Help, Need Answers!

[SUSIEJO]

I have several questions concerning my 3 year old caique, Madeline.

1. How can I get her to like my 4 year old daughter? (I know you can not
force a caique to do anything so any suggestions would be appreciated.)

2. I know that burning candles is bad for her but what about candle
warmers?

3. Is potpouri ok if kept where bird can't eat it?

4. Is the Swiffer wet ok to use around her?

5. Is Fabreeze really fatal to caiques?

6. How do I teach her new tricks without getting mauled? (She won't do
anything she doesn't want to do without me getting bit.)

7. Is yarn ok to use around her?

8. What about human food, like dairy? (I know about avacados, caffine,
chocolate & alcohol)

9. I heard somewhere that you shouldn't pet them under their wings, why?

10. Is pvc pipe ok to use around her?

[Mylo's Mama]

Hi There!

I am no expert, but this is what I have learned so far....

Not sure how to make her like your 4 year old daughter....

Candle Warmers are a no-no. It's the fumes (scent), not just the flame that's dangerous to her.

I would think potpourri is a no-no. (although you can use cinamon sticks instead)

Not sure about the swiffer, if it has a scent, I wouldn't use it.

I wouldn't use any spray that has a scent around her (febreeze included)

You will have to continue to work with her on the tricks, patience is your best tool

I believe yarn wouldn't be safe, because she could ingest it (the little hairs)

I don't feed my fids any dairy at all (I read that they can not process the lactose?)

I was also told that petting them anywhere but their head an bring on unwanted hormonal behavior (she will see you like her mate)

PVC i think is safe, the soft PVC is not, however

[The Outlaw]

Swiffer products are fine. Fabreeze is not. No kinds of candles or scented oils are safe. Soy candles are less of a problem, but the essential oils used to scent them are usually bad.

Caiques are probably not be a kid recommended pet.

I would recommend cotton instead of yarn. Think of cotton rope instead. Yarn is usually either wool or synthetic and synthetic fibers are difficult to cut should your bird get entangled in them.

[SUSIEJO]

Thanks Mylo's Mama, for the suggestion about cinnamon sticks. I love cinnamon.

Originally Posted by The Outlaw

Swiffer products are fine. Fabreeze is not. No kinds of candles or scented oils are safe. Soy candles are less of a problem, but the essential oils used to scent them are usually bad.

Caiques are probably not be a kid recommended pet.

I would recommend cotton instead of yarn. Think of cotton rope instead. Yarn is usually either wool or synthetic and synthetic fibers are difficult to cut should your bird get entangled in them.

Yeah, I kinda figured that she might never take to my daughter untill she (my daughter) gets older. But Madeline was bought for me so that's not a major problem.
I was concerned about the yarn because I was afraid she'd ingest some of the threads and cause digestion problems
Any other suggestions on things to freshen the home would be greatly appreciated. I like scented things for the house but I won't chance hurting Madeline for it. Also I have a sensitivity to scents so anything I use must be very mild. (I know I can handle cinnamon scent).

Thanks very much for the suggestions!

~susiejo

[birdscomefirst]

Hi,
I am going to hit on the immediately important ones:

I have several questions concerning my 3 year old caique, Madeline.



2. I know that burning candles is bad for her but what about candle
warmers?

No Candle of any kind is safe. several reasons: The scented candles use essential oils as does many room fresheners. This includes things like Glades Plug-Ins. Warming candles use a parafin wax that still creates vapors in the air that are harmful to a bird. Some wicks contain metals like lead in small amounts that are carried into the air when burning. No matter whjat is said by a candle manufacturer or seller ofcandles, there is no safe candle to burn around a bird.

3. Is potpouri ok if kept where bird can't eat it?

No. For the same reason as candles. The scents in potpourri are enhanced by the use of essential oils that are harmful to your birds respiratory system.

4. Is the Swiffer wet ok to use around her?

No.The chemicals used as cleaners in the Swiffer wet are harmful to your bird.

5. Is Fabreeze really fatal to caiques?

Yes! It is deadly to all birds.


7. Is yarn ok to use around her?
No. yarns, like threads are nmade mostly of polyester fiber, a plastic which if ingested by a bird may or may not pass through the digestive system of a bird. When it does not, it can cause a blockage called an impaction. This can occur in the crop or in the intestines of the bird. Both of these situations can be fatal.

8. What about human food, like dairy? (I know about avacados, caffine,
chocolate & alcohol)
Also BAD: salt, cherry pits, aplle seeds (if broken) there is a long list of foods that can be dangerous to your birds.

