I know scented candles are bad, but...

Our conures are only in our bedroom...I know scented candles are bad. She has a wax warmer. It's in the same room about 10 feet from them when they're in their cage. Are wax warmers bad? What's the difference between candles and warmers pertaining to birds health? Also... is there an alternative, safe air freshener I could use??

Thank you.

I know, I know...but I use them when the birds are caged though in the next room. And sometimes candles too (the flames are really the dangerous part IMHO) I've also been known to burn a stick of incense or two. I have a decent sized house with good air flow.

My oldest birds are 18 and 14. I KNOW I'm in the minority, but I don't think there's any actual evidence these things are any more harmful to birds than they are to people when used reasonably.

I'm sure all the other suggestions will be different from mine, but I think they are pretty harmless as long as its within reason. Use it for an hour, not nine. Use it occasionally, not every day... etc.

Thank you for your reply. I can do without candles and inscents altogether if it were up to me... we have a decent sized room..they're by the window...

She bought 2 parakeets as well for her.. since "her" conures are bonded to me (and I to them). I don't want to do anything to harm them or shorten their lives... they're about a year old now.

If there were any natural harmless alternatives to freshen the air that'd be cool. Is there a site/thread that could show me alternatives to necessities we need that wouldn't harm the conures ?

Thanks again!

I used to do the same, I had nice scented candles on the opposite side of my room, and I knew I shouldn't light them. Sometimes I would just open the jar and that alone left a nice scent. But candles and wax warmers still contain toxins for birds, and birds are tiny compared to us. A scent we can barely smell is a heavy scent for a birds tiny nose and lungs. Smoke especially. But like I said, I used to just leave the lid open and not lit for short periods of time and I think maybe the fragrance killed one of my past birds. Maybe I just always feel guilty when a pet dies, but I am a skeptic so better to be safe than sorry.

For odors I use lava rock packets and stuff they sell in stores for odor absorbing like those gel ball type things (not sure what they're called). All fragrance free, and if pet safe labelled, even better. In terms of just getting a fresh scent there's not much I do. I'll leave the windows open for some fresh air. Very seldom I use those air fresheners that are like a wax gel and you just twist open/close the top, and when I do open it it's not for long. Just be careful and judge with caution.

Bird's respiratory systems are so delicate, personally I wouldn't take the chance. If you want to freshen the air, an air purifier might be something to consider. Here's a link to a recent thread on the same topic.

http://www.parrotforums.com/general...-they-deadly.html?highlight=Candles,+incense,

Allee said:

If you want to freshen the air, an air purifier might be something to consider.

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YES! I forgot to mention this! I too have an air purifier for both my allergies and to freshen the room. It definitely helps!

I don't do it anymore, but years ago even though I knew better I would light scented candles with Robin in the room (clipped so flying into the flame wasn't an issue). I did this on quite a regular basis for years. :54:

Robin just turned 20 last month... It didn't kill him ... on that note, neither did the Teflon (which wasn't overheated).... BUT.... I'd never suggest that anyone do these things. I also used to smoke :52: and thank God I'm okay from that too lol.

I used to sometimes light candles and shut the doors of the rooms I would light them in but I no longer do that.
It's honestly just not worth it.
From what I have read, any sort of 'fragrance' comes with a set of risks.

I use a frangrance diffuser (of the type shown here, not there oil and reed ones AromaGeni)

It's safe for birds so long as the oils you use are 100% theraputic grade essential oils and these don't come cheap- and as long, of course, as they're not some kind of toxic oil like cedar. I use lavender, Ylang Ylang and german chamomile which are all safe.

Incidentally, there is a lot of research suggesting these kinds of diffusers with high-quality oils can even affect birds' behaviors, act as a holistic medicine, and ease anxiety and aggression issues

Safe Use Of Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils For Birds

Aromatherapy For Parrots - Home

Essential Oils and Parrots | Coco's Flock

When I want to freshen the air I put a little water on the stove I add cinnamon sticks, ground nutmeg and vanilla to the water and put it on simmer. The house smells great it doesn't bother my breathing or the birds. Whenever we have sold a house I did this on open house day or when people were set up to view the house and it always sold right away. Nothing reels them in faster than a house that smells like cookies!

