Is smoking really that bad?

[Cyrusis]

Well the pst week my bird has been inhaling alot of second hand smoke thanks to my mom and dad. They both took up smoking while they were in Italy (guess they smoke alot down there) and now they smoke only like 5 meters away from my bird, I can't do anything about it, especially when I have to go to sleep and they stay up. I've already tried telling them but they could care less if the bird died, they'll just reccomend buying a new one, like how stubborn can you get. Anyway, now that I can't prevent him from inhaling second hand smoke, is it really that bad for a bird? Does it build up over time and one morning i'll find him dead?? I also can't move the cage to another place or he could get isolated alot, because i'm in school and my mom never usually goes to alot of the parts of the house to him company, bleh. So how bad is smoking?

One more thing, his cage is beside a large window and trees on the other side, there are always birds flying on them and chirping, would this effect my lovie?

Thanks

[LtlWngdAngl]

It is really bad for your fid....though there are some conflicting theories on the extent of the damage it can do. It can cause them to have respiratory problems, though.

The birds outside shouldn't be much of a problem at all for your fid.

[The Outlaw]

I wish we'd make smoking illegal. I really do. Not only does it kill the humans all around the smoker, but it effects every other living thing too. Birds with plucked legs and irritated feet are often owned by smokers. Even if you leave the building to puff away, then unless you wash your hair, change your clothes and really wash your hands, your bird STILL becomes exposed as soon as you touch him.

You can say whatever you want but the reality is this: it sure doesn't help them. When birds come here from smoking households, the first thing I do is spritz them with some water and baby shampoo mix (One capful to one quart of water). I soak them real good and then I place them in a shower for a good long soaking. If you don't use the shampoo, the water simply rolls off their backs. It apparently leaves an oily residue. I know I won't make any friends by stating the truth, but I don't make the rules. Science does.

THE OUTLAW

[SavvyMoon]

unfortunately, ya just can't get hard core smokers to quit if they don't want to. One of those fact of life thingies, ya know?

I have seen large birds survive many many years in a home with smokers.
One man I met had a beautiful Blue and Gold macaw in a nice roomy cage, but it was kept IN the kitchen area, not more than 10 ft from the stove and oven, and the man smoked big fat cigars at the kitchen table every day.
Bird was fine and dandy.

I know another family that keeps two birds; one is a senegal (they aren't very large) and a cockatiel, the Sennie is also kept in the kitchen, not more than 10 ft from the cooking area. For years.
I asked them once about using teflon pans and they looked at me like I was nuts... they never heard about the dangers of teflon. And yes, they used it all the time. ::: shrugs :::

I think it all comes down to how far are you willing to go knowing the risk,
but at the same time using common sense.

You should do anything possible to make sure the second hand smoke has as little impact as possible.
You may not *want* to move the bird to another area, but maybe you should.
I don't know where you live or how harsh your winters are, but perhaps you can ask your parents to at least crack a window open an inch or two, just to keep fresh air flowing in the room with the bird's cage while they are smoking.
If they aren't willing to do even that, then the best thing would be to move the cage. Better that the bird is somewhat isolated than sick or dead, right?
You can always use a tv or radio to keep the bird company while you're not home. You referred to your bird as your "lovie"... I wasn't sure if you have a love bird, or if that was a term of endearment... but if it's a teeny bird like a lovebird, it's probably better that you move the cage, IMO.

Savvy*

[Cyrusis]

Hmm, thanks for all the help :D . I decided i'll move the cage until I can get them to quit smoking. Yeah Savvy, it's a lovebird (one in display). I noticed something a couple days ago, that he keeps his beak open a bit now, but before he never used to before, could he already be having resp. problems or is just a thing birds do..?

[cgrite]

Even though you moved him I would look into getting an air purifier to put in your room as well and keep the door closed.....this just saddens me that people can be like this....what gives them the right????

I would also say to look some things up on the internet (including this thread) reguarding this issue...print them out and give them to your parents to view....maybe that will get them to wake up....this just seems so blatant......who ever made humans the boss of this world?????





/ :(

[JLWest2004]

Make them smoke outside the house. Problem solved.

[smallonion]

I agree, make them smoke outside. It's YOUR house. YOU make the rules. You can't make them stop smoking, but you can certainly insist that no one smokes in your house. I make people go outside. Sorry, but I'm not going to expose Humphrey to toxins just so a friend can more conveniently push toxins into his or her own lungs. Luckily, I have nice friends, who understand my love for Humphrey. However, I used to (not a stringently) make people smoke outside before I got HUmphrey, simply because I cannot stand the smell of stale smoke in my sofa and rugs, etc.

Do you have children? Would your parents not smoke if you had a newborn baby?

HEre's what I would do. Before their next visit, tell them on the phone, I've just been reading about how bad smoke is for birds. I know you might not undertstand how attached to this bird I am, I have to ask that when you come over you don't smoke in the house. Can you please do me this favor, even if you think it's silly?

That's how I'd do it with my parents. Obviously you'll have to tailor it to your parents' personalities and your relationship with them.
Good luck, and congrats on caring so much for your bird.
Michele and Humphrey

[SavvyMoon]

Ummm, I have a feeling it's the Parents' home, and not Cyrusis'.
I'm making that assumption because Cyrusis mentioned being in school and the Mom being home all day.

Cyrusis' parents are smokers. If it is their home, well, they have rights too.
I'm not saying any of this to start a "fight"... I just think it's fair to see things from more than one point of view.

I don't smoke. I quit smoking years ago. But that doesn't give me the right to bring pets into my parents' home (if I still lived with them, or had to live with them again, that is) and then decide they need to change THEIR lives to suit my pet.

Sure Cyrusis can keep complaining, nagging, and insisting that his parents do not smoke around the bird. But apparently, they are not interested in restricting themselves in their own home.
This situation should have been considered and discussed before bringing a bird into the house.
Too late now, bird is there, parents don't want to change their habits or
follow other people's rules in their own home.
Now the only thing left to do is to move the bird out of their smoking range and make the best of a bad situation. Unless one wants to consider rehoming the bird...

Savvy*

PS: Smokers are people too. They are not evil, they are not stupid, or mentally ill, or suicidal, or perpetrators of abuse on everyone around them.
They are simply people who smoke.
It's their right to smoke. It isn't illegal and it never will be. Our government gets way too much money from it, to ever make it illegal.
It's a fact that if everyone in the whole world stopped smoking right now, people would still DIE.
Its just a fact of life that in the end... we still die; from cancer, other diseases, or just old age.

[Tiki]

Cyrusis, have your parents always smoked or just recently because they started in Italy? Which room is your bird in now? Could you move him to your bedroom and ask your parents not to go in there (you might have to promise to keep it clean). I can't understand the attraction of smoking at all. I never thought it was "cool" as a kid, it just made me ill. I just got back from Istanbul and Dubai-people are allowed to smoke in restaurants and basically everywhere. Both Hubby and I used to come home from those evenings out at belly dance nightclubs with huge headaches from all the smoke. Even at the breakfast buffet, the Euro tourists were all smoking like chimneys :(

If you are worried about the bird being lonely in your bedroom, maybe you could leave the tv or a radio on while you are at school? Just get him away from the smoke, that is far worse than being alone in a room for a typical school day.