Bird-Proofing Your House
| Just like any type of pet, birds can be exposed to a number of dangers in the household. There are many different reasons behind this, which include their small size and metabolism. Just like babies, birds are curios and often want to explore everything they can reach with their beaks. Due to this common behavior, it is very important to bird-proof your house as a means to protect your pet.
One of the most common problems with birds that are living indoors with their owners is poisoning. Birds are prone to substances that can harm them via ingestion or inhalation. These include insecticides, ammonia, bleach, paint, certain perfumes, or nail polish remover. Plants that are potentially poisonous must also be kept in a separate area from your bird. A not commonly known potential threat is that any source of open water in the house is a potential drowning hazard for your bird as well. These may include kitchen sinks, toilets, bathtubs, or even other pets' water bowls. Another seemingly harmless hazard is table scraps. Never feed your bird anything that has a high content of sugar or salt, or is excessively fatty. Never feed or give a bird access to chocolate. Also make sure that they do not ingest caffeine or alcohol, as these are toxic to all species of bird. Another risk you must be vigilant about is electrical cords around the house. As birds use their beaks to explore their surroundings, having them chomp down on an exposed electrical cord can prove fatal. Be sure to keep these, at the very least, away from your birds cage, and try to conceal them around the house as much as is possible. |