Day #1 of Helpful Tips For You And Your Pet

This week and next, we are going to be sharing some Helpful Tips for you and your pet.  Each day we will have a new helpful tip for you and your pet to keep in mind.

Day #1: Protect Your Pet From Everyday Household Dangers

Just like you’d baby proof your house, keeping common household items out of reach from your pets will help protect them from danger.  Rodent poisons and insecticides are the most common sources of domesticated animal poisoning.  The following is a list of potentially toxic poisons that should at least be kept out of reach of your pets, it not completely avoided at all:

• Fertilizer and Plant Food – These are easily accessible and fatal to a pet allowed in the yard unsupervised.
• Cedar and soft wood shavings – Keep small animals such as hamsters and gerbils away from these as they emit toxic and potentially fatal fumes.
• Antifreeze – One teaspoon can kill a seven pound cat.  With its sweet taste, animals are naturally attracted to antifreeze even when consumed in small quantities.  Antifreeze with propylene glycol is available and is safe for animals if ingested in small amounts.
• Chocolate – This is poisonous to dogs, cats and ferrets even when a small amount is consumed.
• De-icing salts – These salts used to melt snow and ice can irritate your pet’s paws and are especially poisonous if licked off.  Ensure your pet’s paws are washed and dried as soon as your pet comes in from the snow.
• Nonstick cooking fumes – Fumes from self-cleaning ovens and nonstick cooking surfaces can be deadly to birds.  Make sure birds are kept away from the kitchen and use caution when using any pump or aerosol spray around birds.
• Painkillers – Aspirin, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen and many other types of pills can be toxic to animals.  Ensure you keep medication containers and tubes out of reach of pets so they can not be chewed through and ingested.  Also make sure to find and dispose of any dropped pills.
• Chicken Bones – These can easily shatter and choke a cat or dog.  We also have a list of other plants and food items to keep away from your pets listed here.
• Rawhide Chews – While these are made especially for dogs, make sure to supervise your dog while he/she chews the rawhide treat as they can pose a serious choking hazard.

Of course, if you feel your pet has been poisoned, bring him in to your Veterinarian as soon as possible or call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center’s 24 hour hotline at 888-426-4435.

Stay tuned this week to learn about more helpful pet tips!

You and Your Pet Bird – Good Things To Know

We came across some great tips for bird owners.  Of course, we always recommend using Clear the Air’s Odor Remover to sprinkle at the bottom of any animal cage to aid in eliminating odors.  It is completely safe around pets and children, even if eaten!

If you haven’t already purchased your new pet bird, it is a good idea to get him either from a responsible breeder or, better yet, adopt one from a shelter or avian rescue group.  You can call your local shelter to see if they have any birds or know of any local bird rescues you can visit.

Before bringing your bird home, you will want to make sure you purchase a large well constructed cage.  No matter the species, it is important for your bird to have enough room to stretch his wings and fly short distances.  To prevent escape or injury, the bars on the cage should only be .4 inches apart.  Horizontal bars and perches need to also be installed in your cage at varying heights.

Line the bottom of the cage is plain paper or paper bags that are cut to size and make sure it is changed daily.  You can sprinkle Clear The Air’s Odor Remover to help eliminate bird odors every time you clean out your birds home.  Place your bird’s cage in a warm, bright part of the house off the floor that is close to where the action is but away from drafts and direct sunlight.  Make sure your bird is not close to the kitchen as they are extremely sensitive to fumes from ovens, cookware and such.

When it comes to feeding your bird, pelleted food is the way to go.  While seed mixes provide variety, they do not always provide the best nutrition. A high quality food that is formulated for your bird’s species is ideal. Fresh veggies and fruits should be given to your bird every day.  Dark, leafy greens are packed with vitamins and many birds also enjoy carrots and broccoli.  Fresh cold water should also be available at all times and changed at least once a day.

A trained and tamed bird will need at least an hour of exercise out of the cage in a safe and enclosed room every day.  He may simply want to just sit on your shoulder or explore the room.  For birds that do not take to handling, providing a selection of toys like ladders, swings and mirrors with bells are a great way to keep your bird entertained.

Providing a shallow dish at the bottom of the cage is a great way to provide a bath for your bird and keeping his plumage looking perfect.  It is probably a good idea to schedule a bath right before you plan to clean out the cage.

Take your bird to the vet annually.  Weight loss or gain is often an indicator of illness and your vet can conduct any necessary tests to help monitor your bird’s health.

Clear The Air Odor Remover is a safe a non toxic way to eliminate odors in your bird cage.  Click Here to read more and purchase our Clear The Air Odor Remover.