New member with questions

[hypostatic]

Hello all, I'm new to the boards, and I'm thinking about getting a lovebird, but I'm encountering a few road bumps.

The first road bump is my living situation. I live in a relatively small apartment with my girlfriend, and she really fears me getting a bird because she thinks that it will smell horribly. I've owned a pair of budgies when I was a kid, and I don't remember them smelling badly (or at all). Is there anything I can do to make sure that if I get a lovebird, that it doesn't make the apartment smell? Can you think of any good way of convincing her that the smell won't be an issue?

Also, we are big fans of yankee candles. I believe I've read that people used these in their homes without it affecting the birds, but I've also read that scented candles can pose a threat, so thoughts? Also on the subject, I've read that nonstick pots/pans can be deadly, is this true? The pair of budgies that I kept as a kid lived in the kitchen, but I don't remember if we used any teflon-coated pots back then....

looking to get a fisher's lovebird

 

[Karigan]

Yes, what you've heard is true. Candles need to be beeswax or soy if they're scented or they give off harmful fumes. Harsh cleaners and air fresheners are also a hazard, so the bird needs to be in a room where they're not used. Teflon coated cookware is hazardous when scratched. The chemicals emit from it then, and I've heard you shouldn't even cook with them if they're damaged for your own sake.

As for smell, it depends mostly on how neat YOU are. Change the cage lining every day and give the whole cage a wash with hot water and a vinegar or grape seed oil solution once a week. Also make sure that the bird is bathed or showered once or twice a week to keep it from smelling.

Another thing you want to consider is the noise. They sing/squawk/shriek when the sun comes up and down as a general rule and you need to make sure that you're neighbors won't complain.

Good luck!

 

[DebsFlock]

PTFE-based coatings are not hazardous when scratched, they are hazardous when over-heated. However, most people abuse nonstick cookware and use it in scenarios where it is likely that parts of the pan will overheat -- i.e. browning a steak in the middle of a nonstick skillet. Some of the new nonstick is ceramic based and won't break down when overheated.

Teflon is only one of a zillion brand names for PTFE-based nonstick coatings.

As far as I know, the idea that scratched PTFE is somehow hazardous is an urban legend. The only thing I could imagine is that some of the bonding agent that secures the coating to the pan might be exposed, but that wouldn't keep leaching over a long period of time.

It is possible to have PTFE nonstick and birds coexist without a disaster, but it is VERY easy for a pan to boil dry and when PTFE breaks down the results are catastrophic. Whole houses full of birds wiped out within minutes. So it is worth thinking about it very carefully.

PTFE also is frequently present in trace amounts on heating elements as a result of the manufacturing process. Any new appliance can pose some degree of risk, and it isn't a bad idea to "burn in" any such outdoors prior to use inside. The biggest issue is with electric space heaters. It may also appear on both the heating elements and in the coatings of self-cleaning ovens. A well-used self-cleaning oven is unlikely to pose a risk from PTFE because it will have burned off, but a new one could be quite risky. It's also never a good idea to run one with birds in the house, just because the glop from the food residue incinerating isn't all that great to breathe.

The candle question is complicated and there is almost zero solid evidence. There are anecdotal reports of scented candles causing serious illness and lots of speculation about what in a scented candle or air freshener might cause that. We also know bird's respiratory systems are delicate and anything that might cause irritation for a person is very likely to be a serious problem for a bird. My experience is that you'll get advice all over the map on this one. Some people say the candle must be soy, some say it must be wickless, some say no candles ever under any circumstances, and I think none of it is based on any kind of hard evidence, merely speculation and what has not caused that person a problem. That's the best we have to go on, but it's not the kind of proof I prefer to work with!

My personal opinion is that it's not worth the risk to use any scented product like a candle or a wax warmer or a hot oil plug in in a small space where birds are also present. That would mean the room the birds are in, or a small studio apartment, or a small apartment that isn't well-ventilated. I live in a 4 bedroom house with lots of windows and good ventilation fans. I don't use this type of product in the office where the bird cages are, or in bathrooms where I take the birds to bathe, but I burn scented candles occasionally in other rooms and I use hot oil scents in some rooms away from the office. I do use Yankee Candle products and I stick to mild scents. I have not experienced any apparent issues.

Karigan is right about the noise, if the walls are very thin you might want to consider only the quietest species. I also agree that birds should not smell bad. They are about as close to odorless as pets get. Unless you really neglect the cages, odor would be the least of my worries. MESS, on the other hand, is another ball of wax. Plan to vacuum incessantly.

 

[MonicaMc]

Parrots aren't rodents. Although both typically are pretty clean animals with lots of grooming, and if cleaned up after, their areas do not smell... but parrots in general don't smell like rodents, nor are most of them awake during the night. If she's concerned, take her to a bird shop.

A wet bird and some species of birds do give off a smell... as well as a sick bird who's droppings may smell, too. Otherwise, a healthy bird on a good diet that gets regular bathes and is cleaned up after will not smell. The only smell they may have is the smell of their food.


I enjoy candles, but I don't light any of them. I only have one candle at the moment that I can claim is mine, which is in the shape of a male California Quail, missing his top notch. I know that some candles are safe, but I can easily live without them.

As far as non-stick goes... some non-stick is safe and some is not. Anything with PTFE in it is a danger. Many know it by one of the brand names - Teflon. Teflon is PTFE, but not all PTFE is Teflon. PTFE can be found in pans, baking goods, ovens, toasters, heaters, hair dryers, heating element in a dryer, etc. In short, it can be all around us!

Stainless steel, cast iron and hard anodized aluminum (non-stick pan) that have not been coated with PTFE are considered safe when used correctly.

 

[Erinsmom]

WOW you have gotten alot of great information....I just wanted to add make sure you thoroughly research the breed of bird and even sex that you choose. Sun Conures( which are one of my personal favs) are REALLY loud whereas a female cockatiel is pretty quiet for the most part. Sorry that is the limit of my hands on bird knowledge.

As far as cage smell I have had 8-10 birds in my life but have never had an issues with smell. I change the pans frequently and never leave fresh food in their too long either.

Best of luck choosing and getting a new family member. I find that people who have never dealt with a bird especially a handraised baby have alot of misconceptions about what kind of pets they are. My Hubby was one of those but luckily he pretty much lets me fill our zoo to my and our daughters glee. He always had heard and thought of birds as flying rats. Now he has handled the hand feed babies and is smitten and is trying to get his employer to allow him to take one over the road in his truck with him...LOL Maybe take her to a breeder and let her handle one....or watch some UTube videos too.