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| BIRD TRIVIA |
 HOUSEHOLD HAZARDS - The following are some household hazards to beware:
 A DANGEROUS TOY - *I have two friends with birds that have been caught in a parrot shaped pinata toy that has a sombrero sewn with thread. The birds chew the straw sombrero, the thread gets loose, the bird gets trapped. *submitted by Terri  CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WARNING - Check the box for a caution to wash your hands after handling lights. Evidently some lights have lead residue on them. Definitely keep the birds away from all lights. Thanks to Joyce Baum for this tip.
 BEAR PROOF GARBAGE - Sunflower seed is like cocaine to a bear, so if you live in bear country, you need to take extra care with your garbage. The best advice is to keep your garbage inside your garage or an enclosed shed until just before garbage pickup. The only other thing that will deter them is mothballs. I take knee high pantihose, put a paper towel or toilet paper cardboard tube inside them, then pour mothballs into them, remove the tube, tie up the pantihose, and then tie one inside the can and one outside. I haven't had any garbage messes since using this method. Also do not set bird feeders out or fill them during the spring and summer and until hibernation in November. Be sure to clean your barbeque grills after using them or the smell will attract the bear. Fruit trees and grapes will attract them. My neighbor had a drunken bear sleeping in her yard after eating fermented grapes from her vines. There are also bearproof garbage containers and enclosures available, but some are a bit pricey. There's a unique and effective one with a screw-on lid. BATHING - *To get a bird to bathe, use a plastic paint tray. Such a tray is graduated and allows your bird to venture into the water at his own pace and to go to a desired depth. Also, there are little raised areas on the bottom of the tray which provide traction. - *submitted by Ann EatonSTUCK TO FLYPAPER - If you have a bird that has flown into flypaper, the best way to get it off and to get the gooey gunk off is to apply peanut butter to it. To prevent this from happening again, put your flypaper in a small empty cage or make a hardware cloth hanging enclosure for it. ESCAPEES - This is a great article by Scott Lewis and Jean Pattison on capturing escaped birds. Click Here. If you have lost one of the pair of lovebirds or other cagemates, try to put the cage with the other bird in it outdoors. Let the other bird call to it. Set up a trap with mosquito netting and a Hula Hoop over the cage. Attach a string from the Hula Hoop to the house that will release the net over the cage when the other bird goes into it. - *submitted by Susan Herbst More tips on preventing the loss of your birds:
BEAK HAZARD - Be careful when wearing zippered clothing around your bird. My bird grabbed a metal tooth from my sweatshirt, and got it stuck on his lower beak. I had to wrap him in a towel, and use a knife to pry it off. - *submitted by Shelley Rice HAZARD - Be sure to secure those lift up cage doors before you leave your home. It was reported that a little parrotlet lost its life by lifting up the door, getting its head stuck under it and trying to struggle free. A plain easy to use dog clip will prevent this from happening. START HENS LAYING - If your new pairs are not laying eggs, try putting a fake egg of the size they would lay in their nestbox to stimulate them to brood and lay their own. You can find non-toxic non-breakable eggs at rock shows, flea markets, and some breeder supply companies. Some pairs take up to 5 years before producing, so don't be impatient. STEAM CLEANERS - While certain steam cleaners may have their virtues, you need to be aware of the fact that they usually need constant refills [except for industrial models that are heavier and harder to handle], that they can also strip paint from your walls and cages, that it can take a long time to soften poop that is hardened on the grates, that it doesn't clean the poop...just softens, that it can aerosolize fecal matter along with any other bacteria, viral particles and mold, and that the birds can be harmed from a squirt of steam should they get in the way. SPRAY BOTTLES - Most of us use spray bottles to mist our birds or