Safety
There are things in your home that are dangerous to your birds, so before you bring your bird home, you need to go through and remove anything that is dangerous, like chemicals, certain cookware, and candles and other items that can be potentially hazardous. Below is a list of some dangers.
Cookware: Most everyone uses non-stick cookware. Unfortunately most non-stick cookware is made from Teflon, which isn’t even safe for human consumption. Non-stick cookware puts off a fume once it reaches a temperature of 400 degrees (even less degrees if there are scratches or scrapes in the pan) and can kill your bird even if it’s in another room away from the kitchen. You need to make sure that your non-stick cookware is PTFE/PFOA free. If it doesn’t say that on the box, or on the item itself, then it is most likely unsafe. The only way you would be able to find out is through contacting the company. Some safe alternatives are using ceramic non-stick cookware. Some safe brands are NuWave, GreenLife, Ecolution, and Xtrema. You can also use stainless steel and cast iron pots and pans.
Self-Cleaning Ovens: Self-Cleaning ovens put off an incredible amount of fumes as it has to heat to about 500+ degrees to clean the oven. This is incredibly toxic to birds. If you really need to clean your oven, use a vinegar and lemon juice mixture, but if you must use the self-cleaning oven, you will need to remove your birds for the day and open up all windows and doors to let the fresh air in. But honestly, it’s just not worth the risk.
Space Heaters: Most ceramic space heaters are safe, but some include Teflon in them. I have personally contacted the company Pelonis who makes heaters that you can buy at Lowes, and they have affirmed to me that all of their ceramic space heaters are safe for all animals. Oil heaters can put off fumes, so I don’t think those are safe.
Household Cleaners, Pesticides, and Sprays: Many cleaners are toxic to you and your animals. If you are a person that likes to use bleach, ammonia, and tons of chemicals in your house, then a bird is not for you. Some safe alternatives are vinegar, lemon juice, corn starch, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, club soda, olive oil, plant-based soap, and hot water. Vinegar is an excellent cleaner and is even safe for cleaning their cages (rinse properly). If you also use bug sprays or bug poison or other pesticides around the house, then you are putting your birds lungs and health at risk. Dawn soap is also a safe alternative, but must be rinsed thoroughly.
Air Fresheners: Candles, plug-ins, candle warmers, wax burners, incense, potpourri, and other forms of air fresheners like aerosol cans and Febreeze sprays are very toxic to your birds. There are some safe essential oils that can be diffused around them, but it has to be a 100% pure oil and quite diluted. Some safe oils are Young Living and Doterra. Even with those two brands, there are many essential oils that are still toxic to your birds and shouldn’t be used. You should also avoid carpet cleaning powders. It is best to just use an air purifier to clean the air in the room.
Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans are especially dangerous and can result in a severely injured or dead bird.
Nicotine and Smoke: Cigars and cigarette smoke are even more dangerous to birds because of their little lungs. Also charcoal grills and wood smoke is extremely dangerous. So if you are doing either, you will need to make sure that the smoke is not leaking into your house.
The Bathroom and Beauty Supplies: Dangers lurk everywhere in bathrooms. Open toilets, hairdryers, curling and straightening irons, hairspray, nail polish, and more are very dangerous to your bird, because they don’t know that these things are dangerous and could land on or in them and cause severe burns or inhale the chemicals that are in the air.
The Kitchen: The kitchen is full of dangers. They can land behind the stove or refrigerator and you not be able to get them out. They could land in a pot of boiling water and die. They can land in the sink full of dishes and drown in a bowl of water. Also NEVER use the self-cleaning option on your oven. That is an instant bird killer! I have blocked my kitchen off so that they can't go in there, as there are too many dangers. And not just for them, but for you. Birds carry bacteria that you don't want getting on your dishes and countertops where you prep food. So keep them out of the kitchen!
The Floor: I know what you’re thinking, how is the floor dangerous? But you could accidentally step on them, and the floor has so many germs and bacteria that are not good for your little bird to be exposed to.
