Essential oils

[FLmom]

So I received my first order of Doterra oils today. Also my first diffuser. I'm
Excited to get stared but I just wanted to see what would be the safest one to start with around Kai. He is in another room but still I want to be able to use them safely around him as well. I've heard about tea tree oil and that's a bit upsetting to me as that is one of the ones that I was looking forward to using. For now I only got the starter kit with lemon lavender and peppermint. Does anyone here have experience with those around birds?

 

[Robyn]

I don't use them around Riley but my brothers gf sells doterra I have always heard they are bad to use around birds so I would just be very careful.

 

[webchirp]

I use Young Living only around mine.

 

[Fuzzy]

I too only use Young Living for my parrots. Young Living Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree oil) is safe to use around birds. Tea Tree oil, as well as Lavender and Rose, is one of the most adulterated oils (cut with chemical fillers) which is why it is usually unsafe.

 

[Peachfaced]

I've heard Tea Tree Oil is actually very toxic to animals including birds. What would the difference be between regular and stuff that's been tampered with?

 

[Fuzzy]

Almost all Tea Tree oil for sale has been padded out with chemicals to make it go further. It's the chemical fillers which are dangerous. In cases where cats have died, if a sample of the oil has been kept and research able to be done, it has always been poor grade synthetic tea tree oil which has been to blame - your basic over the counter oil. A company can label their oil as 100% pure because maybe 10% (if that!) is 100% pure but the other 90% is synthetic.

 

[webchirp]

I would not chance using any type of tea tree oil. There are no studies that I know of that determine chemicals in any brands are the culprit. My foster parrotlet died after being treated by the previous home with tea tree oils. Please do not chance it. There are so many other oils that can perform similar functions.

 

[finchly]

So I received my first order of Doterra oils today. Also my first diffuser. I'm
Excited to get stared but I just wanted to see what would be the safest one to start with around Kai. He is in another room but still I want to be able to use them safely around him as well. I've heard about tea tree oil and that's a bit upsetting to me as that is one of the ones that I was looking forward to using. For now I only got the starter kit with lemon lavender and peppermint. Does anyone here have experience with those around birds?

What exactly have you heard about it? I sell doterra and use it around my birds -- all 28 of them! I don't use it ON them (yet). I will say I've gone as far as to have oils on my skin and the tiels especially will 'taste' it, with no bad results. I did a lot of research before choosing doterra, I feel they are extremely safe. Maybe you should call the company and ask them for details if you are concerned.

I also have treated my dog with tea tree oil on a bad bite he got from a pit bull. I can see needing to cut it with water, for a bird if you are using it on the skin. I don't understand why it's not okay in a diffuser. Most of doterra's oils can be used internally (humans) so they've got to be safe.

 

[Heather F]

Just because something is safe for humans and even safe for dogs doesn't mean it is safe for birds. Chocolate is safe for humans, but toxic to birds and dogs. Tea tree oil is toxic to birds, period. Please don't use it on them or recommend it for them.

Also keep in mind the difference in mass between a human and a bird. Essential oils are concentrated far beyond anything that would actually be found in nature. Even in humans they can cause damage if used without proper knowledge (most are NOT generally appropriate for internal use, not because they are from that other brand that isn't as pure as my brand but because they are so pure you end up with toxic levels of the active compounds). Consider that most birds are at least 100 times smaller than your average adult human and have extremely delicate respiratory systems. I would consult with an avian vet before letting my bird have contact with any kind of essential oil product.

 

[webchirp]

My avian vet says no Tea Tree Oil period...she and other vets have seen many deaths and illness from it.

 

[Doris M]

What exactly have you heard about it? I sell doterra and use it around my birds -- all 28 of them! I don't use it ON them (yet). I will say I've gone as far as to have oils on my skin and the tiels especially will 'taste' it, with no bad results. I did a lot of research before choosing doterra, I feel they are extremely safe. Maybe you should call the company and ask them for details if you are concerned.

I also have treated my dog with tea tree oil on a bad bite he got from a pit bull. I can see needing to cut it with water, for a bird if you are using it on the skin. I don't understand why it's not okay in a diffuser. Most of doterra's oils can be used internally (humans) so they've got to be safe.

Tee Tree oil is actually used to fight fungal infections (I.e. warts). For other issues such as rashes aloe is most useful.

 

[rocky'smom]

DO NOT USE TEA TREE OIL ON OR AROUND BIRDS THEY CAN DIE FROM IT!!!!!

