Do NOT let your pet birds around Non-Stick Cookware!

From our friends at the Pet Connection Blog. I had no idea!

Like most anyone who is always giving out advice to pet-lovers, I sometimes forget the things I think are absolutely-everyone-knows-this facts aren’t anywhere near as widely known as I’d hope.

Which is why across all our media platfoms (and aren’t those fancy words for newspaper column, Web sites, blogs and the TV/radio appearances for Dr. Becker?) we always find ourselves doubling back to hit the basics. Because sometimes people mean well, but just don’t know any better.

That’s why this afternoon I’m reminding everyone that pet birds should never be caged in the kitchen, and that if you use non-stick cookware, maybe you ought not. I gave away the nonstick stuff when I first got a parrot and haven’t any since.

Why? Because the fumes given off by the non-stick coating can kill your bird. It’s actually common enough that I know several people who have killed their birds this way, just not realizing the danger.

And it’s really deadly stuff for birds. From the Kennebec Journal & Morning Sentinal in Maine:

Could nonstick coating material used on some kitchen cookware have caused the deaths of a dozen exotic birds this past weekend?

Probably, says Dr. Anne Lichtenwalner, director of the diagnostic laboratory at the University of Maine, who performed a necropsy — an examination of the internal organs — on several of the dead birds.

Contacted late Wednesday, Lichtenwalner said her test results point to fumes from nonstick coatings on cookware as the most likely cause of death.

“The lesions common to the several birds that we necropsied were consistent with acute death due to an inhaled toxicant,” Lichtenwalner said. “I was able to reach the caretaker of the animals who said she was cooking with a pan; it was a nonstick pan.

“That is the most likely cause. That’s likely to have been the case.”

The cockatiels, parrots and parakeets died suddenly Sunday night as a woman was making dinner for herself and two other adults.

The birds, said Starks Fire Chief Julie Costigan, were in cages just 10 feet from the cooking area. They all died within 30 minutes of one another.

BE AWARE!

How to Modify a Kennel for Bird Travel

We have many clients who want to take their feathered companions along when they travel and we are often asked about suitable travel kennels.

With a little work, you can modify a standard travel kennel to safely accommodate any bird. The only thing to keep in mind is the size of the bird. A small kennel will do for a cockatiel, however cockatoos and larger parrots will need an intermediate.

You should plan on about an hour for the project.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Travel Kennel
• ¾' to 1' dowel depending on the size of your bird
• ½' wood screws
• saw
• screwdriver
• tape measure
• light mesh wiring or screen material
• Sharpie pen
• heavy scissors/garden shears/wire cutters
• cable ties
• duct tape

There are two steps necessary for modifying a travel kennel for a pet bird. The first is you have to install a perch. The second is to cover the sides and door with chicken wire.

INSTALLING THE PERCH

You want to install the perch about 1 inch above the bottom of the kennel, about ¾ of the way towards the back to the kennel.

If your travel kennel is already assembled, you will need to break it down into its two halves. Take the lower half and with the tape measure, measure the distance between the side walls at a point about 1 inch above the bottom. Cut your dowel to this length and place it in the bottom half of the kennel about ¾ of the way to the back. You will be able to see the slight bulge it creates in the sides of the kennel. Use these bulges as a guide to screw one screw through the kennel and into each end of the wooden dowel with the screwdriver.

COVERING THE SIDES AND DOOR WITH MESH

There is very light gauge mesh wiring available at Home Depot or Lowes. It generally comes in a design with small squares. You can also use the material used for most household widow screens. The opening on traditional chicken wire is generally too large as the point of the wiring is to keep your bird from injuring itself by poking its beak or feet out of the kennels.

Lay the mesh over the door and with your Sharpie pen, trace the outer edge of the kennel door. (you want the mesh slightly bigger than the door). Repeat the process for the openings on either side of the kennel.

Using your heavy scissors or your garden shears, cut out the template of the wire mesh. Use the cable ties to secure the mesh to the door and side openings. One on each corner and one in the middle of each side is generally sufficient.

Lastly, use your duct tape to cover up the edges of the mesh wiring. It is usually best to just you one continuous strip all the way around the door and one for each side. This prevents your pet bird from injuring itself on any loose edges.

If your kennel already has holes in the back, you will need to cover them with mesh if they are large enough for your pet bird to stick his beak or legs through. To do this, just cut out one square of mesh large enough to cover all of the holes and secure it to the back of the kennel with duct tape.

