Under My Wing Avian Refuge

A I B I C I D I E I F I G I H I I I J I K I L I M I N I O I P I Q I R I S I T I U I V I W I X I Y I Z

Air Fresheners
Which includes plug-ins and scented sprays are considered unsafe. Bird may die from using air refreshers. To safely freshener the air, simmer spices like cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and citrus rinds.

 
Boarding Health Risks
Boarding places such as private sitting and Pet Stores who do not require a Veterinary Clean Health Record from you is boarding your bird with many others who may be ill or carrying a disease. It is not mandatory in the State of New Jersey but it should be. Many Birds develop symptoms or may have been infected with beak and feather disease. Avoid this prodigy and board only with a reliable boarding facility that will not only request a clean health record from you but is willing and able to show you the boarding room and have a written policy for boarding customers to sing.  

Cages
Should be made of safe metal with non-toxic paint, no sharp points that can cause injuries, proper spacing between cage bars to prevent strangulation, and no empty cup holders. Birds have been injured or killed by getting stuck in empty cup holders in cages. Use empty dishes or fill them with toys or treats, but never leave empty cup holders in a cage. Stainless steel is the safest metal.

Carpet Powder and Sprays
Such as Carpet Fresh, as well as similar treatments for upholstery such as Febreze, often contain toxins which are dispersed into the air when they are vacuumed so they should not be used in bird homes. Carpets can be cleaned safely with solutions of water and baking soda, vinegar, or Grapefruit Seed Extract. 

Ceiling Fans
A fan should not be used in homes with flighted birds. Other household dangers to flighted birds are open windows and doors, hot pots and stove burners, open containers of water (sinks, toilets, tubs, boiling water), poisonous or thorny houseplants, electrical wires, medication, insect bait traps, and many other toxic substances. 

Cigarettes, Cigars, Pipes, and other Smoking Substances
These items should never be used in air space shared by birds. Passive inhalation of smoke, including smoke from burning incense, damages the sensitive avian respiratory system, eyes and skin. Nicotine can settle on perches and other cage surfaces and cause the self-mutilation of feet and legs in sensitive birds, especially Amazon parrots. 

Cleaning and Disinfecting Products
Like pine oil, ammonia, mold and mildew cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, drain cleaners, furniture polish, oven cleaners, dishwasher detergents, furniture polish, car cleaning products, and laundry products, including bleach, can irritate or burn the skin, eyes and respiratory tract of birds when used in their air space. Spray starch is also toxic to birds. 

Cooking Bags
Especially those treated with PTFE, emit harmful fumes when heated. Any substance that releases smoke and/or fumes when heated should be avoided in homes with birds. It can be fatal. 

Disease Exposure
Exposure to any contagious diseases, known and unknown should be avoided by quarantining all new birds from your existing flock or companion birds for one to three months. Taking birds to pet stores, bird fairs, swap shops and other bird gatherings with birds can expose them to deadly diseases. It is safer to have a friend or relative come into your home or keep your birds in their home when you must be away from home for extended periods. 

Dry Cleaned Clothing
Should be aired outside or in airspace not shared by birds until there is no remaining odor. The chemical "perc" (perchloroethylene) causes cancer in lab animals.

Electric
Keep electrical cords out of beak's reach.

Essential Oils and Potpourri Oils
These should never be used in the breathing space of parrots. Perfume, hairspray, and other aerosolized grooming products also can damage the avian respiratory system.

Fingernail Polish Removal

Food

Do not feed your parrto:

• Avocado
• Guacamole
• Chocolate
• Cocoa
• Alcohol, caffeine, the pits of apricots, peaches, plums, prunes, and seeds of the cherimoya fruit, as well as foods containing large amounts of salt, sugar, grease, preservatives, artificial coloring, and other additives. Obvious dangers such as moldy foods and meat should be avoided. Parrot food should be safe enough for human infants.

Nuts in the shell, such as English walnuts, should be offered with caution. To minimize risk, do not offer whole hard-shell nuts when birds are extremely hungry, nor without supervision. Concealed nuts in the shell such as the "sock toy" can cause impaction.

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Home Improvement Products
That create fumes include fresh paint, new carpet, drapes, furniture and flooring that uses toxic glues. The out gassing of toxic chemicals from new furnishings, paints, solvents, adhesives, various finishes, and other building materials are sometimes described as the "new smell" and can damage the sensitive avian respiratory system.

Houseplants and Fertilizers
Never let your bird chew indiscriminately on plants, inside or outside of the house; many familiar plants, shrubs and trees are poisonous when ingested. Cactus plants in the home can seriously injure flying birds. Including "fertilizer spikes" can poison birds so they should be kept out of their reach. Some of the most common poisonous houseplants are azalea, oleander, castor bean, sago palm, yew plants, dieffenbachia (dumb cane), asparagus fern, daffodils, flower bulbs, mistletoe, poinsettia, philodendron, and potato sprouts or "eyes". Choose only non-poisonous plants for bird homes.

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Kitchen
Kitchen and kitchen items especially when cooking is in progress, are unsafe for birds. The obvious hazards of open flames, hot ranges, open pots of hot food or boiling water are as deadly as smoke or other toxic fumes (even from dishwashers if a plastic item falls into a heating element during the drying cycle). Parrots love to pick things up off a counter or table such as knifes and other kitchen items that they can harm themselves with.

Leg Bands
Leg bands can cause the loss of toes, feet, legs and sometimes bird lives. Leg bands should be removed only by a veterinarian.

