Pet Poison Safety Tips for Bird
Owners
ARE
YOUR FEATHERED FRIENDS SAFE?
Every day is Bird Day
-
but January 5 marks the fifth annual
National
Bird Day, a time to
appreciate the birds in our own backyard and reflect on how we
treat native avians of other countries. And if you have companion
birds in your home, it’s a great time to think about how to ensure
that your feathered friends remain happy and healthy. To help raise
awareness about responsible bird caretaking, we’re offering the
following poison prevention tips to keep your companion avian in
the “sing” of things:
* Birds are highly sensitive to inhalant fumes, so please avoid
exposing yours to fumes from self-cleaning ovens and overheated
cookware, automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, glues and paints,
insecticidal fumigants, perfume and hair spray.
* Keep all prescription and over-the-counter drugs out of beak's
reach, preferably in closed cabinets. Pain killers, cold medicines,
anticancer drugs, vitamins and diet pills are all examples of human
medications that can be lethal to birds, even in small
amounts.
* Never allow your bird access to areas in which cleaning agents
are being used or stored. Should your pet ingest them, he could
suffer from a range of symptoms, depending on the substance, from
mild stomach upset to severe burns of the tongue, mouth and
crop.
* Foods and beverages that could be dangerous to birds include:
-
avocados
- chocolate in any form
- coffee & tea
- moldy or
spoiled foods
- onions & garlic
- tomato leaves and stems
-
yeast dough
Please feel free to
forward this information to all the pet bird
parents in your life. For additional bird safety tips, visit
ASPCA online.
