*Post originally taken from pethealthandsupplies.com and expanded.
So, you have a bird and know from your research that you must be careful with your cleaning products, fragrances and chemicals you use in your home from now on.
The bad news is that there is no official research out there that studies different chemicals and their effects on pet birds. This is shocking, but not too surprising for what is supposed to be the 4th most popular pet in the USA.
The good news is that there are some alternatives and companies that seek to provide safe options to still have a great smelling home. Some people simmer orange peels, cinnamon and cloves on the stovetop as a home fragrance. Vinegar is a fantastic cleanser, especially in the stronger concentrations. Oven cleaner is a proven killer and should be avoided at all costs.
I’ve personally yet to hear a story about birds dropping dead from a candle but the danger is real over time, like smoking. There are some unofficial reports from vets stating that glade plug ins and high VOC fragrances can kill birds, however, there was also a high carbon monoxide reading in one of the reports. Meaning; it is still a mystery.
Birds have very different lungs than humans. Plus, burning a candle in itself, even without fragrance is a carcinogen because it can produce smoke. for that reason, wax melts are the preferred fragrance product for homes with birds. Also, paraffin must be avoided and most commercial candles are paraffin mix.
Many people think that essential oils are automatically safer for everyone because they are “natural.” This is a myth, because essential oils are an allergy triggers for thousands, especially the ones derived from the pine family. the effects of EO (essential oils) on parrots are unknown.
So, whats the answer? Some people avoid home fragrances altogether and others buy candles but burn them away from their birds with plenty of ventilation. Still others seek out alternatives and tested parrot safe products. This brings us to two companies; parrotsafecandles; https://parrotsafecandles.com/
and 3birdsSoap. Both test on site.
I personally don’t know any more information about this vet approval. which vet? Is it a single veterinarian, or a group? More information may be needed to know for sure. Parrotsafecandles states testing happens on site around their birds.
The EU has banned over 200 chemicals that American companies can use freely in their fragranced products with abandon, creating a bit of a “Wild West,” of products and their risks to our and our pet’s health.
Parrotsafecandles claims that their products are “vet approved,” but, birdssoap takes a different approach to candles and states that “Candles have flames and smoke is proven carcinogenic, therefore we don’t recommend candles for birds.” Parrotsafecandles sells both wax melts and candles, birdssoap states that their candles and wax melts are the same bird safe formula, but only recommends wax melts around birds; so, you really have only one choice when you need a candle, specifically.
BirdsSoap is run by a former chef and uses EU approved fragrances and only suggests food based, wax melts for parrot residences that are suggested to be kept cold, like food; not surprising, coming from a chef. The reason being that candles are not as safe. BirdsSoap claims testing around their rescue parrots on site and also donates a part of their proceeds to local bird rescue efforts. The price difference is a few dollars for a pack of six melts between the two companies.
Images, videos and so forth of birdssoap can be found on the production area on tiktok, facebook, instagram and even Pinterest. https://pin.it/6P4I084
Reviews for both products can be found online by bird keeping people all over the world and they are overwhelmingly positive for both small businesses.
Here is the link for parrotsafecandles on Facebook, which has reviews; https://www.facebook.com/parrotsafecandles/reviews
The consensus on birdsSoap is that their fragrances are extremely good, more varied and seasonal, but last less time than traditional wax melts, presumably because of the food based ingredients. The suggestion to extend the life of the individual melts is to cut them in half and “refresh” the wax melt pool in 2-3 hours.
We want to hear from you; what changes have you made to bird proof your home? Have you tried either company’s products? What is your opinion?
A Soap Company for Parrot People 