Pet Bird Safety for Home Owners
Pet birds, ranging from small finches or parakeets to large parrots such as Amazons and Macaws, are susceptible to many items used everyday right in our homes. These include foods fatal to birds including avocado, many fruit seeds, chocolate and alcohol, numerous decorative household plants, plus a variety of air born pollutants which we ourselves may not notice but that severely affect birds. This is because birds have unique respiratory tracts, which make them more susceptible to inhaled particles. For example, many candles and potpourris that we enjoy emit small amounts of toxic fumes that are fatal to birds and therefore should not be used in the vicinity of birds. All aerosol sprays, from air fresheners to hair spray, can be toxic to birds. Non-stick pan coating on kitchen pots and pans is a major source of pollutants in the air, which is fatal to birds when overheated. Because even the most attentive and careful of us can be interrupted, for example, by a phone call or otherwise distracted and allow a pot to overheat or food to burn, it’s best to avoid using non-stick coated pots and pans altogether. Smoke of any kind (cigarette, fireplace, etc.) can be harmful, as can fumes from certain glues, paints and insect repellants.
Knowing how important the air quality is to your bird is a major component in your bird’s overall health safety.
We are fortunate to have in our area renowned avian veterinatian Greg Burkett, DVM, ABVP, providing full care for your pet bird. For more information visit www.birdieboutique.com and www.birdieboutique.com/askavet.html.
