Before the availability of modern detection devices, miners used canaries to alert them to the presence of poisonous gas. Following a mine fire or explosion, mine rescuers would descend into the mine carrying a canary in a small wooden or metal cage. Any sign of distress from the canary was a clear signal that the conditions underground were unsafe, prompting a hasty return to the surface.

Miners also kept canaries with them while they were working to detect toxic gases, primarily methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. If dangerous gases were in the mine, the canary would die and the miners could escape before levels of gas became dangerous for people. Canary deaths helped saved the lives of many miners. Thankfully, alternative methods were developed to detect these toxic gases and canaries were no longer used.

Birds are extremely sensitive creatures and keeping your bird’s environment free of potentially deadly fumes is part of providing a safe home for your pet. Even the slightest exposure to certain airborne chemicals can be devastating. Birds are sensitive to carbon monoxide as well as airborne particles of insecticide sprays, hair spray, perfumes, paint fumes, room deodorizers and even bleach or ammonia fumes.

Birds are also sensitive to smoke, and cigarette, cigar and pipe smoke can be quite damaging. Burnt oil or butter or even smoke from a fire can also cause severe breathing trouble. The fumes from burnt pans with non-stick coating and fumes from self-cleaning ovens contain the toxic chemical polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). Any item with a non-stick coating should not be used around birds, even if it is not overheated. These items include cookware, irons, ironing board covers and even heat lamps.

Because of the bird’s extremely sensitive respiratory system, anytime a strange odor is detected remove your bird from the area immediately. It is strongly recommended you keep your bird in other rooms of the house beside the kitchen. Keeping your bird safe is a very important aspect of having a bird share your life.
 

Danger in the Kitchen

The kitchen is often the brightest spot in the house. And with all of the family activity normally found in the kitchen, you may think it’s the perfect place to house your companion bird. However, the kitchen is not the safest or healthiest place for him to live. Some common dangers may include:

Stress

Although you may not think about it, the kitchen is subjected to rapid changes in temperature. During cooking times, the temperature of the kitchen increases and then returns to normal, and the repeated alteration of room temperature could cause molting problems in birds.

Furthermore, kitchens are common gathering places in the home. This increased traffic flow can cause stress for some birds, which may result in behavior problems.

Beware of Fumes

Polytetrafluoroethylene is the chemical compound used to create non-stick surfaces in cookware. When overheated or burned, toxic fumes that are released can kill your bird quickly. Other toxic fumes include spray starch, self-cleaning ovens and hair spray. Fumes from simmering potpourri pots can also have a devastating effect on your feathered friend.

Other Concerns

With the refrigerator close by, be careful what you feed your bird. The most toxic food you can feed your bird is avocados. Even a small amount of the fruit can cause serious illness and even death.

If a bird is allowed to fly free or escapes within a kitchen, ceiling fans, hot stovetops and toxic kitchen plants pose significant threats.

One final concern is the threat of illness for people. Birds can be quite messy and with food storage and preparation near a bird and his cage, the spread of illness and disease are possible.

The best place for a bird cage is a quiet room, like the living room, with sufficient traffic flow to include the bird in the family but not so much that it can cause a serious stress on the bird.