Tips For Keeping Your Bird Safe During The Holidays

10 Tips to Keep Your Bird Safe during the Holidays

With the Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's holidays upon us we are all busy planning our family gatherings, gift giving and decorations. The season brings with it unique hazards that we all need to be mindful of so that we can assure that our feathered family members are protected:

Pine and fir Christmas trees with soft needles are the safest. Avoid sharp needle trees and artificial tees with metallic needles. Also be aware that many trees are treated with pesticides as well as chemically treated so that they will last longer.

Colorful ornaments and dreidels can attract the attention of our curious and playful companions. Birds should be kept away from metallic ornaments that can break into sharp pieces resulting in cuts and wood ornaments that often contain lead paint.

Tinsel and angel hair can present entanglement and GI blockage hazards for birds.
Decorative electrical lights and cords are used in abundance during the season. Make sure the cords are well hidden and keep your bird away from them. Chewing the cords can result in burns and electrocution.
Holiday plants such as Poinsettia, Mistletoe berries, Holly berries and Christmas Cactus are all known to be either toxic or at a minimum severe irritants to birds.
The yule logs that provide us with colorful flames contain heavy metal salts that are toxic if ingested.
Candles, potpourri and incense can contain volatile oils that are toxic to birds. Flight into a burning candle can result in injury and or a tragic fire. Keep flighted birds caged when open flames are present and purchase bird safe, unscented candles or difuse only 100% theraputic grade essintial oils from Young Living.
OR, boil simple herbs such as mint, cloves, organic orange peel or cinnamon to scent your house.
Avoid using metallic gift wraps and bows as they may contain toxic metals.
If you give your bird wrapped presents use non-glossy, non-> metallic paper, cellophane or tissue.

We humans tend to overindulge in food during the holidays. Avoid the temptation to share fatty, sugary and salty treats with your bird.

Be aware that large numbers of guests and parties can be a source of significant stress for your birds. If having a party make sure your birds have a place to escape from the noise, smoke, late night activities and the people who may not understand and respect their needs.

With all of the things we have to keep our parrots away from this season why not allow them to participate in the festivity of the season by decorating their cages with safe holidays toys?

The Avain Enrichment Staff at Avain Enrichment.Com have some wonderfully fun and safe holiday toys for parrots and right now through December 31st they are having a Grand Opening Special Offer!

Just enter the following coupon code at checkout to receive a 15%
discount on your order: AEGrand

This coupon IS transferable so be sure to share this post with fellow bird owners who may benefit from this valuable opening offer as well as the great indepth bird information available at www.avianenrichment.com
Offer Expires: December 31, 2008


Candy Cane Pinata

Pinata contains dehydrated banana chips, papaya nuggets, pineapple tidbits and sweet raisins. Yum!

(7" x 5")

XMAS Duck Surprise

Your bird will love pulling and preening the holiday crinkle shred before chewing their way into this cute little XMAS gift.

6" x 13")

XMAS Wreath Vine Swing

A great little swing to decorate your small bird's cage for the > holidays!

(6" x 10")

Check out our full selection of their festive, decorative and bird-safe holidays toys.

AuNatural Bird Notes Wishes You and Your Feathered Family a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season

Important Warning

Hi All,

This is a very important email/message I got recently, originally from Sue Bendheim, adoption coordinator at Lily Sanctuary Please be careful with your birds and chemicals, air freshners, scented candles, purfume, etc. You may also want to read our post on air freshners and their dangers to our parrots. http://aunaturalbirdnotes.blogspot.com/2008/07/air-fresheners-nothing-to-be-sniffed-at.html

I just got off the phone with my friend Donna at Birdstuff, and she wanted me to help alert all parrot people I know of yet another preventable pet parrot loss one of her favorite clients just experienced. Her friend had put out her beautiful, fragrant holiday candles on display to enjoy for the first time last night and hours later her son's baby cockatiel died. Then this morning her 7 month old caique passed away at the vet.

The candles were Glade brand, and another mass produced, 3 wicked one with wire in the wicks. The wire is made of lead. On examination, the vet said they died as a direct result of the candle fumes. Everything about them was healthy and normal, but the errosive damage the pleasant candle fumes do to the birds lung tissue caused them to literally drown in their own fluids. It's a horrible, completely preventable way to die and Donna wants us all to be advocates for our helpless birdies. We need to protect them so please spread this around to all parrot people you know, OK?

Just another reminder this and anytime of year to put all non-stick cookware, fabric protectors, new carpet, air fresheners, plug ins, potpourri, cooking bags, spray disinfectants, self cleaning ovens, coffee makers, curling irons....on the list of hazards for our parrots along with these fragrant, and lead wicked, and non fragrant candles. Who knows where they were made and what exactly is in them! One of my favorite links on some hazards to our birds is at www.parrotparrot.com/birdhealth/alerts.htm

Please share with me any other links you use and have a safe holiday.

Sincerely,
Sue Bendheim
Lily Sanctuary Adoption Coordinator
www.lilysanctuary.org