Love is in the air and Valentine's Day is just around the corner, so pet bird owners need to be ready to deal with the safety hazards that inherently come with this beloved holiday. The Valentine's Day dangers to birds are varied and plentiful, but a little bit of foresight and preparation can help you make sure that your pet bird stays safe and healthy until the festivities draw to a close. Do yourself and your bird a favor and take some time to become familiar with the common Valentine's Day hazards listed below. You and your bird are sure to get through the holiday smoothly with minimal risk.
Chocolate
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Want to know the number one cause of Valentine's Day related accidents involving pet birds? Chocolate poisoning. Known to be toxic to most types of pets, chocolate can be extremely harmful and even fatal to pet bird. There are chemicals in chocolate that wreak havoc on a bird's tender digestive system, and eventually work their way to the nervous system where they cause shock and often death. To eliminate the risk to your feathered friend, store all of your Valentine's Day chocolate in an area that is inaccessible to your pet. If you feel bad about keeping all the yummy goodness to yourself, you might try whipping up a special batch of homemade bird treats for your bird.
Alcohol
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Another Valentine's Day item that can pose a potential poisoning hazard for pet birds is alcohol. Much like chocolate and other off-limits treats, alcohol consumption by birds can cause severe medical distress and can lead to death if the bird ingests too much. When you celebrate the holiday with your sweetheart, make sure that both of you are careful to not leave any alcoholic beverages unattended in areas that your bird may have access to. Better yet, consider having your celebration away from home in an alternative location such as a romantic restaurant. That way there is zero risk that you bird could help himself to a drink!
Roses
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As part of your Valentine's Day celebration, you might either give or receive a beautiful bouquet of roses. The problem is, roses can be harmful to pet birds. While the actual flower isn't known to be toxic to our feathered friends, many Valentine's Day roses are treated with chemicals, dyes, and sprays that can cause untold health effects to pet birds. The worst part about it is that because there isn't a way for you to know what the flowers might have been treated with, your bird's vet won't have much to go on if your pet does accidentally get into your roses. If there end up being roses in your home this year, make sure to keep them as far away from your pet bird as possible. Odds are that your bird would think they are as beautiful, and would be tempted to chomp at them.
Decorations
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Many people enjoy decorating for the Valentine's Day holiday by putting out cute heart shaped ornaments, hanging lights, using candles, or displaying other Valentine's Day themed crafts. If you are one of those people, then watch out -- your decorations could be harmful to your pet bird if he or she gains access to them. Many crafts are put together using potentially toxic glues, dyes, and paints, and can be poisonous if your bird is exposed to them. Make sure that if you choose to decorate for Valentine's Day you try to use bird-friendly and safe decorations, and even then make an effort to keep them out of your bird's reach.
Presents
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Roses and chocolate aside, there are a number of other popular presents that you could receive on Valentine's Day that can be a hazard to your pet bird if you aren't careful. Helium balloons, stuffed animals, cards, and other popular gift items may present choking and/or poisoning risks to birds, so make sure that they are kept in an area that your feathered friend can't get to. Doing so will help you make sure that you and your pet get to celebrate many more Valentine's Days together.
