Hello I had my carpet cleaned today with an extractor carpet cleaner (to some it's a steam cleaner). I knew that I had to take the birds out of the room (their main living quarters). We used Bissell Carpet Cleaning Agent. I know I'm supposed to keep the birds out of the room until the carpet is completely dry. They are in another room that is one room over from the room that was cleaned. Do I have to keep the door to that room closed with them in it until the carpet dries? I'm asking because they aren't used to being in that room and all 3 of them seem very stressed by having to stay in that room. However, their health is more important to me right now but wonder if I can leave their door open.
carpet cleaning
- Thread starter djdancer
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Amanda_Bennett
New member
I would worry about any "fumes" that might make it to them. I would error on the side of caution, since it could harm them before you even knew what was happening. I know it can be stressful, but better to be a bit stressed than to be ill or worse.
Gillis
New member
Do you have any way of setting up a fan in the cleaned room to help air it out or redirect the cleaning agent fumes outside? I feel like this would help prevent your birds from breathing the fumes, with or without the door closed. Personally, I would leave it closed until the carpet is completely dry and you no longer smell any fumes.
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It's pretty cold out but I have fans going and doors at both ends of the house open so it's a direct flow of air. The birds are in a warm room in the meantime I'm freezing. lol
I also have a dehumidifier going to help speed up the drying. I really hope it dries overnight with the dehumidifier because we recently adopted a Sunday Conure from the rescue who seems stressed by being in that room. He just turned 25 years old on Tuesday and I don't want him to be stressed and definitely don't want to compromise his health with fumes or anything else caused by carpet cleaning. I wouldn't have even had it done if it didn't need it so badly.
I also have a dehumidifier going to help speed up the drying. I really hope it dries overnight with the dehumidifier because we recently adopted a Sunday Conure from the rescue who seems stressed by being in that room. He just turned 25 years old on Tuesday and I don't want him to be stressed and definitely don't want to compromise his health with fumes or anything else caused by carpet cleaning. I wouldn't have even had it done if it didn't need it so badly.
Gillis
New member
It sounds like you are doing the right things! Do the birds settle down if you spend time with them in the room and talk sweetly to them? And congrats on your Sunday, they are very beautiful!
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They do calm down a bit but all want out of the cage so screech about that instead and don't all get along well so I'm constantly juggling... The Sunday is such a good boy. Loves to cuddle at the end of a long day. He's expresses his likes and dislikes very well and things are great as long as we listen to him. He's My daughter has been in touch with his old mom who had him for 22 years. She said that she loves him so much but had to give him up because she got a new job and wouldn't have time to spend with him as she thought he deserved. You can tell that she was very good to him and I'm so sure she lost a big part of her heart having to give him up.
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Can someone tell my husband how just a bit of fumes of any kind can kill a bird. Our pellet stove leaked air when it lit up and my husband thinks that that won't kill the birds. He doesn't think the smell from steam cleaning can kill the birds either. He also thinks it's okay to spray paint in a different room of the house even though we can smell the fumes in a different room. It makes me sad that I got the birds because he really should get educated or I shouldn't have them.
I'm also going to start a different post on this so that more people have the chance to help educate him.
I'm also going to start a different post on this so that more people have the chance to help educate him.
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educating on fumes
Can someone tell my husband how just a bit of fumes of any kind can kill a bird. Our pellet stove leaked air when it lit up and my husband thinks that that won't kill the birds. He doesn't think the smell from steam cleaning can kill the birds either. He also thinks it's okay to spray paint in a different room of the house even though we can smell the fumes in a different room. It makes me sad that I got the birds because he really should get educated or I shouldn't have them.
I'm also going to start a different post on this so that more people have the chance to help educate him. Hopefully and I'm sure I'll hear from lots of how little bit it does to kill a bird. He thinks I'm just worrying for nothing.
