🏠 Household hazards
Most of what kills a pet bird indoors is ordinary and was already in the room. These are the ones worth knowing by name.
This is not veterinary advice. If your bird has eaten something on this page, or is unwell, call an avian vet — do not wait for an answer here. Why this matters more than it sounds.
The hazards people ask about most
The questions people arrive here having typed. Each answer is the entry's own note; the link goes to it, with its source.
Is cotton rope dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Safe only while fibers are intact; replace at the first sign of fraying. full entry →
Is essential oil diffuser dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Concentrated oils and aerosols may irritate or poison; do not diffuse them in the bird’s space. full entry →
Is food-grade hard plastic dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Inspect after chewing; discard it if edges or missing pieces appear. full entry →
Is lead dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Lead may come from old paint, weights, stained glass, toys, or metal hardware; exposure needs urgent veterinary advice. full entry →
Is loose string dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Threads may trap toes or necks or be swallowed; replace frayed items immediately. full entry →
Is plain cardboard dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
For play only when clean and free of staples, adhesives, glossy coatings, or unknown inks. full entry →
Is self-cleaning oven dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
The self-cleaning cycle can produce lethal fumes; do not use it in a home with birds. full entry →
Is stainless steel dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
It is the preferred metal for intact bowls and hardware; avoid parts of unknown origin. full entry →
Is Teflon dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Fumes from overheated PTFE can rapidly kill a bird; keep the bird away from the kitchen and replace risky items. full entry →
Is window dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Mark or cover surfaces until the bird learns the room boundaries. full entry →
Is zinc dangerous to a green-cheeked conure?
Zinc from galvanized wire, cages, and hardware can be ingested while chewing. full entry →
Look up any of the 42, A to Z
The list above is grouped by risk. This one is alphabetical, for when you know the name and want the verdict.
- Aerosols 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Ammonia 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Antifreeze 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Bleach 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Burned plastic 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Carbon monoxide 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Ceiling fan 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Cigarette smoke 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Cotton rope 🟡 Caution / limit
- Curtain weights 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Electrical cord 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Essential oil diffuser 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Food-grade hard plastic 🟡 Caution / limit
- Glue trap 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Hairspray 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Hot stove 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Human medication 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Insecticide 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Lead 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Loose string 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Metal solder 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Mold 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Nonstick appliance 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Open battery 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Open door or window 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Open flame 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Open toilet 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Oven cleaner 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Perfume 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Plain cardboard 🟡 Caution / limit
- PTFE-coated bulb 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Rat poison 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Scented candle 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Self-cleaning oven 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Slug bait 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Small detachable toy 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Stainless steel 🟡 Caution / limit
- Teflon 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Unsupervised cat 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Vape 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Window 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
- Zinc 🔴 Dangerous / avoid
🔴 Dangerous / avoid 38 entries
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Aerosols · also called sprays
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Ammonia · also called strong cleaner
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Antifreeze
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Bleach · also called chlorine cleaner
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Burned plastic · also called cooking smoke
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Carbon monoxide · CO
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Ceiling fan
Turn the fan off before the bird leaves the cage.
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Cigarette smoke · also called tobacco
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Curtain weights · also called fishing weights
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Electrical cord
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Essential oil diffuser
Concentrated oils and aerosols may irritate or poison; do not diffuse them in the bird’s space.
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Glue trap
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Hairspray · also called spray deodorant
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Hot stove · also called hot pan
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Human medication
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Insecticide · also called pesticide
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Lead · also called lead paint · Pb
Lead may come from old paint, weights, stained glass, toys, or metal hardware; exposure needs urgent veterinary advice.
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Loose string · also called frayed rope
Threads may trap toes or necks or be swallowed; replace frayed items immediately.
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Metal solder · also called stained glass
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Mold · also called spoiled food
Remove fresh food after a few hours and clean bowls daily.
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Nonstick appliance · also called nonstick air fryer
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Open battery · also called battery acid
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Open door or window
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Open flame · also called fireplace
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Open toilet · also called bathtub, bucket of water
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Oven cleaner · also called drain cleaner
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Perfume · also called air freshener
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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PTFE-coated bulb · also called PTFE heat lamp
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Rat poison · also called rodenticide
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Scented candle · also called incense
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Self-cleaning oven
The self-cleaning cycle can produce lethal fumes; do not use it in a home with birds.
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Slug bait
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Small detachable toy · also called unsafe bell
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Teflon · also called PTFE, nonstick cookware · PTFE
Fumes from overheated PTFE can rapidly kill a bird; keep the bird away from the kitchen and replace risky items.
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Unsupervised cat · also called dog
Common physical or chemical danger; block access before letting the bird out.
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Vape · also called electronic cigarette
Important household danger for birds; remove exposure and ventilate without keeping the bird in the area.
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Window · also called mirror
Mark or cover surfaces until the bird learns the room boundaries.
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Zinc · also called galvanized wire · Zn
Zinc from galvanized wire, cages, and hardware can be ingested while chewing.
🟡 Caution / limit 4 entries
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Cotton rope · also called rope perch
Safe only while fibers are intact; replace at the first sign of fraying.
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Food-grade hard plastic
Inspect after chewing; discard it if edges or missing pieces appear.
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Plain cardboard · also called plain paper
For play only when clean and free of staples, adhesives, glossy coatings, or unknown inks.
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Stainless steel
It is the preferred metal for intact bowls and hardware; avoid parts of unknown origin.
Sources
Every note on this page comes from one of these. They are veterinary references, and where they disagree the page follows the more cautious one.
The rest of the reference
The same directory, offline
The LunarKiri app carries all of this with a search box, works with no network, and adds weight tracking, a daily routine and first aid.