Interesting anecdote about bird deaths from metal toxins

[Strawfrawg]

I didn't want to add this to the thread about poor little Bubba, but I was talking about his passing to a friend of mine in NYC (I also shared the beautiful song...I hope that's okay) who lost a Quaker to metal toxicity a couple of years ago, and he told me something I hadn't heard before. Maybe you guys have, but it was news to me.

Max the Quaker lived in what most people would feel was a bird-proofed environment, but he had one vice that my pal Jared didn't think would be a problem...he loved to sit on the top edge of Jared's flat screen TV. When he died rather suddenly from what turned out to be metal toxicity, after just a week of minor lethargy and off-color droppings, the vet said he believed that the culprit was fumes from the television. TVs heat up during use, and a lot of flatscreens vent at multiple places across the back, directly below the top edge. Inside are circuit boards that can have toxic metal soldering that emit fumes when heated. Birds like perching on flatscreens because they're easy to land on and warm on their feet....

Jared's vet said he had seen an uptick in similar deaths since flatscreens became common, and in many of those cases the TVs seemed like the only common denominator in the homes other than the standard household stuff and bird toy and accessory hardware we all have.

I have a huge flatscreen that is not wall-mounted. I'm going to have to figure out how to keep Marvin from perching there or nearby anymore. This is going to be tricky. Better beef up those newly-acquired carpentry skills. The things I've read here and conversations I've had with others as a result have yielded so much information...so much to be wary of. It's a little overwhelming at times, but man, am I glad I have access to so much input.

[Pajarita]

I don't know... I just did a search and the only cause of heavy metal toxicity acquired through breathing is for workers in metal plants who breathe in minute particles of metal but it's not from overheating, it's from cutting, polishing, etc. It sounds a bit farfetched, doesn't it? But, having said that, I do firmly believe that the safest place for any bird is in a birdroom - and even then they are not completely safe!

[KimberlyAnn]

What scares me is we just got a 3D tv. The glasses that come with it, warn you that if your head starts to feel hot or your brain feels weird, you must take them off immediately. You must never put them near cell phones because they can wipe them clean. So forget that noise! Lol we don't use them period. I have not read anything about the actual tv, but it could be possible. My dad designs rockets and so I will have to ask him about this since they run tests all the time on different materials. Our flat screen sure does heat up the livingroom.

Probably best they don't land on them anyway. Any bird would slide right off ours.

[Strawfrawg]

It sounds far-fetched for humans, definitely. But we don't get sick from hairspray or nail polish remover, or from moderate use of household chemicals. I wonder if the lack of documentation stems from the relative newness of the products. Not to mention that it takes someone to connect the dots, which this vet is trying to do for the sake of his patients. The TVs do get quite warm and there is definitely a smell if you put your nose near the vent holes. I do stained glass and make metal jewelry, and there are a lot of similar artists who develp asthma, likely from the soldering/welding materials. I can't say I am 100% sure he's right, but I can't say he's wrong. I try not to go to extremes with things, but I also don't want to find out he's right the hard way.

[Pajarita]

You are right, of course, it does take that first person to connect the dots. But, TV is not good for parrots anyway (the way the image is transmitted makes the brain produce too many low alpha waves and that's why babies and children with ADHD should never watch more than two hours of TV a day).

[KimberlyAnn]

Yes and I tell the parents in my class that it's best for them not to watch at all before age two for that same reason. ADHD or not. It's not good for concentration/attention span. One of my professors was adamant that Sesame Street was one of the worst shows for young children because it went from one scene to the next so quickly. (Although I loved that show as a child and Grover will forever be my favorite LOL) Children need long periods of time to figure things out and to play. I give a little over an hour in blocks of time for free play. They take an hour to set up the actual game or pretend play and 15 mins of playing the game. Lol Watch kids at the park that are setting up "forts" "houses" "armies" or limitless pretend play. That's major brain development going on there.

[Pajarita]

And that's why we, older people, are sooooooo much smarter than the younger generation (just kidding, of course!)

[KimberlyAnn]

Exactly! Lol

[Serafisk]

Wow, this was an interesting read.. When I first got Elliot I used to move his cage over to the couch when I was in the living room, simply so Elliot would not feel left out and felt like he was part of the "flock" (my breeder advised me to do this, since Elliot came from a flock of 15 birds and had never been alone before). I will make sure to keep him away from the TV now though, his cage is actually about as far away from the TV as anything could get in my house. Thanks for sharing!

[Strawfrawg]

I don't mean to be alarmist...in the wake of poor Bubba's demise I just stumbled across the info and passed it on. It's so hard to know what's really a concern and what's not sometimes. I just want to err on the side of caution!