Litter
Made of walnut shells or corn cobs can cause life-threatening impaction if ingested by birds. It also harbors fungal spores when soiled or wet. Unprinted newspaper is a safer litter material.

Metals
Such as lead, zinc, copper, and iron can cause metal toxicosis if ingested by birds. Some sources are galvanized cage and aviary wire, house keys, (especially gold colored keys), lead-based paints, metallic paints, paints containing zinc, linoleum, vinyl mini-blinds, foil from champagne and wine bottles, lead weights, bells with lead clappers, stained glass, some improperly-glazed ceramics, costume jewelry, mirror backing, copper pennies, zinc oxide, artist paints containing cadmium, cardboard or paper with high gloss inks, and magnetic business cards. 

Mold
On food or in the air is dangerous to parrots. Aspergillums mold can cause the deadly disease, aspergillosis. It can grow on improperly handled and stored foods, especially grains such as corn. Excessive moisture in bathrooms promotes the growth of various molds in homes. One symptom is weight loss, which can occur even if your bird has a good appetite. Other signs: abnormal droppings, a change in voice, and depression or other behavioral changes, including difficulty moving. Chronic aspergillosis infections are thought to trigger some feather picking, especially in African Greys.


Nails
Long untrimmed nails get caught on all type of material and toys. Did you know that when a bird stratches his head nail tim when untrimmed is sharp and pointy and gets caught in the bird's eye lid or other part of it's body? Proper grooming of nails and maintainance is highly importand for small and larger birds.

Other Pets
If you keep a parrot in the same house with a cat, dog, ferret, snake, rodent or any other potential predator, pay close attention to the behavior of both animals and don’t allow unsupervised interactions. 

Oil Lamps
Many oil lamps are still quite fashionable in a home however the fumes from such are toxic to birds.

Pesticide Sprays, No –Pest Strips and Foggers
Poison the air and can kill birds. Safer solutions are roach traps, ant bait, and other solid insect poisons that can be safely secured in the back of cabinets and other areas that are inaccessible to birds.

PTFE
Treated products such as Teflon and other name brands of non-stick cookware kill birds by releasing deadly, odorless gases when overheated. PTFE is used in some space heaters, ranges, ovens, stove-top burner bibs or liners, heat lamps, irons, griddles, bread makers, woks, waffle makers, electric skillets, crock pots, corn poppers, coffee makers, roasters, curling irons, hair dryers, and more. Check labels before purchase. 


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Scented Candles
Release toxins when burned, so only unscented candles should be used in bird homes. (Protect birds from the open flame). Beeswax candles are generally safe and unscented unless they are imported and contain lead wicks (which are illegal and rarely used.) 

Self Cleaning Ovens
Use extremely high heat to burn off oven debris. During that process, toxic fumes are emitted that can kill parrots within minutes. 

Sticky Pets Strips 
Used for flying insects should always be enclosed in old cages or other containers accessible to insects but out of the reach of birds and other pets. Citrus oil or peanut butter can be used to safely remove sticky substances from feathers.

Transparent and Transparent and Reflective Surfaces
Like glass windows doors, and mirrors should be shown to flighted birds. Many birds can be trained to avoid large expanses of glass by repeatedly holding the bird on your hand and imitating flight toward the glass and then lightly pressing their beak, feet, and body against the surfaces. Decals can be used as a visible reminder.

Toys
Both new and used, should be cleaned and examined for loose parts that could lodge in a bird's throat. Loose strings and threads can trap and cut off circulation to necks, wings, legs, and toes. Use only stainless steel (not zinc) "quick links" as toy fasteners and never use strings, chains or ropes long enough to wrap around a birds' neck or other body parts.


Unscented CandlesToys
Candles are a danger for all birds, unscented candles in a room where a bird may have access to while out of cage is a danger most bird owners ma not be aware of. Smaller birds like to fly and many times will land on or close to this open flame. Larger birds like to touch and experiment as they do mith many other items in a household just as children do.


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Wood Shavings
Specifically cedar and redwood are toxic to birds and should not be used in cages, aviaries, or nest boxes. Pine or aspen shavings are safer nest box substrate.

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Fun Products That Injure Or Kill Birds

Prevent strangulation and entanglement of rope and cords by keeping all cords and ropes cut short enough, if rope is thin cut it as short as possible so birds cannot create a noose around their1-800-PetMeds neck.

Fraying rope or cord can cause your bird body parts to be caught in them.

Cotton fabrics are woven threads that will unravel and easily become tangled around your bird’s toes & feet. Many favorite toys birds play with are household items such as a couch pillow, curtains and many more including cage covers, yes they too are made with threads.

Remove all Zink plated metals products such as hooks, links and chains to prevent Zink toxicity and place with Stainless Steel.

Flavored Toys are hazards because birds may be encouraged to swallow non food particles and may cause indigestion complications

All toys need to be checked daily for possible common hazards

Making Your Own Toys

Use only natural products such as the list below as a guide of safe materials in toy making.

• Stain with vegetable dyes for your preference only remember that parrots will chew wood as they did for millenniums their own natural setting.
• Douglas fir boards
• Manzanita,
• Ribbon wood
• Bamboo
• Cholla
• Grape vine
• Palm,
• Soft woods such as Agave
• Sisal rope should be untreated and uncoated
• Cotton Rope should be untreated and Uncoated
• Climbing rope