint
fumes, and do not use a self-cleaning oven if you can help it,
especially when your birds are nearby. |
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Tobacco
smoke
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There is no doubt that
second hand smoke can cause respiratory disease in humans. It
is suspected that tobacco smoke can have even more serious
effects on a bird's sensitive, efficient respiratory system.
If you have a bird and were looking for another reason to
quit, do it for your bird! If you can't quit, don't smoke in
the house and change your clothes and wash your hands before
handling your bird. |
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Lead
Lead
poisoning remains a common cause of sickness and even death for
all parrots. Sources of lead in the home are numerous and
include curtain weights, fishing sinkers, ammunition (live or
collectables), stained glass windows, paint from the 1970s or
earlier (which may be several layers under your current paint!),
solder on pipes, or even drinking water in houses with lead
pipes. Although lead poisoning can be treated, it is best to
prevent exposure in the first place. Remove any objects that may
contain lead and supervise your bird when out of her cage. |
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