Actually, there is nothing wrong with a little yogurt as it provides a natural bacteria that aids in digestion. Although not really digestible, a small piece of cheese, now and then is not harful to a bird. Other diary products although not really harmful are not advised as they can cause a little diarhea in your bird. There are though many human foods that are OK to feed your birds. Cooked or uncooked macaroni is fine. Toasted whole wheat bread with a little almond butter makes a great treat. You can do a search for safe parrot treats and find a lot of info on this.

9. I heard somewhere that you shouldn't pet them under their wings, why?

This is sometimes confused with petting a bird on its back which in chronic egg laying females can stimulate a bird to lay eggs. If a bird lets you rub under the wings and the bird seems to like it, there is nothing wrong with it. Many of my birds love it!

10. Is pvc pipe ok to use around her/

It is OK as perch material but it contains chemicals in the plastic that can be harmful to a bird if ingested. It also can cause crop impaction if a bird scrapes off or chews small pieces. It is commonly used as a material to make bird gyms, but madrona wood or manzanita wood is a better choice.


I hope this helps.
I am new here and was hesitant about just jumping in but these are important questions.

The other questions pertain to behavior and can be addressed later. Some of the questions in this post were literally life and death questions for the bird.

Thanks,
Bill

[The Outlaw]

Bill:

I think you are incorrect about the Swiffer products. Check out the Snopes site. They did an investigation into the reports of deaths in dogs and birds. Turns out it was bogus.

THE OUTLAW

[Captain Jack]

Amber and I use a Swiffer Mop on our hardwood floors. Although we dont use the cleaning liquid from swiffer. We arent affraid of it harming our animals, we are just lazy and dont buy the refills, so instead we refill the bottles with water and G.S.E. or water and vinegar. Plus the swiffer cleaning liquid leaves a residue on the floors, hope this helps.

[homebird]

Baking Soda sprinkled on your carpets before you vacuum will help freshen & clean them.
Q: I know everyone is against Candles but we use pure Beeswax candles in the kitchen to get rid of odours - is this still a no no ???

Non Toxic Cleaning: We use Citric Acid (organic Orange essence) + Organic Dish soap to clean the whole place. Everything smells great afterwards.
Vinegar & the same soap - slightly diluted - is a 'very' strong cleaner that I use on the stove & floor - it smells a little like a French-fry place for a few minutes but that goes away quickly, but good ventaltion is a good idea when working with that stuff, so I'd be worried about having a bird near the kitchen when that's going on - it's a little like raw onions.

Cider Vinegar, diluted, is a great hair conditioner/rinse.

I like to know that when I put some food on the counter I'm not adding anything toxic to it.

Note: You can make bad things too, when you play chemistry shop.

[birdscomefirst]

Hi,
It is not a concentration high enough to harm a dog or a cat but it is in high enough concentrations that the fumes can effect the respiratory systems of birds.

Outlaw, this is from Swiffer.

A low order of toxicity

According to the Swiffer WetJet Material Safety Data Sheet, the product has "a low order of toxicity." It contains the following ingredients:

* Water (90% - 100%)
* Propylene Glycol n-Propyl Ether (1% - 4%)
* Isopropyl Alcohol (1% - 4%)
* Minor Ingredients (< 1%)
* Preservatives (< 0.1%)

Propylene glycol n-propyl ether is a solvent similar to, but much less toxic than, ethylene glycol, the antifreeze ingredient always cited as a hazard to pets and children. The Material Safety Data Sheet for propylene glycol, which is present in no greater than a 4% concentration in the Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution, states that the chemical has "low toxicity in animal studies" where ingested. It is also found in other household cleaning products.

Please remember that the respiratory systems are what we are considering with birds in many instances. Not the ingestion. When considering dangers to cats and dogs, they are concerned with ingestion , not breathing the vapors.

Thanks,
Bill
PS: It took more than 20 years for Dupont, the manufacturer of Teflon to admit that overjheating it can kill birds. You can't go by a manufacturers claims, you have to examine the ingredients. I always get the information from the source before I post it as true.

[birdscomefirst]

Hi,
The question about whether or not a beeswax candle is safe depends entirely upon th quality of the beeswax and more importantly, the wick.

There are beeswax candles that are made with non-toxic wicks.

It should specifically say on ther packaging that the wick is non-toxic. Beeswax candles manufactured outside the United States still use wicks made with lead. Even when a candle is said to be safe, i don't trust it.

I have often found in doing research on a product, that what the representatives of a manufacturer tells you doesn't always match the truth.
I have found this to be true with candles, products containing non-stick surfaces and more.

This is a link to one of the Experts on this website, Carolyn Swicegood's suggestions for ways to clean things and clear the air in ways safe for birds.

I don't see beeswax candles on the list.

http://www.landofvos.com/articles/clean.html

I hope this helps,
Bill