Tips and Guide to Keeping Pet Birds Safety at Home

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Tips and Guide to Keeping Pet Birds Safety at Home
Many of us have heard stories about birds outlasting their owners. This is a surprise to many, considering the delicate appearance of most species of birds. Birds, especially canaries, were used by miners to test the quality of the air deep in the mines. When the air reaches relatively unhealthy levels, the canaries are affected adversely and succumb to the fatal effects. This gives miners ample warning before the air became fatal for humans. This shows the keen perception of birds.

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 natural inclination to chomp and it can be a major issue. When a bird chomps on soldered joints on welded items, lead poisoning is a common result. Also, birds do have a penchant to chew on potted plants. Despite contrary belief, poinsettia plants are not poisonous. It is better to be safe than sorry so do err on the side of caution should you be uncertain if a plant is poisonous for your pet bird and remove it from the reach of your pet. 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, food like coffee, chocolate and avocado are fatal for birds and they should never be given such foods.

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. It is true that birds might enjoy this exercise, many pine trees could have had preservatives or chemicals administered and prove fatal to your pet. Furthermore, electrical lights and decorations can be pose a certain kind of danger for your birds.

There are a number of precautionary issues to see to if your bird does not have had its wings clipped. Firstly, all glass doors and windows should be shielded one way or another. The best way to do this is with curtains or shades. Placing safety decals on windows and glass is another option, besides curtains or blinds, to alert the bird that the glass is there and help avoid serious or fatal accidents. You should treat other large reflective surfaces and mirrors in a similar manner when your pet bird is released from its cage.

Standing water can pose as a form of danger as well. The bird can meet its untimely end in a toilet bowl or full kitchen sink in a few seconds. If a bird is released from its cage, cooking with an uncovered pot is especially ill-advised.

Finally, always be mindful of the whereabouts of your bird even if its wings are clipped. Even a bird with clipped wings can soar for a considerable distance if there is an upward breeze. 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.

Moses Wright loves to help fellow bird owners with their pet care problems whenever he is free. You can find more free bird care problems and solutions resources on his site.

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December 09 2007 10:48 pm | Bird and Pet Safety

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