How much smoke is to much

[Karen]

I have no words for how sad this all sounds to me. Shed, winter time, smoke/fire risk. Perhaps .. considering these little souls can't be part of the indoor family, you should consider finding them homes where they'll be warm and safe.

I'm truly not trying to sound harsh .. but it just isn't fair to them, living in a shed that is obviously not designed for winter temperatures.

My sentiments exactly. My heart has been hurting for these birds since I read this thread yesterday. I feel so very bad for them.

 

[Karen]

Also everyone - none of us think keeping birds in a shed sounds healthy but we should create an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions without judgment.

I think it's the birds who should be made comfortable....I think the OP of this thread should create an environment where the birds are warm and safe.

 

[Maxsmom]

I think it's the birds who should be made comfortable....I think the OP of this thread should create an environment where the birds are warm and safe.

I dont believe I said the birds should be kept in the shed. BUT no one helps by writing posts with judgmental tones. Who will seek assistance through AA if they will be met with ridicule and condescending responses. AA members should suggest solutions but do not need to ridicule. READ and THINK about the message to all members. The tone of some AA members in this thread is embarrassing and leads me to consider discontinuing participation on AA.

PandaPaws23 if health reasons prevent keeping your birds in your home and you can't get an air filter and the shed is cold and not ventilated you may want to consider finding alternative homes for your pets as tough as a decision as it may be.

 

[Anne & Gang]

Everyone is jumping to conclusions by thinking that the temperatures are cold where this person lives. The shed might be a perfectly acceptable, aviary sized, predator proofed building with heat for all we know. I know we are all concerned for this person's birds but this person came on looking for help.I am very concerned for the birds as well but I don't think judging this person helps..Not one of us knows the true circumstances.

 

[Merlie]

Everyone is jumping to conclusions by thinking that the temperatures are cold where this person lives. The shed might be a perfectly acceptable, aviary sized, predator proofed building with heat for all we know. I know we are all concerned for this person's birds but this person came on looking for help.I am very concerned for the birds as well but I don't think judging this person helps..Not one of us knows the true circumstances.

Well .. since they needed a heat source, as her original post stated <a heat lamp>, it is safe to presume that they do live in a colder climate or the heat source wouldn't be needed in the first place. Not to mention .. a heat lamp isn't necessarily the safest heating option, so again, I believe it is safe to presume that this shed doesn't not have a true heat source.

If you'd like to see the shed, she has posted video of it.

Update On Budgies - YouTube

I realize that people don't often look at their breeder birds as pets, so they don't often get the same treatment as a pet/companion bird, but still .. I think a safer heat source should be looked into.

 

[Bokkapooh]

If they need a heat lamp. Then I'm not sure if it's climate controlled. Someone else can chime in on that.

Even a walmart Air Purifier will reduce dust that triggers asthma attacks. Change papers daily too! Dried bird feces is worst then feather dander when it comes to allergies!

My mom has asthma and emphysema (she smokes...) and the air purifier she has from Walmart, changing papers daily and letting in fresh air daily, helps SO much!

 

[Bokkapooh]

My mom's bedroom is 18ft x 12ft. So she has an air purifier that change 1600ft of air per hour. Get the LARGER air purifiers that Change more air an hour. Don't get the 100-400sq ft ones. They are not good!

 

[kitsunebandit]

What difference is there keeping birds in sheds and keeping them in aviaries? They're exposed to the weather still. She has a flock of budgies and they are very hardy little birds when it comes to winter weather. My guys have an outdoor flight and a heated indoor area (I use tubular heaters) and they hardly ever go inside or seek shelter. All of my breeder birds are outside, as I find they thrive when given the opportunity to fly properly and get good fresh air + sunlight. People are far far too judgemental when somebody asks a simple question looking for advice. Sometimes things aren't possible, and how on earth should the owner be blamed for something that wasn't her fault? If the heat lamps ALWAYS did this then they simply wouldn't be sold or made any more. If you but something you should be able to trust it

 

[rockybird]

I would be concerned that the sheets and lights are a fire hazard.

 

[roxynoodle]

I don't know where the OP lives. I can see in the video that the shed isn't awful like the one I have here that I use for firewood, but it doesn't look climate controlled either. Ohio has the craziest temperature swings. I have seen 112F down to -28F (not including humidity or wind chills). It just wouldn't work here very well at all unless it was a fully insulated building with climate control.

I have allergies and asthma and am living with a Grey. I wipe her cage all down every few days and sweep around it daily. I mop around it every few days. I take allergy pills year round and use asthma meds as necessary. I'm also going to get a good air cleaner and move the birds into their own room.

So I can't totally comment on the shed without knowing what the climate is like, but if it needs a heat lamp, I'm thinking it's in a climate that's too cold for the birds. I could be wrong as sometimes it gets on the colder side even down south and out west in the US. But, what about summer? Does it get horribly hot?

I do urge you to bring them indoors even if they need to go into a bedroom. The potential of a fire from the heat lamps is frightening to me. Mice and rats can chew through the cords, let alone having it fall like it did.

 

[Macaw Lover]

Any exposure to smoke can have long term affects on a bird's air sac (they don't have lungs) and should be examined by a qualified Avian Vet.