Drawers and Cabinets: While this is a rare occurrence, there are reasons why people have this on their list of possible dangers. If you’re not keeping an eye on them, they can get into some trouble and accidentally get caught in a drawer or cabinet unknowingly. I’ve even heard of them flying behind the stove and getting caught behind it.
Windows and Mirrors: Birds can't distinguish the difference between a window and the outside world. They can easily fly into a window or mirror and hurt or kill themselves. When allowing them out for the first time walk them around the room and tap on any mirrors or windows you have so that they know not to go crashing into them. Best to close the curtains/blinds if you have them and remove mirrors though. If you can't remove the mirror or close the curtains/blinds, put little window clings all over the mirror/window to show that it's something they can't fly through.
Open Doors and Windows: Make sure your bird is in its cage before you open a door or window. They will instinctively fly out and you will likely never see them again. Even when you have a screen on your door or window, they can easily chew through that in a matter of seconds. So always supervise when they are out of their cage.
House Plants: Many plants are toxic to birds. I have included some safe and unsafe plants on the Diet page, but it is up to you to do the proper research to see what is harmful.
Drowning and Suffocating: Water bowls, dishes, pet water bowls, glasses, and toilets are all drowning dangers. Laundry, blankets, furniture cushions are all dangers for suffocating. Also, do not sleep with your bird, as that can cause them to get trapped and suffocate.
Heat Exposure, Drafts, and Temperature Changes: Birds cannot tolerate excessive heat, so avoid placing them in direct sunlight. If you take them outside, it’s best to put them in the shade with plenty of water. Supervision outside is also a must because they can escape their cages or possibly be harassed by a predator. Drafts, just like in humans, can cause them to get sick. Keep them away from all vents and drafty windows. Sudden temperature changes can also cause them to get sick. So if you're just getting a new bird and it was kept outside and you want to keep it inside, you're going to have to do an adjustment period so it can get used to the climate change.
Toys: Even though pet stores sell toys marketed for birds, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a safe toy. Certain fiber ropes, nylon ropes, and many other items used in the fabrication of these toys are very dangerous as they can swallow them and it get stuck in their crop. Click here for a list of safe and unsafe materials for your toys.
Unsupervised Children: Parrotlets are fragile and it doesn't take much to hurt them. A toddler or small child can easily kill a bird by getting excited and squeezing or squishing the bird. Anytime a bird is out around children under 10, it should be supervised by an adult.
With Other Animals: Your birds should be kept separate from your other animals and not allowed to be out of the cage near prey driven animals like cats and dogs. You might think your trained dog or cat won’t hurt the animal, but training can’t account for thousands of years of instinct. Not to mention that each animal has their own set of germs and bacteria on their skin, fur, mouths, and paws. A lick from a cat can kill a bird real quick. And birds carry their own bacteria that could potentially infect your other animals, as well as yourself. It is very important that you wash your hands before and after touching each animal, even bird to bird, as they can easily hide their own illnesses. Birds in the wild have to hide their illnesses so that they won’t be picked on by the other birds. And even though these are pets, their instincts are still there, so you can unknowingly pass something on and infect them.
Owner-Caused Diseases: While you might want to kiss your bird, it is not recommended, as our saliva can spread germs and bacteria to them that their bodies aren’t adapted to fight off. Taking your bird to bird shows, or places where other birds are, is very dangerous as well. Not only that, if you go by yourself, it’s best to not even go near your bird until you’ve changed your clothes and cleaned yourself off from potential parasites that can spread from other birds to your clothes or skin, and then transfer to your birds.
Stress: Stress can kill them easily. It's why it is so important when you first bring your bird home that you give them a week or so to settle down and get used to you, your movements, your schedule, and to not disturb them during this process. They are already nervous as they are in a new cage and they probably won't eat for a few days. So it's best to make this transition as stressless as possible while they adapt to their new surroundings. If you think your bird is stressed and not coming out of it, take them to an avian veterinarian as soon as possible.