for spot cleaning. If you also use spray bottles in your bird room or aviary for pesticides or other cleaning solutions, be sure to label them appropriately. Accidents have happened where a helper has sprayed birds with a substance other than water. DISH TIPPERS - If you use the stainless steel bowls with the clamp-on ring, save your spare rings. I've found them to be the best deterrent for chronic bowl tippers. Just put another ring on top of the bowl. Tighten it down, then to remove the bowl, you just have to loosen one or two wingnuts, lift the upper ring up, remove bowl, then tighten back over bowl again when replaced. Works like a charm for the most persistent of birds. SOURCES OF ZINC POISONING - Some sources of zinc poisoning are a totally pelleted diet, homemade cages, some dog cages, older wrought iron cages, cage clips, c-clamps, toys that don't use stainless steel chain, and toothpaste tubes that roll up. CAGE, BROODER, NESTBOX BEDDING - NEVER use cedar or cedar shavings! The fumes can be toxic and cause irreparable damage, if not death, to your birds. The best alternative is plain large pine shavings or aspen. For nestboxes and brooders, oat flakes (like Quaker Oatmeal)or steamed rolled oats can also safely be used. Some breeders use cypress mulch and eucalyptus mulch, but care must be taken to ensure that there is no aspergillus fungus in any of it. GOODBYE FRUIT FLIES - The natural way: Put leftover food from the bird's bowls in a zip lock plastic bag and leave the bag slightly open overnight. In the morning the bag is full of fruit flies. Zip up the bag and throw it away. It takes several days to capture all of them. Yet another natural way: Put out a bowl of water and apple cider vinegar with a few drops of dish detergent. This will attract them and they get stuck in the surface tension of the soapy water and drown! Another method: Old fashioned fly strips do attract and catch them, and there is a pheromone trap that also seems to work. It is made by SureFire Products and is called the Fly Scoop which can be found in hardware stores. The pesticide way: Camicide Formula 50 is safe around birds and is effective. REROUTE AND REMOVE ANTS - Camicide Formula 50 is safe to use around birds and is very effective. The ant canisters work well as the ants take the poisonous substance back to the colony, killing the origin of ants. Unless you can put them out of reach of the birds and other pets, don't use them. Other suggestions from aviary warriors include sprinkling salt or yellow cornmeal in and around the perimeter of the building and in cracks and crevices. The salt eats away at the ant's armorplate and kills them. Be careful because salt can also erode cement and other surfaces too. Ascorbic acid (eye wash thats used to clean a babies eyes when it' s born) is effective also, according to the exterminators. Stepping on and killing an ant will bring more, as they "check in and out", and if they don't return....searchers are sent out to locate that ant. Also, when squished they send out a chemical that warns other ants of danger and it needs help. That brings ants back to the scene. SEED MOTHS - Most seed that companies harvest now won't ship for a year. There are insect eggs on the seed when it's harvested. Nothing can be done about that unless you want toxic seed. The moths start out as a tiny caterpillar and that is who creates the webby lumps at the ceiling line in most bird rooms. They make that little cocoon then hatch out as a moth. The process takes from 30 to 45 days depending on the temperature and humidity. They do no harm but they are a nuisance. What works best to catch the moths is to set up a red night light near the ceiling and hang a fly paper next to the light. It catches them better than those traps, as the moths are attracted to the light. I would not leave the fly paper up all the time unless you are absolutely sure none of your birds can get out. It's a nightmare if a bird gets stuck on that paper. The fly paper can be enclosed in either a small cage for safety or in 1"x1" hardware cloth. I personally had a Quaker fly into one and break its wing trying to get off the gooey mess. I also had a large macaw whose tail hit it and got goo all over his tail. A sheet of Bounce™, the anti-static dryer sheets, will also deter ants. MICE B-GONE!