Tea Tree Oil | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

Pea | Avian Avenue Parrot Forum

 

[MsCreature]

I'd be interested to see what fillers or chemicals are in tea tree and other oils. I'm missing my access to labs right now, but in the next academic year I would be able to test different oils and identify the specific compounds within them if anyone is interested. :]

 

[FLmom]

so far I have used the DOterra Lavender Lemon and peppermint in small doses around Kai. No ill affects at all. These are the first oils I have ever used so I cant compare. I have no plans to use Tea tree oil but was just disappointed that it was known to be so toxic to birds as I really believe certain oils can be beneficial in people and animals. I will keep researching and always be very careful around Kai. Id love as much in put as I can get from those with actual experience with essential oils.

 

[Katarina]

I just read the book Aromatherapy for parrots and I have been using Essential Oils all my life for different purposes, and I my mother went to school for Aromatherapy Oils and she told me to use only Organic Certified Oils around my birds and not tea tree and only certain ones in small doses diffused. I have to be honest, that book is not very useful, the whole thing is paid by Young Living Essential Oils and Do Terra is also not that good, because they have their own standard for being therapeutic grade, its all a lot of marketing. NEther of Young Living Essential Oils or Do Terra are Organic and they have their own standars, so I decided to go with another brand which has certified organic only and guarantees that the oils have no pesticides, no chemicals added and are distilled not in an industrial way where chemicals are added. Just do your research and be safe with your birds. I would never use non organic oils around my birds and pay double just because a website claims something which they made up them selves, such as a standard for therapeutic grade , its silly.

 

[Katarina]

Young Living Essential Oils are under criminal investigation by the FDA and I would not get their oils because they have way too many false claims. They claim that one of the Ebola is no match for one of their oils. See the link below. What a bunch of scammers.

Young Living 9/22/14

 

[keikoasmom]

I would not chance using any type of tea tree oil. There are no studies that I know of that determine chemicals in any brands are the culprit. My foster parrotlet died after being treated by the previous home with tea tree oils. Please do not chance it. There are so many other oils that can perform similar functions.

I never saw this before.
I am very surprised!
I have used Tea Tree oil for many things, for years! Last summer I had a terrible
2nd degree sunburn and my son told me to use TT oil. I had nver used it for a burn, but have used it for
injuries and for disinfecting, bug spray, many other things~
He said he was pulling a dish of hot lasagne out of the oven the winter before, it started to fall, and he reached out with his hand, and stuck it into the hot (bubbling!) lasagne! His GF said to use TT oil, and he did, and the pain was gone in an instant,
and it never blistered.

I was already blistered, but same thing: the pain gone immediately, and the itching was much less.

I just bought 3 botles from Puritan Pride to dilute to disinfect the outdoor aviary. Squirrels have been running across the top.

 

[BatmansWife]

I just read the book Aromatherapy for parrots and I have been using Essential Oils all my life for different purposes, and I my mother went to school for Aromatherapy Oils and she told me to use only Organic Certified Oils around my birds and not tea tree and only certain ones in small doses diffused. I have to be honest, that book is not very useful, the whole thing is paid by Young Living Essential Oils and Do Terra is also not that good, because they have their own standard for being therapeutic grade, its all a lot of marketing. NEther of Young Living Essential Oils or Do Terra are Organic and they have their own standars, so I decided to go with another brand which has certified organic only and guarantees that the oils have no pesticides, no chemicals added and are distilled not in an industrial way where chemicals are added. Just do your research and be safe with your birds. I would never use non organic oils around my birds and pay double just because a website claims something which they made up them selves, such as a standard for therapeutic grade , its silly.

So what brand do you recommend?

 

[painesgrey]

I have also heard that tea tree oils are highly toxic to birds, and have been told to avoid them.

Essential oils are also highly toxic to cats, so I just don't use them at all. Safe for people ≠ safe for everything. While anecdotal evidence like "I've used them around my birds for years" may indicate some degree of safety, it by no means indicates harmlessness. I would caution against using them near the birds, and would say you absolutely shouldn't use them on the birds until actual studies indicate it's okay. Better safe than sorry.

 

[haleybethg]

I realize this is thread is a bit older, but I'm glad it's come up again as I am interested in oils and plan on signing up this weekend to be a Young Living distributor (for my own discount; not to sell.)

I am interested for my OWN use and my diffuser will be in my bedroom, away from the birds. I did want them to be safe "near" the oil though (i.e. living in the same 1,200 sq ft house with central heat and air), but I agree with not using the oils on the birds or as dietary supplements. Some people do, and that's fine for them, but I am not comfortable doing so. All that said, tea tree oil is something I will not be using around my birds because I'm just not willing to risk it.

Does anyone have an opinion on Eden's Garden or Rocky Mountain Oils? I've researched and I feel comfortable using YL and RMO, but there's hundreds of brands! I feel doTerra is also probably fine, but I'm sticking to one MLM company at a time lol.

@Karen uses oils I think.