Toxic Plants - A list of some plants that may be hazardous to your bird.
Bird Toys with dangerous parts such as: small chain links that can trap nails, metal clips, lead parts, balsa wood, light weight or breakable plastic parts, small bells, parts that could cause strangulation.
Kitchen hazards such as hot stoves, gas flames, boiling pots of water. Do not use PTFE-coated nonstick cookware (common trade names include: Teflon, Silverstone, etc.), irons and ironing board covers around birds. The fumes from these over-heated products are not detectable by people and are highly toxic to birds.
Sudden Temperature Changes. Birds must be given the oppotunity to acclimate to changes in temperature, especially when they are being relocated from a warm environment (such an inside your home) to a colder environment outside.
Exposure to Hot Temperatures. Birds should be protected from the direct sun if they do not have the ability to move into shade, nor should they be left in cars which can become overheated quickly. Signs of initial heat distress are open-mouth breathing, panting and wings held away from the body. Do not ignore a heat distressed bird and take immediate steps to cool it to a normal body temperature. Spraying or misting the bird with water will help.
Fireplaces. Be cautious smoke fumes when using your fireplace. Always keep the fireplace screen in place to prevent a flighted bird from accidentally entering the fireplace.
Electrical Cords and Plugs. Birds allowed to roam free within your home are easily attracted to dangling electrical cords and wall plugs. The danger is obvious.
Children. Young children must be taught how to handle and properly care for birds and should be monitored when they are handling them. If your child has a bird of his/her own and is responsible for its care, the care should be monitored so the bird's food, water and cleanliness is not neglected. Do not let your bird be handled by a child too young to understand how to handle them.
Other Pets In Your Home. If your bird sustains an injury from another pet seek veterinary assistance immediately. See sidebar for further comments.
Zinc in galvinized metal and skin preparations.
New Carpet. Toxic fumes are out-gassed from newly installed carpet.
Open Toilets and Bathtubs filled with water.
Open Doors that lead outside or can be slammed on a bird.
Ceiling fans are a danger to flighted birds.
Leg Bands can be a hazard because the bird can become hooked causing injury to its leg such as sprains, dislocations and fractures. A leg band can also become irritating and cause swelling and inflammation, or act as a tourniquet causing the loss of a leg. The "tourniquet" problem is most common with canaries and cockatiels, but any banded bird is at risk. Most veterinarians recommend removing bands unless they are needed for identification. If identification is desired because of risk of loss AVID microchipping is recommended. In keeping a bird banded be sure the band fits properly and that you regularly examine legs for any changes. If your bird's leg band needs to be removed it should be done by an avian veterinarian who has the skill and tools to do so safely. Do not try to remove the band yourself because the risk of injury to the bird is high from anyone inexperienced with the proper procedure.
Windows and Mirrors. Birds don't recognize these objects as barriers and may fly into them. Take precautions if you have flighted birds in your home.
Loud Noises. Birds have sensitive hearing and loud noises can cause stress which can easily lead to lowered resistence to infection or emotional problems such as feather picking.
Pet Store/Medications. Pet store personnel do not have the knowledge, qualifications or testing required to provide advice regarding the treatment of an ill bird. It is not advisable to treat a sick bird with over-the-counter medications from a pet store unless a product is recommendation by a qualified avian veterinary practioner following an examination of the bird. Use of over-the-counter medications as a substitute for qualified veterinary care at best may only mask the problem rather than cure it, waste valuable time that a sick bird just doesn't have, and can alter the results of proven avian diagnostic techniques.
