Dangers to watch out for when owning a bird

Aerosols, Air Conditioner, Asbestos, Drafts, Alcohol, Balls, Wooden Coated Beads, Bedding/Litter not cleaned properly, Cage/Cage Covers that are old and tattered, Carbon Monixide, New Carpet, Cats, Scented Candles, Chains, Chocolate, Cigarette Smoke, Cleaners, Clips, Common Household Hazards, Cooking Bags,Cooking Oil, Cotton Candy Toy,Diazanon, Febreeze, Flea Bombs and Collars, Floor Polishes, Glue, Halogen Lamps, Leather Sprays,Oven Cleaner, Overheated Nonstick Cookware **Teflons**, Paint Remover, Pens, Perfume, Permanent Wave Solution, Pesticides,Plug-In Air Fresheners, Pine-Scented Items, Potpourri, Rope,Salt, Scented Tissues,Teflon, Toy Size Issues,Toxicity of Stainsafe a chemical used to treat the fabric on new furniture, Formaldehyde, Hair Dye and Spray, House Paint, Kerosene, Matches, Moth Balls, Nail Polish Remover, Oil Paint, Shoe Polish and Cleaners, Spot Removers, Spray Starch, Suntan Lotions, Surgical Acrylics, Toilet Cleaners, Wax.  This is not a complete list.  If you are unsure, read the label, seek more information from the maker.  WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T USE !!

 Poisonous Plants that are Harmful to Birds:

Amaryllis, Avocado, Azalea, Balsam Pear, Baneberry, Beans:  Castor, horse, Peas, Navy Glory, Bird of Paradise, Black Locust, Blue-Green Algae, Boxwood Calla Lily, Cherry Tree, Christmas Candle, Coral Plant, Daffodil, Dieffenbachia, Eggplant, Elephant's Ear, Foxglove, Hemlock, Holly, Hyacinth, hydrangea, Indian Turnip, Iris, Ivy**All Types, Java Bean, Jerusulem Cherry, Jimsonweed, Juniper, Larkspur, Lily of the Valley, Lobelia, Locoweed, Marijuana, Mayapple, Mistletoe, Mock Orange, Morning Glory, Narcissus, Oak, Oleander Philondendron, Poison Ivy & Oak, Poinsettia, Pikeweed, Potato, Privet, Rhododendron, Rhubarb, Rosary Peas, Sandbox Tree, Skunk Cabbage, Snowdrop, Sweet Pea, Tobacco, Virginia Creeper, Wisteria, Yam Bean, Yew.

Cats commonly have Pasteurella bacteria as part of their natural flora. While this bacteria is ubiquitous in cats and does them no harm, it is DEADLY to birds.  Even if you cat just bats your bird or gets saliva on your bird, you could end up with a dead bird. Also, if you bird has a persistent problem with itching and other skin issues and you have a cat, this could be a cause and your vet should be asked to screen for this bacteria. If your bird is ever in a confrontation with a cat, take him to the vet immediately even if there are NO apparent wounds. The bird could still have been exposed to this bacteria. You should get your bird to a vet the same day if you think it has come in physical contact with a cat's saliva, feces, or food. This bacteria means even friendly relationships between cats and birds are not safe. Period.

Unclipped birds are at most risk when it comes to certain household hazards, such as open doors, open toilets,  pots and pans on the stove (burned/boiled/drowned/covered in oil), deep water in kitchen sinks or pails, ceiling fans, electrical wires, and anything the bird could chew and ingest that could cause damage to them either through poisoning or damage (glass objects). Anything that could kill a small child can kill a bird. A bird can get into the exact same kinds of trouble a 2-year-old human child can get into.  Cats are hazardous to birds. I don't just mean that they are natural predators. 

Toxic Foods: Avocado, Chocolate, Coffee, Salt Chocolate, coffee, and cocoa contain theobromine, which is toxic to birds. Do not give these to your birds and do not leave them out where your bird could get ahold of them. Avocado is toxic, particularly to African species, but should not be given to any birds. A breeder related to us a story in which a sun conure baby they sold to a family was fed guacamole even though the new owners were warned about avocado. The sun conure was dead the next morning.  No guacamole. Parrots cannot excrete salt the way we can. High-salt foods can be harmful to them. An occasional nibble from a chip might be okay, but don't let them get into the habit.  Junk food is not good for your parrot.  Avoid high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt snacks. Once in a blue moon won't kill them, but beware of giving foods like this. Parrots can get into bad habits just like humans.  Resist the temptation to give in to them if they "beg" for your chips. Although it seems obvious, I will state it nonetheless. DO NOT GIVE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES to your bird under any circumstances.  It is cruel, not amusing, to get your bird drunk. Their liver cannot metabolize the alcohol. 

TOY SIZE: Remember that a toy that is good for one bird may be dangerous for another bird. Size is an important issue. If a bird can just fit his head through a loop, ring, or the like, they could get stuck and panic. Make sure your bird cannot get its head stuck in anything, including between cage bars (some cages are not appropriate for lovebirds or other small birds because the cage spacing is not sufficient).

 

 

 

 

 

Egg Binding and Chronic Egg Laying

 

Chronic egg laying and becoming pregnant without a male can happen to any parrot but is more common among smaller birds such as budgies, lovebirds and cockatiels.  So, what are Chronic Egg Laying and Egg Binding?

Chronic egg laying often occurs without a bird mate present and out of their regular breeding season.  Chronic egg laying is the laying of large clutches of eggs or continually laying clutches.  The problem is such egg production depletes the nutrients from your hen.  This continued laying drains the hen of calcium and protein, the calcium in the bones is drained to use for shell production and the bones become brittle. 

Egg Binding is also caused by low calcium levels.  Because a lot of calcium is needed to create the shell, the whole body becomes drained of calcium.  The uterine also requires calcium to stimulate the contractions needed to pass the egg.  When those levels are low the hen is at high risk of egg binding.  Also, when Chronic egg laying produces eggs with no shell or the shells are deformed, chances of egg binding will increase.  The inability to quickly pass an egg could lead to death of the hen.  Do not hesitate to take your hen to your avian vet for assistance.  As you can see prevention of excessive laying and egg binding are important to your hen's well being.  There are two ways to prevent danger to your hen.  The first is controlling the environment of your bird so they don't cycle into breeding season.  Second, is to maintain a healthy and nutritious lifestyle for the hen so as to decrease the likelihood of egg binding.  It is a balance of these controls that will lead to a long and fulfilling life for your hen.