Can someone tell my husband how just a bit of fumes of any kind can kill a bird. Our pellet stove leaked air when it lit up and my husband thinks that that won't kill the birds. He doesn't think the smell from steam cleaning can kill the birds either. He also thinks it's okay to spray paint in a different room of the house even though we can smell the fumes in a different room. It makes me sad that I got the birds because he really should get educated or I shouldn't have them.
I'm also going to start a different post on this so that more people have the chance to help educate him. Hopefully and I'm sure I'll hear from lots of how little bit it does to kill a bird. He thinks I'm just worrying for nothing.
- Jan 19, 2014
- 14,247
- 221
- Parrots
- Red Bellied Parrot /
Ruppell's Parrot /
Bronze Winged Pionus /
English Budgie
Re: educating on fumes
Mine is the same way to an extent. Same with my ex. We err on the side of caution because it's what any responsible parent (with humans or animals) should do. But that being said, truth is, it's not quite as you might think. In 20+ year that I've had birds, years ago they were exposed to teflon, scented candles, and other various things. Robin is still alive and well at 21. Sadly many birds out there are also exposed daily to cigarette smoke, and they surprisingly live long lives. It should go without saying that we should not expose them to those things purposely. Whether certain fumes kill or not has too many variables. We don't know what those variables are, and some people have had devastating consequences. They don't die from every little thing, but people that are too relaxed need to be told exaggerations to drive the point home imo. Even if a certain chemical doesn't kill, if it's not clean air it can't be good for them anyway, common sense will tell us.
With your husband, tell him about the 'Canary in the coal mine'. You've probably heard... long ago they used a live canary to detect poison gasses in the mines since birds have sensitive respiratory systems. If the bird died, it wasn't safe for the men to go in. Maybe they died of heat or starvation too? Anyway, it makes a point.
Mine is the same way to an extent. Same with my ex. We err on the side of caution because it's what any responsible parent (with humans or animals) should do. But that being said, truth is, it's not quite as you might think. In 20+ year that I've had birds, years ago they were exposed to teflon, scented candles, and other various things. Robin is still alive and well at 21. Sadly many birds out there are also exposed daily to cigarette smoke, and they surprisingly live long lives. It should go without saying that we should not expose them to those things purposely. Whether certain fumes kill or not has too many variables. We don't know what those variables are, and some people have had devastating consequences. They don't die from every little thing, but people that are too relaxed need to be told exaggerations to drive the point home imo. Even if a certain chemical doesn't kill, if it's not clean air it can't be good for them anyway, common sense will tell us.
With your husband, tell him about the 'Canary in the coal mine'. You've probably heard... long ago they used a live canary to detect poison gasses in the mines since birds have sensitive respiratory systems. If the bird died, it wasn't safe for the men to go in. Maybe they died of heat or starvation too? Anyway, it makes a point.
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Amanda_Bennett
New member
To put "fumes" into perspective for him you could explain it this way...
The miners used to take canaries down into the mines with them for the sole purpose of knowing if there were toxic fumes down there. If the canary died they all got out ASAP. They couldn't smell anything, but the bird died, so they knew there were toxic fumes.
Fumes that we can't even smell can kill a parrot fast. That's why no non-stick cookware, we wouldn't smell the fumes, but they could kill your birds.
The miners used to take canaries down into the mines with them for the sole purpose of knowing if there were toxic fumes down there. If the canary died they all got out ASAP. They couldn't smell anything, but the bird died, so they knew there were toxic fumes.
Fumes that we can't even smell can kill a parrot fast. That's why no non-stick cookware, we wouldn't smell the fumes, but they could kill your birds.
Allee
Well-known member
Parrots have extremely delicate respiratory symptoms. There's an incredibly long list of products that have been proven harmful to Avians, some are highly toxic and can result in death. That's not to say these products are never used around parrots, and yes, according to circumstances, airflow, the overall health of the bird, etc, in a lot of cases the bird or birds survive, that's not to say it isn't dangerous and caused no lasting effects. There's a wealth of information out there about harmful and toxic fumes, it's not a matter of opinion. Here's a single link and there are many more.
https://companionparrotonline.com/Dangers.html
