Will Kerosene fumes kill my parakeet?

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I plan to add alcohol to the kero to reduce fumes (thanks to someone for that suggestion). Plus the obligatory open window for ventilation.

[This will be as a backup to my newly purchased Black/Dura Cat.]

-- Mabel (mabel_louise@yahoo.com), December 30, 1999

Answers

Not to sound cruel, miners used to take caged birds in to the mines as detectors.

-- && (&&@&&.&), December 30, 1999.

Mabel- Short answer is YES. Any petroleum based fumes (including various bug sprays) should be kept well away from birds. Ventilation AWAY from the cage is critical.

on de rock

-- Walter (on de rock@northrock.bm), December 30, 1999.


Birds are reputed to be notoriously delicate, when it comes to fumes. All sorts of common household chemical fumes can kill em in a heartbeat.

However, that being said, we've had parakeets on and off over the years and have keroseene lamps that we use during our all too frquent power outages. The birds never seemed to be affected by the fumes. Also I have an aunt who used to have a kerosene heater, and her canary never seemed to be affected, either.

So I guess the short answer is, I wouldn't stick it's little beak down in the fumes, but the normal amount that is in the air shouldn't hurt it.

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), December 30, 1999.


I killed mine by forgetting to feed it. You could try that. Just kidding.

-- (roark@Not.now), December 30, 1999.

Great now you have Y2K food.

-- Help Me (TimeBomb@Yahoo.com), December 30, 1999.


Mabel we have a parakeet too and we are using a kerosine heater just a few feet from his cage. This is our second year using the heater. We have not noticed any problems, in fact he loves to play with the guinea pig we have on the floor in front of the heater. Sometimes they just rest together in front of the heater and enjoy its heat.

Please beware of drafts. We do not open any windows, but our house is old and doesn't seal very well. The heater is one of the smaller ones too. It works great. We all stay warm and, we cover the critters cages at night.

Good luck to you and your budgie.

-- Lurkess (Lurkess@Lurking.Net), December 31, 1999.


Mabel, I forgot to mention that we use a very good grade of kerosene. It is clear. We get it at Scotty's Hardware for about $3 a gal. and we also use an additive we found at Home Depot for about $4 (it lasts a long time because you use under a teaspoon a gal I think. Hope this helps.

-- Lurkess (Lurkess@Lurking.Net), December 31, 1999.

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