- Some safe and effective mouse deterrents are as follows: the strange looking exotic fruit called "hedgehogs" or "osage oranges". If you place these around the outside of your aviary or home and in the basement and pantries, you will not see another mouse. I'm off on a "hedgehog hunt". Another mouse deterrent is fresh mint leaves or peppermint oil. Place leaves, dried mint flakes or cotton balls saturated with peppermint oil near obvious rodent entryways. They apparently don't appreciate the smell. Creates a nice closet smell. I've removed the Bounce™ dryer sheet idea since I've been informed that they contain dangerous neurotoxins. DON'T FEED DRIED UNCOOKED BEANS - Doing so can be very dangerous as several varieties of beans are acutely toxic when uncooked. Varieties known to be toxic include soy, black, red, yellow wax, and kidney beans. Cooking destroys the hemaglutin toxin. CLIPPING NAILS - When towelling a bird to clip it's nails, be careful not to squeeze tight on the sides of the bird where the air sacs are. Also be sure that the towel is not covering the bird's mouth and nostrils. FEATHER ART - Ever wonder what to do with those beautiful feathers that you've collected? Buy a styrofoam circle and hang it in your aviary. Stick the feathers in it as you collect them. Adds a new spot of color to your aviary walls and can be fashioned in different shapes or designs. FEEDING FRUITS - When feeding chopped or chunked juicy fruits such as oranges and pomegranates, mix some CheeriOs (not too many because they contain too much iron) or Zupreem Primate Biscuits in the bowl with it to absorb the healthy juices. The birds love the tasty oat rings. BROKEN BLOOD FEATHERS - It is best to pull out the broken blood feather(s) if possible. If you cannot do that properly and are caught short with no Qwik-Stop, NEVER use human styptic. It is toxic! Use some cornstarch or melted candle wax to stop the bleeding. If you are able to restrain the bird and hold the wing while grabbing the feather near the skin, pull it quickly and firmly and then put pressure on the open follicle for several seconds to a minute so that it doesn't bleed. You may also have to have some wet papertowels on hand to clean up the blood to see which feather(s) is bleeding. ATTENTION: *If you have a pet bird that resorts to screaming for attention, try attaching a mirror* to the outside of the cage for him to see himself. The trick is to only use the mirror when he screams so he won't get bored with it. Also change positions of the mirror* to keep him interested. This works with my macaw! - *submitted by Kelli *Editor's note: Be sure to take the mirror down when the bird is out of the cage. The "silvered" backing contains lead and would be toxic if the bird somehow ingested any of it. HOMEMADE TOYSPine wood shims found at the hardware or lumber store make good foot held chew toys for birds and are inexpensive. I will caution you to be sure they are made in the USA to avoid formaldehyde in them. I also throw away any that appear to have mold on them. If you have a large aviary, invest in a miter saw and cut up clean pine 2x4s for the birds. They would rather have these than expensive toys and they also make good nestbox bedding material. : Use dried bagels as toys either as a hand toy or a strung toy. Mini bagels dried would be good for smaller birds. Please remember never to string any toy with a double strand of chain, rope or string, as the bird might get entangled or strangle itself when it twists around. Bagel holes should be much smaller than the bird's head. Go to your local hardware store and ask for the key rejects. Sometimes, instead of getting credit for them, they will give them to you and they make sturdy playtoys. Take a plastic soda bottle or juice bottle with the plastic (only) cap and put some special bird treats inside. Watch the bird play with it trying to get them out. *We make toys out of sterilized lids (pop, detergent, etc.). We poke a hole in the center and put them on a non-coated hanger. My cockatoo takes at least a month to totally destroy it, then she moves on to her perches!!! - *submitted by Becki Ryan BBQ BRASS BRUSHES, the long-handled ones, make great breeder cage grill cleaners. BBQ FORKS make great cage scrapers and can reach into larger breeder sized cages. They also can be used to fend off attack birds. Please do not make contact with birds with the fork. It is meant only to keep a nasty beak at bay. Be especially careful not to get the tongs close to their face and eyes. Most birds stay far away from it, but the exception might fearlessly attack it. TOXIC FUMES are produced from Teflon™ or Silverstone™ coatings that are applied to pots, pans, and new appliances such as cooktop ovens, self-cleaning ovens, hair dryers, toasters, etc. This coating must be burned off the new appliances before