Air freshener...

[BirdIsTheWord]

I know air freshener is a no no...but do you know anything that is bird safe that I can use? I'm having to live with my fiance's mom and aunt till september...they don't like me so I stay in the back room that has a bathroom attached. I have two cats and before I got my bird I would douse my room and bathroom with air freshener everytime the cats used the litterbox. Now that my baby is home I'm stuck with smelling it every time they go. The one cat is a priss and use to go potty on the toilet. Now that she uses the litterbox again she won't cover it when she goes. Do you know if non-aresol sprays are fine? Also I was wondering about 100% pure essential oils diluted with water and put in a spray bottle. They have hundreds of different scents and they are just the oil from plants and flowers, nothing else added. Heres a link explaining them http://www.auracacia.com/dspCatTxt.php? ... ra%20Cacia Let me know what you think.

[HyperD]

I would advise against any commerical air freshners...

If you want to try home made then take some orange/lemon/lime peel and boil it in water. Once the smell is strong enough take it off the boil and take it to the room... Needless to say, the pan of water is a hazard to the parrot if it is in the same room so ideally keep him in the cage until you remove the pan.

[BirdIsTheWord]

Isn't the citrus in boiling water basically the same thing as the oils? I can't stand the smell of citrus, cinnamon, or vanilla so that's why i'm asking about the oils.

[HyperD]

The danger of using those I suppose is that it is a lot more concentrated.

To be honest there isnt really much information available. Whilst Glade and such are a clear no no, the 100% natural oils dont seem to be commented on much.

[Michael]

Air purifiers are probably a safer option. They pull micro particles out of the air so to an extent they help remove smells as well.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

You could get an automatic litterbox, but they are actually a major pain to maintain. Or use a hooded pan with a charcoal filter. How often do you clean the box? When I lived in a shared apartment and had the box in my bedroom, I cleaned it several times a day and vacuumed around it daily. The prissy cat may just want a very clean box. But dealing with the occasional "stinky" is part of having cats. Sometimes it just smells too much for them to be around and they run for the hills, LOL. I think it is an instinctive thing which is meant to avoid being in an area where prey will recognize the smell and be alerted.

I'd be surprised if every air freshener was a problem, but no one seems to have done any research to determine what bothers birds and what doesn't. Baking soda sprinkled on the carpet might help with lingering odors, as would Nature's miracle for stains. We have some plug-in Yankee Candle Co scented oil units in the house, but none in rooms the bird frequents. So far he hasn't shown any averse reaction to them. But I couldn't really recommend that, and certainly not unless you are around to monitor the situation and remove the bird if you even begin to suspect an issue. I think an aerosol would probably be the most risky thing and it sounds as if that's what you were using.

[jennyj]

Hi.

Can anyone recommend a safe, natural alternitve to air "fresheners" which I never use?

[entrancedbymyGCC]

For the litterbox, set up an airtight disposal container or else spring for a commercial diaper-pail style disposal container. Use good, tightly clumping litter. Scoop the box 2-3 times per day. If there is an uncovered "stinky", cover it yourself using the scoop! Have a charcoal filter for the box and change it regularly.

If something has a strong odor, I don't think you can assume it is safe because it is "natural". The concentration of it into a small space with llimited ventilation is just as likely to be problematic as with a manufactured scent (which often also uses essential oils, at least the pricier ones).

I wouldn't use any form of air freshener in the same room as the birds. However, we do use vanilla and lavender scented yankee candle plugins in rooms of our home away from the birds and have noticed no indication of problems.

If you really feel a need for a "cover scent" I guess you could do what people do when they are showing houses for sale -- get a small toaster oven and bake cookies! Or mull some wine on a hot plate. IF the smell doesn't help, the wine will... <ducks>