Pet birds may be caged or allowed
to remain on perches while the owner is home to
supervise their activity. Birds should be confined
to cages while their owners are away to avoid
accidental injury and other misfortune.
Unsupervised pet birds allowed "the run of
the house" often get into trouble.
Not only can they be terribly
destructive to the home and its furnishings, but
all homes contain objects that can be harmful
(directly or indirectly) to pet birds. These
include mirrors, windows, walls, house plants,
electrical cords, and items containing harmful
chemicals.
Birds resting on open perches are usually
content to remain there, and usually take flight
only when frightened by a sudden movement or loud
noise. Unfortunately, these "impromptu"
flights are taken without a flight plan and birds
usually wind up crashing into walls, doors,
windows or mirrors because of their confusion and
poor depth perception.
The major source of poisoning of pet birds is
lead found in curtain (drapery) weights, curtain
pulls, leaded and stained glass, fishing sinkers
and ammunition carelessly discarded in ashtrays or
dropped on the floor, costume jewelry, and in the
lead wrapping around the tops of wine bottles, to
name the most common sources. Most caged birds
seem to have an affinity for this soft metal and
love to chew on it. Poisoning results from eating
even a small amount of lead. Lead poisoning can be
successfully treated if diagnosed early enough.
Caged birds allowed unrestricted freedom in the
home may eat house plants or chew on electrical
cords, resulting in illness and injury. Some
unsupervised pet birds chew on macrame, carpet and
other similar fabrics and often swallow these
materials, resulting in crop and intestinal
impactions. Free-flying birds are also more
vulnerable to injury from ceiling fans, hot
stoves, and attack by pet dogs, cats and ferrets
sharing the same household. It is wise not to
underestimate the aggressiveness of our 4-legged
friends, and to restrict contact between them and
pet birds as much as possible.
|