the birds are exposed to them. Care must be taken not to overheat pots, pans and utensils (even stirring boiling foods with a coated spoon). Many other strong substances should be looked into before using. It doesn't matter how well ventilated your bird's habitat is. The following just came in about carpet deodorizers: “My cockatiel died after I used a carpet deodorizer. The manufacturer of this well known brand product finally admitted it's not recommended for use around birds. They said they didn't need to put a warning on the product. I'm just broken hearted, and her mate is just lost without her". TRUCK/AUTO EXHAUST FUMES - In the cold winter months, be aware of vehicles (especially trucks) parked near your aviary running their motors if you have vents where the carbon monoxide can seep in. 4 wonderful birds died following a 30 minute warmup of a neighbor's truck as the attic fan pulled in the fumes from the exhaust. NEW CARPET - emits formaldehyde fumes that could be fatal to birds. Will be waiting for more information from carpet companies and other bird owners on this. FIREPLACES - If you use a fireplace for heat in the winter and have an airtight home, please be sure to place carbon monoxide alarms in your home. I personally know of a case where a cockatiel became ill and so did the owners of the newer airtight home because of carbon monoxide poisoning. They were fortunate to be alive. FIREPLACE LOGS - It is rumored that artificial "logs" that are chemically treated to burn and help clear the soot out of your chimney -- will kill birds. Maybe this is true if there is a problem with the flue in the fireplace. Packaged "logs" that are usually provided by motels with fireplaces are also supposed to be harmful. To be on the safe side, it's best to use natural wood. Remove colored comic sections before rolling newspapers into logs. The colored inks contain lead and can produce toxic gases. CHIMNEY CLEANING - Have it done properly by professionals who know that you have birds in case chemicals need to be applied during the process. SCENTED CANDLES KILL! - It has been reported that certain scented candles have caused the deaths of birds. Better to not use any and be safe rather than sorry. Many candles also contain lead wicks which emit poisonous fumes. NEW APPLIANCES DANGEROUS? - One bird reportedly died and others in the same house became ill with respiratory symptoms when a new ceramic stove was first used. Apparently, manufacturers are coating parts of all types of appliances with the deadly non-stick substances. Sometimes they include warnings of human respiratory ailments with the first use. In the above instance, the owner of the birds became ill with a severe headache too. Always check with the manufacturer if there is no warning on any new appliance before it is first used. New ceramic heaters also have this coating inside them and must be burned off outside first. SELF-CLEANING OVENS - can be lethal. Birds have died when they're used even for regular baking. SAFE OVEN CLEANING - Don't risk using that wonderful self-cleaning oven that does it all for you. Try making a baking soda and water paste and applying it to a cool oven. Heat for 30 minutes, let cool, then easily wipe clean! No dangerous fumes and it costs only pennies to clean with very little effort. ALUMINUM COOKING BAGS - The following is an account from a mailing list of another bad incident with a new product: "A lady in our bird club yesterday brought in a box of the new cooking bags made from aluminum and plastic made to go in the oven at up to 450..She used 2 at 375 for 40 minutes..After 30 minutes she came back in to find her amazon pumping for air and its eyes burnt. A metallic smell filled the air..She knows this bird would have been dead in another 10 minutes or less. Other Amazons suffered eye irritations." LEATHER PROTECTANTS KILL
- *Leather bag and shoe protectants are extremely
toxic to birds and should not be used indoors in homes with birds. Even
birds in adjacent rooms can be killed by the fumes. -
*submitted by Dorinne MacKinnon MONITOR NESTBOXES - with the remote baby monitors by placing on the nestbox wall. You will hear chicks as they hatch without having to inspect the box daily. You can also use a stethoscope. NU SKIN is recommended by a leading avian vet to repair eggs that have not been pierced through the membrane. WATER BOTTLES - : I just heard a horror story about a water bottle. Someone gave me an emergency call about their cockatiel who did not look right. After checking the water bottle that she had filled more than 3 days ago, she noticed none missing. It was still full. The ball got stuck or clogged and the bird could not drink for at least 3 days!! Please, if you use these things (that I don't approve of), CHECK them! Even with water bottles, the water needs to be changed