Candles - Good Smell_Good Health

[Devin Corso]

I have been reading on this forum and around the internet about ways you can have scented things in your house. I am very sensitive to strong smells like strong air fresheners or incense (which would probably kill a bird quickly). I have read that you can use soy candles. Is this true? Also, can I keep a window open in the bird's room? There is a strange smell that gathers in that room.

 

**What about candle warmers that melt candles with no flame?

 

**And what about wax melters with a unscented tea light under them?

Edited December 29, 2016 by Devin Corso

[SRSeedBurners]

We looked into this recently as my wife was complaining again that she can no longer do anything and the house is ruled by my hobby. The consensus I found was that most people will stay away from them. There are others however that are burning the soy candles with cotton wicks but then there is the concern about how they get the fragrance into the candle. Some believe essential oils to be safe, others don't. There's always the people that come on to the debate and say they have been burning candles with their birds for years and years and nothing has happened. Luck? Who knows.

 

Then there's this Birdy Candles

[birdhouse]

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?198316-Night-of-50-candles

 

 

The last bottle I got was Sweet Orange essencial oil. The label reads:

 

Ingredience : CITRUS SINENSIS L. OIL

Country of origin: Canada

 

Sound scary? Didn't think so. It should still be kept out of reach, of course.

 

The issue is being 100% certain of 100% of the ingredients & knowing every one is from a nontoxic plant species in a 100% safe carrier base. Personally, I'd still never even super heat oil, let alone burn w/candle wax. Somethings may be generally considered safe. But it doesn't mean anything for any particular bird. Just like people can't all tolerate the same things.

 

A bird exposed to lung problems can be dead or severely damaged pretty quickly. Just not worth it. You can live w/o any kind of candles scented or otherwise. Although there may be a period of withdrawal (she said from experience lol). And there are safe alternatives that make a room smell good. Dishes of dried orange rind w/cinnamon & clove for instance. Maybe some fresh pine boughs. Tis the season!

 

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/showthread.php?202826-Air-Freshening-Parront-style!

[Luvparrots]

I burn unscented candles in my home. I do not place them in my parrots' faces. I have not had a problem. I use them at the dinner table and have on occasion used unscented candles to light my home during a power outage.

[Giannine]

I would be confident enough to bet money that burning anything around birds for a prolonged length of time is unsafe. I read somewhere something about the actual burning puts something into the air that is unsafe for birds. I got Poppy and Olive just this year and have had a hard time giving up my wax warmer but I am going to. At least on the main floor where they are. I came across this method of ridding odors from the air naturally and will begin using it:

 

SPRAY BOTTLE RECIPES

In a spray bottle, mix 1/4 cup baking soda with water and shake well. The baking soda absorbs the odor. Add a few drop of extract such as lemon, orange or vanilla as desired.

Spray undiluted white vinegar in the air. The vinegar smell evaporates very quickly, taking odors with it.

[Devin Corso]

So scented pine cones are ok? Like buying a bundle from Micheals? or popeuri?

[birdhouse]

Pine cones, needles or boughs from an pine forest in an untreated area would be fine. Cones etc from Michaels are treated w/scent enhancers & likely fumagated. Ditto potpourri and you'd probably not be able to tell everything that's in it.

 

But you could make your own dried potpourris using dried flowers from bird safe plants & arromatic peels & spices. Or like the recipe I gave you to "cook".

 

You can't get into trouble if you consider any aromatics potentially harmful if you didn't make them yourself.

[Devin Corso]

Thank you all of you! Birdhouse and Giannine I will try your ideas, thank you for them.

 

If anyone else has recipes or recommendations, please keep posting!

[Giannine]

You're welcome. The day I replied to this thread was the last day I used my wax warmer:( Oh well. Good smells and a clean house always put me in a good mood. Guess I'll just have to settle for a clean house void of any smells. Cinnamon scent isn't too appealing to me. I am going to start making all natural skin care products in the near future and may research some safe ways to still enjoy scents in my home. Even with essential oils we have to be careful. Some are dangerous for birds (Tea tree and eucalyptus are some, I believe).

[Devin Corso]

Why was it the last day you used it?

 

Essential oils are usually too strong of smells for me. They give me headaches.

[Devin Corso]

I have good news! Instead of changing all the paper every day, I change the paper with poopoo on it (I'm more likely to do so), then I turn on the fan and open the window for a few hours. I change the paper with feathers and pellet food here and there. *But not too long, otherwise the birds flap their wings, and it looks like it's snowing! The bird room smells fine! I also use a oil burner/warmer a few rooms away in the bathroom, and it wafts slightly through the house, but not enough that I think it would hurt them. You can only smell it a little when you go in the hallway. I also use a scent necklace that I wear around my neck with a few drops of sugar Mailbu rum cupcakes, root beer, or one of my other smells I got in a pack! It's not too strong, but I get a nice whiff once in a while. I'm very sensitive to strong smells too, so I that's another reason why birds are pretty good for me. Even someone passing me in a store with strong perfume nearly knocks me over with a headache. :rolleyes:

 

Thank you for all your non-smelly support!