If the back of your kennel does not have holes already, you will need to take a small ¼ inch drill bit and drill 15 to 20 holes in the back of the kennel. Then you will need to tape a swatch of the mesh over those holes on the outside of the kennel with duct tape.

Put the top of the kennel on and your fine feathered friend is now ready for travel!

How to Modify A Kennel for Birds - Pet Travel

We have many clients who want to take their feathered companions along when they travel and we are often asked about suitable travel kennels.

With a little work, you can modify a standard travel kennel to safely accommodate any bird. The only thing to keep in mind is the size of the bird. A small kennel will do for a cockatiel, however cockatoos and larger parrots will need an intermediate.

You should plan on about an hour for the project.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Travel Kennel
• ¾' to 1' dowel depending on the size of your bird
• ½' wood screws
• saw
• screwdriver
• tape measure
• light mesh wiring or screen material
• Sharpie pen
• heavy scissors/garden shears/wire cutters
• cable ties
• duct tape

There are two steps necessary for modifying a travel kennel for a pet bird. The first is you have to install a perch. The second is to cover the sides and door with chicken wire.

INSTALLING THE PERCH

You want to install the perch about 1 inch above the bottom of the kennel, about ¾ of the way towards the back to the kennel.

If your travel kennel is already assembled, you will need to break it down into its two halves. Take the lower half and with the tape measure, measure the distance between the side walls at a point about 1 inch above the bottom. Cut your dowel to this length and place it in the bottom half of the kennel about ¾ of the way to the back. You will be able to see the slight bulge it creates in the sides of the kennel. Use these bulges as a guide to screw one screw through the kennel and into each end of the wooden dowel with the screwdriver.

COVERING THE SIDES AND DOOR WITH MESH

There is very light gauge mesh wiring available at Home Depot or Lowes. It generally comes in a design with small squares. You can also use the material used for most household widow screens. The opening on traditional chicken wire is generally too large as the point of the wiring is to keep your bird from injuring itself by poking its beak or feet out of the kennels.

Lay the mesh over the door and with your Sharpie pen, trace the outer edge of the kennel door. (you want the mesh slightly bigger than the door). Repeat the process for the openings on either side of the kennel.

Using your heavy scissors or your garden shears, cut out the template of the wire mesh. Use the cable ties to secure the mesh to the door and side openings. One on each corner and one in the middle of each side is generally sufficient.

Lastly, use your duct tape to cover up the edges of the mesh wiring. It is usually best to just you one continuous strip all the way around the door and one for each side. This prevents your pet bird from injuring itself on any loose edges.

If your kennel already has holes in the back, you will need to cover them with mesh if they are large enough for your pet bird to stick his beak or legs through. To do this, just cut out one square of mesh large enough to cover all of the holes and secure it to the back of the kennel with duct tape.

If the back of your kennel does not have holes already, you will need to take a small ¼ inch drill bit and drill 15 to 20 holes in the back of the kennel.

Put the top of the kennel on and your fine feathered friend is now ready for travel!

The Truth about Relocating Birds

Many parrots and other exotic birds have life spans in excess of 50 years. This in conjunction with their engaging and unique personalities make them a cherished member of the family. We are often asked about the regulations for traveling abroad with birds.

The good news is that it is possible (to most locations). With the scare surrounding avian flu, some countries have instituted a complete ban so please check with us regarding your ultimate destination.

The bad news is, it is an expensive and involved process. The first obstacle we usually encounter is many exotic pet birds are actually endangered species. You can check if your pet is on the Endangered Species List by going here http://www.cites.org/.

If your pet is indeed on the list, then we will have to obtain special export permits as well as arrange inspections on the day of travel. We usually also must obtain similar permits for import in the destination country.

The second hurdle is that quarantine is often involved in the destination country. As many countries are still formulating their policies surrounding pet birds, reliable information can be difficult to obtain.

There is a mandatory 30 day quarantine for birds returning to the US. However, if you have the proper paperwork when you leave the States, it is sometimes possible to avoid quarantine upon re-entry.

Our best suggestions for planning to travel with your pet bird is as follows:

1) - Check with www.cites.org to see if they are an endangered species;
2) - Keep all paperwork surrounding when and where you got your bird as this will help tremendously with the paperwork;
3) - Do lots of research (we can help) on the regulations in your destination country.