|
Our home is supposed to be our
safe haven and
this should hold true for our parrots too!
The
reality is that birds have to face many dangers in our "unnatural" environment.
Hazards lurk around every corner of our homes and it is our responsibility to do
room by room "safety inspections" and remove any and all hazards. Parrots
don't have the requisite knowledge and experience to realize when they are
putting themselves in harm's way. They are very adept at getting into
danger due to the combination of their curious nature, mobility and powerful
beaks.
Most household related deaths are the result
of either exposure to a toxic substance (via inhalation or ingestion) or due to
a physical trauma.
Substances Posing Risk of Toxic
Poisoning via Inhalation
Parrots are
extremely sensitive to the quality of the air environment around us.
Exposure to many pollutants and toxins can cause severe health problems, premature death
and even an immediate fatality for your companion parrot.
A partial
list of common household items that contain or generate toxic pollutants
hazardous to birds follows:
-
Household
cleaners (kitchen, bathroom,
furniture polish, fabric protectors)
-
Teflon fumes (non-stick cookware, irons,
self-cleaning ovens, etc.)
-
Aerosols (cleaners, hairspray,
deodorant, perfumes, etc.)
-
Insecticides (bug bombs)
-
Paint Fumes
-
Tobacco Smoke
-
Smoke from poorly ventilated woodstoves
and fireplaces. Never burn wood that has been painted, varnished or
chemically treated because the fumes may be highly toxic.
-
Mothballs
-
Garden chemicals (fertilizers,
insecticides)
-
New carpet fumes
-
Scented candles, Incense, Potpourri
-
Air Fresheners (aerosol & plug-in)
-
Carbon Monoxide
-
Adhesives
Toxic Poisoning Via Ingestion (by mouth)
Our birds love to chew and they love to
explore the world with their beaks. If left unsupervised they can
find many items around our homes that could be toxic if ingested.
-
Toxic foods
-
Poisonous plants
-
Heavy metal poisoning from chewing on:
-
objects containing lead (solder, old paint, lead weights,
wine bottle foil, costume jewelry, pencils, leaded stained glass)
-
galvanized metal (zinc)
-
preserved wood products (arsenic)
-
Human medications and supplements
-
Spoiled food (mold, fungus)
-
Unwashed fruits and vegetables
(pesticides)
Physical
Risks
Most physical accidents are the result of
unclipped wings or simply a lack of
supervision when your bird is out of its cage. Almost all of the
tragic scenarios listed below would be avoidable through the exercise of good
judgment and a little vigilance:
-
Drowning in an open toilet, sink or fish
tank
-
Broken neck from flying into
window,
mirror or moving ceiling fan.
-
Heat exposure in car
-
Burns from stove, boiling water, wood
stove or fireplace
-
Other animals or small children - knocking
over cage, playing rough, scratches, bites
-
Suffocated in bed by owner
-
Crushed by being stepped on
-
Strangled in unkempt rope toy
-
Poor environmental temperature control
-
Escape through open window or door
-
Killed by hawk or other predator
-
Entrapment due to overgrown toenails or
beak.
-
Electrocution by chewing thru electrical
cord.
The reader is encouraged to explore all the
safety articles within the AvianEnrichment site as
well as the abundance of helpful safety information available through other
reliable sources.
 Print
Version
|
|
