Ten Household Hazards for Parrots
The first thing to remember when having a bird in the house that isn’t enclosed in a cage is to never let him out of your sight. Even within a couple of minutes, a bird can find something that can either cause serious danger to them or destroy your household belongings. They use their beaks as if they were hands and are able to get into areas that you’d never expect. So, never let him roam out of your sight, and never walk away leaving him unattended.
There are many potential dangers for a bird and listed here are just a few, along with a short description of what can occur.
Operating Ceiling Fans – This one often goes unnoticed especially if the fans are operating on a routine bases. Even birds that have clipped wings can easily fly into the fan and become injured. This is a very common cause for injury and even death in birds.
2. Standing Water – This includes pots on the stove, a sink full of dishes, a full bathtub and even an open toilet. It doesn’t take much to drown a bird so avoid standing bodies of water whenever the bird is roaming.
3. Open Flames and Hot Surfaces – Candles, operating stoves, pans, hotplates and curling irons are all things that we may use without thinking of the possible consequences if our birds were to come in contact with them. Birds can suffer from severe burns that are difficult to treat. In the case with scented candles, the fragrance can be highly toxic to a bird and should never be used with a bird in the house.
4. Non-stick Surfaces – Most of us think of cookware when it comes to non-stick surfaces but they can be found in hair dryers and curling irons as well. Anything that is coated with a non-stick substance should be avoided in a household with birds. When heated, these surfaces emit a toxic fume, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), into the air that is deadly to birds. Their sensitive respiratory systems cannot filter the toxins out of their body causing the bird to suffer from illness and even death.
5. Opening Doors – This is one danger that many people don’t think of. Numerous birds are injured or killed every year due to doors. Often times, a door is opened by an unknowing person, hitting the bird or pushing him into the wall. Other times, a bird sits behind a door and is stepped on when a person walks through. Always know where your bird is and make sure everyone else knows as well. Hang a “Roaming Bird on Premises” sign on the door or vocally let anyone know who approaches.
6. Electrical Wiring – With any pet and even children this poses a potential threat. The obvious reason is electrical shock. Even if the item isn’t plugged in, birds can chew the cords and ingest particles that can be dangerous. An easy fix to this problem is to not let the bird roam on the floor, under furniture or behind electrical equipment. Always monitor the bird!
7. Other Pets – In an ideal world, every pet would get along and we’d never have to worry about fighting or disputes between them. However, this isn’t always the case. Birds are the natural prey to cats and even dogs. Even if the other pet always seems to do well with the bird, we can never be 100% sure that problems won’t happen. To be sure, always keep them separate. The saliva of dogs and cats is dangerous to birds as well. When these animals groom themselves and the bird comes in contact with that area of the body, they are being exposed to that toxic saliva. Other animals such as reptiles and amphibians carry certain diseases that, while are non-disease causing to them, are very dangerous to birds. Reptile heat lamps are hot and emit the toxic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) as well.
8. Smoke – This is one of those categories that people often have conflicting opinions. Cigarette smoke is proven to be hazardous to people but they still smoke. It is also hazardous to their pets, but they continue to smoke. Whether a person wants to admit that they are causing harm to their animals are not, the fact is that smoke can and will kill a bird. In fact, all smoke is harmful to birds: from candles, cigarettes, cigars, fireplaces and cookware.
9. Household Chemicals – Most of us keep household chemicals locked in a cabinet. But what we might forget is that our birds may come in contact with newly cleaned surfaces. Counter tops that have been cleaned, table tops that have been dusted with a spray, and floors that have been moped all have residual chemicals on them that can be toxic to birds. Be sure that all surfaces are wiped cleaned and are dry before the bird comes in contact with them.
10. Windows and Doors – One of the most common causes of injury to birds is due to a window or door. Birds can’t see that there is glass in the opening and will fly head on in an attempt to escape or see what lies beyond. Serious injury and even death can be a result of this type of accident. Open windows and doors pose the obvious threat of easy escape. Keep shades drawn and curtains closed to prevent a bird from heading into the glass. Keep all openings securely shut to prevent an inquiring bird from heading straight out.
These are just ten of the common household hazards that birds may encounter. There are obviously many more that can be found throughout the home. The key is to always monitor the bird and always know where he is at and what he is doing at all times. Be sure to alert other’s in the household as well that there is a roaming bird to prevent any accidents.
Birds have long life spans and when we do our best to keep them healthy and safe, we should be able to see them through all their long years.
