How to Keep Your Pet Birds Safe at Home
Birds are some of the most fragile types of animals. This can be hard to believe considering that some birds can outlive their owners. However, most people are familiar with the image of a miner carrying a canary into a mine with them. The fact that the birds would die if the air in the tunnels was unhealthy, effectively serving to warn the miners well before it became deadly for humans, is a testament to how sensitive these birds can be.
Just like birds found in the wild, pet birds are susceptible to unhealthy odors as well. Common household appliances and items such as Teflon pans, aerosol sprays and even innocuous furniture polish can be fatal for birds. The best policy when handling anything that may give off a strong odor is to use it in a well-ventilated area that is well away from your birds.
Pet birds have a strong desire to chew, and this can prove to be a serious danger. Lead poisoning can be caused when a bird chews on soldered joints found on welded items. In addition, birds like to nibble on potted plants. Despite popular sentiments, poinsettia plants are not deadly. It is important to remember that if you are unsure if a plant is toxic or not, it is best to err on the side of caution and move the plant away from the bird. A small pot of innocuous parsley can be helpful to the bird to overcome the desire of nibbling on houseplants as it is a safe substitute.
Fresh food that is fed to your birds will do them a whole lot of good; however, avocado, coffee and chocolate, are toxic to birds and should never be fed to them.
As the holiday season approaches, most people will bring a tree into their house. Many might think that a bird's natural habitat is a tree and have the belief that their birds will have an affinity for perching on it. While the birds may in fact enjoy such an activity, many pine trees are toxic to birds, especially if they have been treated with any type of preservatives. Furthermore, electrical lights and decorations can be pose a certain kind of danger for your birds.
If your bird does not have its wings clipped, there are quite a few additional safety concerns to be addressed. First, all windows and glass doors should be covered in some way. The best way to do this is with curtains or shades. An alternative to curtains or shades is placing safety decals on the glass so your birds can tell the glass is there and avoid serious injury or even death. Mirrors and other large reflective surfaces should be treated similarly when your bird is out of its cage.
Standing water can also be a hazard. Your bird can drown in a toilet or full kitchen sink in a matter of seconds. Cooking while a bird is out of its cage is not advised, especially if you have an uncovered pot on the stove.
Finally, always be mindful of the whereabouts of your bird even if its wings are clipped. On an updraft, even a bird with clipped wings can glide for quite some distance. It is easy to forget that your bird is perched on your shoulder when your doorbell suddenly rings and you rush to answer it but you must remember never to carry your bird to an open door regardless of whether or not its wings are clipped.
About the Author
Moses Wright has been a bird lover since young and now he loves to help fellow bird owners solve their bird care problems and other house pet care problems whenever he can on his site: http://www.petquery.com/
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