One time at the bird club they had a lady from Ohio come to speak and she kept her birds outside year round with indoor/outdoor flights. When the weather was really bad, and I think her definition was under 0 degree temps, they would close the doors so the birds could not access the outdoor flights.

I have another friend in Oregon who has birds and here again, keeps them outside and says that if birds have shelter and have been accumulated, birds survive very well outdoors.

If a bird has been indoors you cannot just take it outdoors in say 40 weather. More than a 10 degree difference is the key. If a bird has been outside all summer and left out there while the temps were gradually going down a bird should be ok if it is provided proper shelter and food. Birds are generally tougher than we give them credit for.

If a bird has health issues, and in this case, these birds could potentially have respiratory problems after being exposed to smoke and other toxins released in the fire, leaving them in any type of shed is not what should be happening. If you were wheezing and they were in it longer, that is your proof right there they have damage, question is, to what extent.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Renee - I don't understand - why do you say that birds don't have lungs?

Exercise 26 Avian Respiratory System

 

[Merlie]

What difference is there keeping birds in sheds and keeping them in aviaries? They're exposed to the weather still. She has a flock of budgies and they are very hardy little birds when it comes to winter weather. My guys have an outdoor flight and a heated indoor area (I use tubular heaters) and they hardly ever go inside or seek shelter. All of my breeder birds are outside, as I find they thrive when given the opportunity to fly properly and get good fresh air + sunlight. People are far far too judgemental when somebody asks a simple question looking for advice. Sometimes things aren't possible, and how on earth should the owner be blamed for something that wasn't her fault? If the heat lamps ALWAYS did this then they simply wouldn't be sold or made any more. If you but something you should be able to trust it

I realize that most breeders do keep birds that have both indoor/outdoor access .. and that birds can be quite cold hardy. I live in the Chicago area and we have feral flocks of Quakers that survive even our nasty winters, however, they live in big flocks and share huge nest colonies .. which I gather provides natural heat. From the pictures I saw .. the birds are not really in an indoor/outdoor aviary type set up. They're in wire cages inside the shed. My only point was that perhaps a safer heat source may be needed .. I just don't believe heat lamps as the primary heat source are really safe. The OP lives in an area where it snows .. from the pictures .. I guess I feel that if it gets cold enough to snow, then a decent/safe heat source is required.

 

[KatherinesBirds]

I lived in California for 42 years and kept over 300 birds in what might have been called a series of "sheds". They were covered on three sides. All the birds had nest boxes and there was a light in these outdoor aviaries. They were breeders, all of them. None died of exposure.

 

[cute_lil_fiend]

I only recently learned that parrots can survive in temperatures close to and below freezing, as long as they are properly acclimatized, which is pretty amazing since their usual habitat is tropical and temperatures never fall below what I would consider to be "toasty".

Also, this may have been mentioned in other posts I did not read, but I haven't seen any reference to where she lives, and that may play a big part in how warm the shed is. Someone mentioned a heat lamp being used as an indication that it is indeed cold, but I just want to say when we kept Remy in the sunroom he had a radiant heater for him while the temperature was 17 C, so I think it best not to speculate on the unsuitability of conditions without at least asking the OP and listening to what he/she has to say.

If I were the OP, I'd definitely be put off by the tone of some of the comments here.


To the OP, sorry this happened. I would recommend keeping a close eye on them and making sure nothing is out of the ordinary with regards to their breathing, feeding, or behaviour for the next little while. You say you don't have access to transportation to get to the vet, but perhaps some sort of plan can be arranged for future emergencies. Doing things like finding the contact information and clinic address a knowledgeable vet, lining up an emergency form of transportation, be it a friend, family member, or taxi, planning the route to the clinic (if driving or bussing), and having a suitable transport container ready for the birds are all things that will save you time in case of critical emergencies and for which you can prepare now. Do what you can now, and next time you go for a checkup for them, mention this incident, even it's been a while, so the vet can check for any signs of respiratory distress.

 

[roxynoodle]

I'm concerned due to the 4 who died a few days ago that the OP thought was from eating a tainted coconut. Now I'm wondering if the heat lamp put out some kind of toxic fumes or smoke then. On that thread I didn't realize they were in the shed with the heat lamp. Now it very well may have been the coconut, but I don't think anyone can say for sure.

 

[roxynoodle]

Here is that very sad thread:

http://forums.avianavenue.com/highway-heaven/100495-r-i-p-speckles-freezeezy-peak-radar.html

 

[Bridgette]

Considering there is snow on the ground in several of those videos, I do believe it is safe for us to assume those birds are not living in a climate for outdoor living 24/7/365. Besides, even if they do survive the winter, the summer can be even more harsh on them with high temperatures. I know Kiwi cannot handle anything above the mid 80s.

 

[TextsFromParrots]

Well, my concern is, while the birds can survive the cold temps and extreme heat, are they comfortable? I can survive outside in a thick winter coat and minimal heat, but I'm certainly not going to really be comfortable or enjoy it.

 

[roxynoodle]

Well, I know some heating devices can put out a toxic fume the first time they are used and it's best to turn them on outside for the first use. I don't know if that is true of heat lamps or perhaps the bulbs? Either way, be it the lamp or the coconut, I'm very sorry for the OP's losses