Are Christmas trees safe?

[Ninato]

Since the holidays are coming my family was thinking about getting a natural tree, I’ve researched a bit and most sites consider pine and spruce safe, as long as it was treated with chemicals. However my parrot is super playful and chews on everything he Can, so I’m a bit worried that if it would be dangerous if he were to ingest some of the needles, so is it ok to get the tree or Should we stay with a fake one?

 

[Shezbug]

I am hoping your first sentence has a missing word in it... you definitely do NOT want any tree treated with chemicals.

I believe the most concern with newer safe pine is the sap and also how it was grown. Farmed trees for Christmas are usually chemical treated and grown in fertilizers etc.

 

[camelotshadow]

Farmed xmas trees are likely systemically treated so the insecticide is in the tree everywhere.

 

[Ninato]

Oh well, I´m not sure if the guys who are farming them use chemicals, however since they probably do use chemicals then a fake tree is better?

 

[Toy]

If you live where it's warm enough just hose the natural tree off well, let it dry a day or so before bringing it inside. I've had both natural & fake trees & none of my parrots ever tried to land on one.

 

[BirdLady13]

Last year my lovebird decided he was going to be a tree topper; nothing bad happened, but he also didn't chew on it. I do have pics if anyone wants to see. I'm always careful to vacuum up the needles that have fallen off so none of the birds have a chance to taste test them.

 

[Momof3litt]

Christmas trees grown grown on tree farms are generally sprayed with pesticides as they are growing, you could ask your local tree farmer when the last treatment was. I would not worry as much about the fertilizers.

Alternately, you can look for an organic tree farm, there are a growing number of them.

Artificial trees are generally made from PVC, so you wouldn't want a bird chewing on that either.