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Natural Gas Leak!?

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spookylicorice

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Good morning everyone. I woke up about an hour ago to find that one of the knobs on our gas stove had been accidentally turned and was letting out natural gas. My roommate had opened all the windows, but couldn't identify the smell so she didn't know to go looking for the source. As far as I can tell, the gas had been leaking for about an hour and there was no smell in the room where my bird is. However, she was acting a little stranger than normal this morning (being extra antsy, hopping all over the cage) but doesn't seem to have any other symptoms. What should I be looking for in terms of natural gas poisoning? I'm hoping that a closed door, open windows, an air purifier, and catching it in time means that she'll be okay. She's stopped acting like a psycho, which I take to be a good thing. Is there anything I can do besides get her out of the house? Thanks!
 

greymatron

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I'm going to hope someone with more experience can answer you hear...I would think if your bird is acting okay then it should be fine, hopefully.
 

spookylicorice

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Thanks! It's always hard to tell, since she's a parrotlet and I've found that her "I'm severely distressed!" behavior is largely the same as her "I'm bored!" or "I'm hungry!" behavior. :/
 

WingedVictory

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If you feel your bird has extended exposure, oxygen would be advised. If she appears OK and you are just worried she may need a hour of fresh air.
 

AmberMuffinz

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She may also have been acting "crazy" if you and your roommate were freaking out around her, she could have picked up your emotions and panicked along with you. If you're really worried you could take her to an avian vet to be examined.
 

KatherinesBirds

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A natural gas leak in your home will decrease the amount of oxygen in the air. Depending on how long your pets were exposed it can lead to death and for this reason you must have your pet checked out by a vet. Fatigue is one symptom. Vomiting is another. Make sure that all of your windows are open and please take your pet to a veterinarian.
I have had this experience personally and opened windows and put my bird in carriers and got out quickly. You don't want to turn on any light switches or touch anything electrical while this is happening. You can call your gas company (from outside of your home) and have them come over and check things out. Good Luck to you!
I took everyone to a local vet and they were all fine. I felt sick though and was nauseated. We rode around in the car with the windows down for awhile and I had opened the windows in the house and was careful not to touch anything electrical. (Explosion hazard possible) We had no lasting problems.
Katherine
:heart:
 
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KatherinesBirds

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Oh gee, see how I forget what day it is since I am retired! You do that. It sounds like everyone will be okay. I awoke with a real start when it happened here. The amount of gas in the air had turned my silver bracelet mostly a black color. I had left if right by my bed and that was the first thing I saw when I awoke. Then I smelled it. It was a hasty exit we all made. I keep carriers right next to the cages at all times. Also, I have a bag of parrot food in my trunk. Water too.
Hope you have a better day.
Katherine
:heart:
 

spookylicorice

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Oh wow, that sounds really scary! I'm glad you were prepared and everything turned out okay. I swear, having a bird is good for everything but my blood pressure. :D
 

kcbee

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How scary!! I know I would want some fresh air, and I would take my animals out to get some too - if possible. And definitely keep airing out the house.

Could you call the gas company (from outside the house) and ask them? I'm sure they would know what to do and be able to advise you.
 

spookylicorice

Meeting neighbors
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Berkeley, CA
Okay, so I called PG&E about it. They said that if there's no longer a smell, no humans are having symptoms (they're clueless about birds, of course), and the leak was small, then it's safe. I'm still going to take her to the vet (she's overdue for a check-up anyways) and watch her like a HAWK for anything unusual, but I think we dodged the bullet. :o:
 

kcbee

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I'm glad you called!! I was curious as to when it's safe to close back up the house, etc. So as long as the smell is gone. Good to know!

I hope you are all ok!!
 

LovieLuvr

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Glad you are all ok. A gas leak is one of my biggest fears, I'm super sensitive to the smell, so I can only imagine how a bird may feel...
 

spookylicorice

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Berkeley, CA
It makes me nervous just thinking about it. Even if my bird wasn't harmed by it, I still think that she knew something was off and certainly let me know. The only reason I even woke up when I did was because she was making a lot of noise and flapping her little beatle-wings more than necessary.

For future reference: In case anyone else ever has this problem, the gas company shared some important tips with me:
1. If you smell a gas leak, get everyone out of the house before you investigate.
2. Do not touch ANYTHING electrical. This includes fans and light switches. Use a cell phone or neighbor's phone to call the gas company if the leak isn't easy to find (like my stove knob was).
3. Natural gas is lighter than the surrounding air, so attics, crawl spaces, and vaulted ceilings should be ventilated well after it's been cleared as safe to go back inside.

Hope this helps!
3.
 

marian

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Glad you are ok and your little bird also.:)
 
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