everyday or you risk pseudomonas or other bacterium. Bottles also don't provide the bird with the option of bathing if it wants to bathe unless you mist the bird frequently or provide a separate bathing container. By the way, the cockatiel is miraculously okay! Close call though. *For people who do decide to use water bottles, please sanitize the bottle and cap after each refilling! A 10% solution of bleach in a spray bottle makes it easy to get inside both the bottles and caps for sanitizing. - *submitted by Dorinne MacKinnon *Editor's note: Be sure to rinse well if using bleach. Bottles should be changed daily too. *I found out quite by accident that some of the plastic water bottles will fit perfectly on my guinea pig water bottle caps. I had an extra that was just sitting around and I wanted to use it - tried it and a perfect fit. No sanitizing bottles - a little expensive though. However, in an emergency it might work better to have a case of the individual bottles hanging around. - *submitted by Dorinne MacKinnon NEW BIRDS: Don't assume that any new bird introduced to your aviary knows how to drink from a water bottle. I know a breeder who lost a pair of newly acquired proven cockatoos because the bird didn't know how to drink from the bottle!(See Below) ANOTHER TRAGIC WATER BOTTLE STORY: A bird breeder received a pair of sulphur crested cockatoos (among several other pairs) from a broker. This breeder put the birds in flights with water bottles only. The bottle clogged up in this flight, birds didn't drink for 4 days, dehydrated and died! Need I say more? COCKATOO owners: Try giving your bird a sprig of fresh millet spray. Some cockatoos relish it. In the wild, cockatoos are known to forage in different areas for different grains for a change of taste. African Greys relish it too.  CEILING FANS! - During nice weather seasons and in the southern states, I wish to alert new bird owners to the hazards of ceiling fans with unclipped birds. Need I say any more? Clip, clip, clip. PLEASE! USE DELI PAPER: with a roll cutter for cage liners. Roll sizes are 14", 18", 20", and 24" in 1000 ft. runs. Standard weight works fine. For birds that really wetdown the bottoms of their cages, ask for the heavy wet waxed paper (DellWrap). You can find these at your local paper distributor. Using several layers at once makes it easy and fast to strip the cage each day by just rolling up top layer. It's also more sanitary for the multiple bird owner, as there is very little fecal dust flying around from this cleanup. I also use extra patches of the heavy wet waxed paper in the areas where the wetness is inclined to go through the paper. Be sure to use the white paper for better monitoring of the birds' droppings. Deli paper is strong, safe, lightweight and longlasting. CAUTION: Use extreme care when using ALL types of coated pots, pans, utensils while cooking. If overheated or left to burn, the fumes (undetectable) will KILL every bird within range or even in adjoining rooms. I personally know of 4 sad instances in which this recently happened. One bird owner lost most of her collection due to non-stick cookware overheating. A beautiful 9 year old pet greenwing macaw was in or near the kitchen when the owner left a boiling coated pot of water on the stove, fell asleep leaving it to burn. The bird screamed, fell off its perch and died shortly thereafter. Another customer told me that she lost her pet scarlet macaw while making spaghetti sauce and stirring the boiling sauce with a coated spoon. All of these people were devastated. HURRICANES & NATURAL DISASTERS: A generator of any size is a must if you're handfeeding babies during a power outage. Always have gasoline on hand for your generator because gas station pumps will be out of power too. Another really handy item is a headlamp flashlight. It works great because you can feed your birds in the dark without holding onto a regular flashlight. Just be sure to keep enough batteries on hand. A small propane camping stove to heat baby food or boil water will also come in handy. Battery powered radios or crank-up short wave radios will help you stay informed of things while the power is out. If you own an RV, be sure to keep the gas tank full. A power inverter for your car can be wired up directly to your battery in case you need to transport babies in a brooder to another location. You can also run other small appliances with it. For more information on how to prepare for nature's fury, please click here. AIR CLEANERS: NEVER use ozone cleaners or ionizers. These cleaners actually do harm to human lungs according to the American Lung Association. See the USA Today article about this. A good air cleaner is one with a HEPA filter. The best place to mount such a cleaner is up high near the ceiling.
 
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