can I use Mia Bella candles?

[happycat]

We are moving soon and my mom wants something to make our new apartment smell. Are they safe for birds? Also would it have to be in a different room then him?

What other things do you use to make your house smell good without hurting your fids?

 

[Peeker]

I don't burn candles but I do have the smelly ones in glass jars and take the lids off when I want the fragrance.

Really when I want the house to smell nice I bake cookies!

 

[weco]

Burning candles, petroleum wax, beeswax, soy or whatever, creates carbon monoxide and other gasses, as well as releasing particulates into the air that are small enough to be sucked into a bird's air sacs...also, you have no idea what was used for the fragrance, so other than what are already bad, the fragrance could be toxic.....

There is a saving grace though, while Febreeze used to be a no-no but they changed something in their formula & it's been OK'd around birds.....on the furniture cushions, drapes, etc., but not directly on or immediately around the bird(s).....spray on something, not in the air.....

You can also make your own natural fragrances.....do a search for "homemade natural room fresheners" and you should get about 20 recipes.....

Good luck.....

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

No candles.
I do this and it takes a minute once u get this stuff.

Slice thin an orang or two. Boil in pot with wager and a few cinnamon sticks. Then just aimmer for as long as u want. I just keep adding water. I used to think it xould never work for my whole 2400 sq ft house, but it does avter about an hour. You can refrig at night and use it three or four times.

I toss in some atar anise for extra fragrance. Its cheap.

 

[brianlinkles]

Just had this conversation with my avian vet. Candles are fine, it is the lead in the wick of some of the cheaper candles that are harmful. I know that soy based candles with cotton wicks are fine. Partylite brand is fine especially the soy. I burn candles, I do try not to burn them right next to the bird. I know that this is a hot topic but I trust my avian vet.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

I know this is a hot topic as well. I personally don't use home fragrance items because of my birds, but also i am very sensitive to those things (if i sleep at a friend's house and they have scented fabric softener, i have to use my inhaler). So i think i'm pretty picky because candles tend to irritate me with my own sensitivites. I end up thinking, if it bothers me, it has to bother them.
That being said when i was younger and was not very well educated about birds, I did burn candles around my birds and they were fine. So, it may not be downright lethal, but i don't think it's "good" either. I prefer to play it safe.

 

[weco]

Brian, while I respect your vet's opinion, there is just too much information, compiled by many different people and/or organizations that provide data/information to the contrary.....

If a person looks for an answer they want, they will find it somewhere, but contravening clinical & factual data might be a bit narrow minded.....in the world we live in, if somebody designs/writes a good sales pitch/advertisement for a product, the manufacturer of that product will make $$$ irrespective of whether or not the product is safe or not.....




Here's a few links in case you're interested in some factually different view points:


Scented Candles Kill Pet Birds!
http://www.quakerville.com/qic/q_glade.asp


Burning candles and incense generate particulate matter

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21831441


AROMATIC PRODUCTS MAY POLLUTE INDOOR AIR
http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/emaroma.htm


Candles – A Burning Air Quality Issue
http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/9906/candles.htm


Danger from Everyday Candles?
http://lifeholistic.com/2006/01/06/danger-from-everyday-candles/


Candles: Romantic, Atmospheric and Deadly
http://suite101.com/article/candles--atmospheric-and-deadly-a326680

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

I agree with Weco's approach. Something like toxins from candles burning may not be an immediate danger, but over the life of the parrot with sensitive respiratory systems, combined with all the other stuff they breathe in like fumes from our home building furnishing materials, glues, pollution, common dust, etc.---- WHY even add a candle to the mix? I see no point.

Regarding Brian's a-vet, it is important to trust hour bird's a-vet, but is also important to do the research as well. Some medical providers can get locked in a box and rely on a specific "school" of thought and studies, while there are still reasonable alternatives with as much valid evidence to the contrary. Example, pritti's a-vet of over 15 yrs says that regular people fresh foods should be his diet now that he has kidney function problems and is an older bird. Another highly respected a-vet that he saw just once when we were too far from reg vet said that parrots should eat 90% of their diet from bird food packages and 10% or less from fresh and grocery foods. This vet had all kimds of literature and studies to show.

 

[brianlinkles]

As I stated before this is a hot topic and in fact the first link posted above cited two candle companies that if I am not mistaken are not made in the US and that at some point did use wicks containing metal. I did state that you must be very careful of the wick that are in the candles. Again, this is a hot topic and everyone can do with the info as they wish. However, the question was asked and I stated what my very well respected avian vet told me. I am going to continue to burn candles in rooms where my parrots are not. I do respect your decision not to.

 

[Mayden]

Another hot topic.

I personally, use beeswax candles with cotton wicks. They're generally more expensive, but well worth it. The fragrances used are also phthalate and nitro musk free, so I'm confident that they are no more harmful than farting near your bird.

I see we have very differing opinions Weco, I think it's going to be nice to hear many more of your views about other parronting stuff.

However, a quick science lesson to all those who are less science inclined.
"creates carbon monoxide and other gasses,"

Oxygen (single oxygen atom) and Carbon Dioxide (two carbon atoms, one oxygen atom) is naturally occurring in the air we breath, along with nitrates and small amounts of other gases.

Carbon Monoxide (one carbon atom, one oxygen atom) is also naturally occurring, but less so. Carbon monoxide is dangerous to humans in small amounts, so I can understand the worry with our fids.

HOWEVER.
Carbon MONoxide is produced when there isn't enough Oxygen in the air to produce Carbon DIoxide. So, whilst it's true that burning things will produce carbon MONoxide, burning a candle in a large room (and not a stuffy cupboard) should produce no where near enough to cause harm to anyone, from tiny finches to giant men.

Talking about a furnace, a burning fire, a bbq in an enclosed space, then yes, worry about your birds, worry about yourselves. Invest in a carbon monoxide alarm if you do not already have one.

But considering that a candle burning (that is free from paraffin/leads/toxic anything/etc) in a well ventilated room (open doors, large room in general) should cause your bird no harm.

I'd suggest looking into the company that makes the candles and room scent-y things that you are after and thoroughly look into what they put into their products. I will only order from one company that is local to me because I know what they use and I know that they are (in my opinion, from my logical reasoning and scientific knowledge) bird safe. That doesn't mean that "beeswax with cotton wick" candles are all safe as some may include phthalates or paraffin. So look closely into their ingredients. Ring them, ask them about it. Don't expect an honest answer to "are they bird safe" because they will say yes, true or not. So do your own research and decide for yourself. I've had birds for 9 years and have had no issues related to carbon monoxide poisoning/the like.

Looking at Mia Bella candles myself, I'd say no, don't get them. They're soy candles with chemical preservatives. Look for another brand that are super pet friendly