Parrot Owners: Safe Vaping?

[OwnedByAGrey]

I asked this question at the end of my first thread, but should probably start a new one.

I should be able to vape around a parrot, yes? I actually *am* owned by an African Grey named Charlie and I can't have anything in the house akin to ionizers (like air cleaners with ionizers) or Teflon (non-stick). An odd fear considering the analog smoke, I know, but still a concern.

Are any of you owned by a parrot?

 

[RubenX]

I have a parrot... well, my girlfriend does. No idea what kind... the noisy kind I guess. She never mind 2nd hand smoke, never complained... I guess she's happy. Or he's happy, can't really tell.

 

[Bradder]

Owned - just thought of something. You might contact you vet school in PA. They are very good and I am sure some 4th year or res may know, or want to know, the answer. If they won;t help, try contacting another. The North Carolina State program is very helpful. Either way, Please let me know.

 

[Bageone]

I own two macaws and a double yellowhead amazon and have been vaping for a year around them... No sign of ill effects

 

[Dhileas]

You raise a good point. I don't have birds, but I have a reptile. I wonder if it affects her. She hasn't really shown any physical or behavioral changes, come to think of it.

 

[Dhileas]

I own two macaws and a double yellowhead amazon and have been vaping for a year around them... No sign of ill effects

For a second there I read, "I own two macaws and a double-headed yellow amazon...". I be must dyslexic.

 

[tahiti555]

Great question. I have a blue-front amazon and an eclectus. I'd be really interested hear if there are any issues with vaping around my parrots...

 

[Mudflap]

Parrots and macaws (there's a difference, yes?) are wonderfully charming and entertaining birds. I absolutely love them.

That said, if one lived in my house, I'd probably have to stuff it in a pillow case eventually.

 

[sheryder]

Owned by 2 African Gray and a Jenday Conure who show no ill effects. Researced it a bit and there haven't been any warnings that I could find regarding fog machines etc. around them so I assume vaping is fine. Mine show no ill effects yet. You probably are very informed about safety issues for your birds, but just in can you don't all ready know it, air freshners and candles are very harmful to our birds as well.

 

[ScottinSoCal]

It depends on what you mean by "around". My blue front amazon's day cage is in the family room, and I do vape in there, but the family room is 600 sq. ft. of space, and I'm across the room from his cage when I vape. By the time it gets to him, it's pretty much diffused. I wouldn't sit next to his cage and vape, and I wouldn't vape when he's on my shoulder. You should keep an eye on his weight, since the stuff in vapor breaks down to sugars. Captive parrots already have a risk of weight gain that leads to fatty liver, which can cause death. Any sign of weight gain in your parrot should be considered a problem, and if it continues, you should look at what might be causing it.

And I would never smoke analogs indoors with a parrot in the house.

 

[cuseguy]

I have heard that the real reason that New York State wants to ban e-cigs is that there are no clinical studies that prove that there is no long-term health effects on pet parrots.

 

[OwnedByAGrey]

Wow. Thanks for the responses!

COnsidering that we parrot people tend to be very cautious around our birds, knowing that others here have parrots (Yes, Macaws are parrots. LOL) eases my mind.

That having been said, I called my avian veterinarian this morning who said that the only thing she'd be concerned about is the atomizer due to a chance of it over-heating. She knows of no one who has studied the effects of vaping on parrots, but the chief concerns are airbourne gasses caused by over-heating, so if there is anything in the element which aerosols (such as Teflon) when over-heated it needs to be kept away from the birds. She sees no problem with flavored/scented water vapor, and if that's all an eCig emits, it should be fine.

She also mentioned that all juices and items containing nico or coming in contact with it needs to be kept away from parrots.

After refilling or touching any item which may leave residue, be sure to wash your hands before touching your bird or any of its food or water, dishes included.

cuseguy Part of the reason I looked into eCigs is because of my parrots!

 

[sheryder]

Considering all we now know about second hand smoke I wish I could say I had never smoked around my parrots, my kids, my husband, my friends and on and on. My kids are all adults and the harm of second hand smoking wasn't known when they were young and every smoker (that I knew anyway) did so as well. Shoot, even the schools had smoking rooms for the staff/teachers. Hind sight is always 20/20.

I agree that we should always wash our hands before handling kids/pets and that they shouldn't be allowed around my mixing area at all....nor my keyboard where I vape/smoke the most. I've replaced 3 keyboards already on my laptop cuz them little beaks are QUICK at popping them darn keys off!

 

[Kargonet]

I have an African Grey (Gracie), Quaker Parrot (Divot) and a Blue Fronted Amazon (Tug). We'd never smoked in the house and I'm very careful about anything scented around them. I vape in the house all the time and haven't seen any ill effects. Of course the vapor dissipates long before its in the area of their cages so I don't sweat it.

 

[sheryder]

Mine are brother/sister CAG's-Dexter and Dixie. Dexter was to be culled cuz he is handicapped. Momma or daddy chewed off all his toes . Dixies must have gotten nibbled as she has a crooked toe. Ziggy is my Jenday Conure and is a real fuzzy ..... They all love to hang out with us.

 

[OwnedByAGrey]

Maybe I need to ask if we could start a Parrot Owners Vape section. LOL!

Sheryder, it's great that you kept Dexter from culling. I know ALOT of people who own handicapped parrots, and all are worthy of being loved by a good owner like yourself.

I have three parrots besides Charlie, but he's the one who is "attached at the hip" when it comes to me - besides the Umbrella 'Too who is attached to anything and anyone she can grab ahold of.

 

[sheryder]

He is a character (they all are) and has long since given up his handicap ramps and perches in his cage. He gets around almost as well as the others with his only concession being he sleeps on a hanging platform rather than a normal perch. Fun to "see" other parrot people.

 

[angelique510]

It is said that what comes out of an e-cig is water vapor. It might be water vapor because of some chemical reaction, I wouldn't know.(I'm sure someone with more chemistry knowledge will chime in) It could be that we say water vapor because no one would know what propylene glycol vapor is and panic, thinking it is some sort of horrid chemical.

Propylene glycol is a commonly used chemical. Look in your spice rack (imitation vanilla and other things) your medicine chest, your make up case, your diaper bag, and you'll find products with PG in them. The other "chemical used to make e-cig vapor is vegetable glycerine. You'll find that in your cookies and cupcakes.

PG has antibacterial/ antiviral/ germicidal properties. The air is actually cleaner with PG in it! They did some experiments many years ago with it. In one the had mice and another they had monkeys living for in a enclosed cage filled with PG vapor. The animals lived a long time, were fat and healthy and did not get sick. The scientists came to the conclusion that it would be beneficial for public health if PG vapor were pumped into places where groups of people pass germs around - like schools, large offices, shopping malls, etc. They didn't do it, probably for political reasons, but the the results were there that it would work.

Now I am not a fan of animal experimentation or government and science doing things "for the greater good." But we do now have this information, and it is useful for us. I would also say, always err on the side of caution when it comes to your pets, both for their safety and your peace of mind. Science would say it is safe to vape around your parrot, but you'll have to let your own conscience decide.

Be well,
~A

 

[debb]

i have parrots and we vape in the same room .....they are still as loud as ever..lol...no ill effects to say...been 7 mos.....the room doesn't "fill" up with vapor tho....it's a good sized room...

 

[Renro]

Maybe I need to ask if we could start a Parrot Owners Vape section. LOL!

I believe there is a way to create a group?