Labells suggestion of the spices on the stove is a great one (just make sure to keep the birds in their cage or close the door so they can't fly in the simmering pot!)! Or you can put a few drops of essential oils in a mister and combine with water for a natural room spray.

In the past, we used to burn incense in the bedroom and a few times we smoked hookah indoors in the kitchen (and the smoke from the tobacco smells like the flavor) Kiwi was always in the living room and not directly in the "air space", but in 1 bedroom apartment, you could smell it throughout. I knew that candles and air fresheners were bad for birds, but never made the connection with the incense until I joined this forum. Kiwi never had any respiratory distress from either, but we don't use either anymore. Better safe than sorry, and maybe my nose is broke, but I smell nothing (good or bad) in our apartment. I actually prefer a scent-free space now (except when I'm baking). You kind of get used to it. And if you keep your home clean and your bird clean (and other pets), odors don't become noticeable or overwhelming.

Thanks for all the suggestions and links! I'll definitely do some research. I want to keep my birds around and happy as long as possible.

Hello everyone. I wanted to know your opinions of this. I really scented candles. I don't have any problems with not lighting them. But is just having them dangerous? I mean, they're really nice colors and the smell is fantastic without even lighting them. Can I keep them around the house without lighting them? There is 0 chance that my parrot chance that my parrot can reach them, so he won't be getting his beak in them. But do candles release anything without having lit them? Thanks! By the way, the best air freshener for me is cooking a chocolate chip cookies. I freeze batches and then just plop one in the oven and the smell is to die for and then you also have a cookie! [emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1]

Zkyevolved said:

Hello everyone. I wanted to know your opinions of this. I really scented candles. I don't have any problems with not lighting them. But is just having them dangerous? I mean, they're really nice colors and the smell is fantastic without even lighting them. Can I keep them around the house without lighting them? There is 0 chance that my parrot chance that my parrot can reach them, so he won't be getting his beak in them. But do candles release anything without having lit them? Thanks! By the way, the best air freshener for me is cooking a chocolate chip cookies. I freeze batches and then just plop one in the oven and the smell is to die for and then you also have a cookie! [emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1]

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As long as they're not lit and the birds can't get to them you're okay. It's the combustion in candles that's hazardous. And pure beeswax is no better...soot is soot.
Lol what smells better than cookies? The smell of cookies baking is like a drug

Kalidasa said:

Zkyevolved said:

Hello everyone. I wanted to know your opinions of this. I really scented candles. I don't have any problems with not lighting them. But is just having them dangerous? I mean, they're really nice colors and the smell is fantastic without even lighting them. Can I keep them around the house without lighting them? There is 0 chance that my parrot chance that my parrot can reach them, so he won't be getting his beak in them. But do candles release anything without having lit them? Thanks! By the way, the best air freshener for me is cooking a chocolate chip cookies. I freeze batches and then just plop one in the oven and the smell is to die for and then you also have a cookie! [emoji1] [emoji1] [emoji1]

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As long as they're not lit and the birds can't get to them you're okay. It's the combustion in candles that's hazardous. And pure beeswax is no better...soot is soot.
Lol what smells better than cookies? The smell of cookies baking is like a drug

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Thank you for your reply... I love keeping scented candles in a drawer and then opening them up to get the smell. Also, cookies ar e the bomb. I really like making more than a batch and freezing the dough for the smell or the indulgence. Hehe. Thanks for your reply once again. Kind regards, Kent

RavensGryf said:

...neither did the Teflon (which wasn't overheated)....

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Studies have repeatedly shown teflon off-gasses at temps as low as 325 degrees...