Bird Safety
Here are some of the things you should be aware of to keep your pet bird as safe as possible in the home.Above all use common sense. You already are likely aware of most of the items on our pet bird safety list below, but we are all human, and sometimes just forget or have other things on our mind.
* Non Stick or Teflon Coating 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.
* Kerosene or Gas type heaters which give off fumes
* Open Toilets, or any other deep water source. Once birds get wet, it's ll over for them, they have no ability to swim.
* Pets, cats are notorious for stalking birds, even dogs cannot be trusted.
* Electrical wires, extension cords...any wire a pet bird can and inevitably will chew on.
* Poisoning....insecticides sprayed in the home, ammonia, bleach, oven cleaner, glues, nail polish remover, paint, perfumes, heavy metals, and many other home cleaning products.
* Poisonous plants and some foods are also a danger.
Go Here for a complete list of Poisonous Plants & Foods for Birds http://careanimalhealth.blogspot.com/search/label/Birds
* Toys...a bird can stangle themselves with ropes made to hang toys. Rubber toys are a no no, birds have also been known to chew plastic toys and swallow the pieces.
* Ceiling fans
* Windows and mirrors...birds can fly in to these and seriously injure themselves.
* Impure Air....wood and coal stoves are a big source of indoor pollution, smoke will kill your bird quickly. Aerosol products of any kind should not be used around your bird.
Cigarette smoke has been implicated in respiratory disease in pet birds.
Carbon monoxide is also dangerous to birds, so use a carbon monoxide detector in the home, and be careful not to run your vehicle in an attached garage.
* Air Pollution....smog, dust in the air, exhaust fumes from vehicles, all can be very harmful to your pet bird.
Birds have a very delicate respiratory system, it must be protected at all times.
Find out more about how a bird's lungs work here: http://petcaretips.net/pure-air-bird.html
* Tap water....birds are much smaller than humans and will react to the chemicals in tap water, flouride and chlorine much quicker. Both of these chemicals are toxic and can harm your bird. Even well and spring water often has high concentractions of certain minerals and bacteria.
We recommend using Only steam distilled water. It is 99.9% pure water.
* Paint...in older houses the paint on the walls may contain lead.
* Bird Cages....some older bird cages have components made our of lead
* Scented Items...candles, potpourri, soaps, strong perfumes, etc.
* Loud Noises....birds can become scared and stressed when hearing loud, unfamiliar noises....stress leads to disease, being scared can cause them to flutter and fly in to things harming themselves.
* Hot Water...check the temperature of the water before giving it to your pet bird for a bath or drinking, also don't let your birds fly around the kitchen when you are cooking, steam rising from a boiling pot of water can cause the bird to be unable to fly and possibly drop on to the hot stove or in the pot of boiling water.
Quick List of common items which will harm your pet bird:
Asbestos
Bleach / Chlorine
Carbon Monoxide
Cigarette Smoke
Diazanon
Flea Bombs and Collars
Floor Polishes
Formaldehyde
Hair Dye and Spray
House Paint
Kerosene
Matches
Moth Balls
Nail Polish & Remover
Oil Paint
Oven Cleaner
Overheated Nonstick
Cookware/Teflons
Paint Remover
Perfume
Permanent Wave Solution
Pesticides
Shoe Polish and Cleaners
Spot Removers
Spray Starch
Suntan Lotions
Surgical Acrylics
Toilet Cleaners
Wax