Teflon poisoning

[aldosbooks]

Hello, I just want to make people aware of a very dangerous poison for African Greys and all other parrots. Teflon Poison. Recently we have lost Charlie, a 1 year old African grey. He was very healthy, active and sweet bird. One day, we used our George Foreman grill to cook some meat. Apparently, any non stick cooking surfaces, such as teflon pots and pans, and grills, such as george foreman grills are coated with Teflon, a non stick material. When the surface heats up to more than 500 degrees, it emits these colorless, smell less fumes. Nevertheless, these fumes are extremely poisonous to your bird, and within seconds, the birds will suffocate and dye. That is exactly what happened to Charlie, and he died in my hands gasping for air. Devastating...

 

I am so angry that I have never been told anything about such danger. You would think that the vet or the breeder would have mentioned it. Well, I guess I was supposed to know it and I didn't.

 

I just hope that this information can help someone not make the same mistake we have.

[dblhelix]

Dear Aldosbooks,

 

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Yes, Teflon is known to be deadly though not publicized nearly as much as it should be. Bird owners must exercise extreme caution if cooking with any non-stick cookware and really should replace those pots/pans.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. It is helpful to revisit these things and keep household dangers on people's radar. Again, I am sorry for you loss and hope you continue to participate here and perhaps bring another bird into your life when the time is right.

[judygram]

Yes we here know about the dangers of Teflon poisoning and I am so sorry to hear about your loss of Charlie due to that very thing. This is why it is important to read all you can about greys and also another reason to belong to a forum like this one.

 

You will find Teflon mentioned in many threads here on this forum, it is too bad that you did not find us sooner for Charlie could still be with you right now.

 

Please accept my condolences for your loss and know that by posting here you may have saved another grey from the same fate.

[Talon]

Yes, most bird owners if they have done their research know of the dangers of teflon. I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

[LisaM]

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your dear Charlie. I agree wholeheartedly...every single breeder or store that sells birds should be required by law to provide a listing of all the things that are bad for birds as it's just not common knowledge! This should include plants known to be poisonous, foods known to be bad, ceiling fans, zinc, lead paint...and definitely Teflon and other non-stick coatings. A lot of people don't have the internet or wouldn't even know forums such as these exist! They rely upon the people from whom they got the birds to provide them information to ensure the bird's future health and safety.

 

And yes, vets should do the same thing for a person who comes in with a new bird. I actually got a info sheet that contained some of this information from my vet the first time I brought mine in...but my vet is an avian specialist. (Maybe yours was too though)

 

Please hang around and "lurk" through the posts here. You might even decide to get another one now that you have some additional knowledge and know how important doing tons of research can be.

 

Again, I'm sorry for your loss.

[Imme]

Sorry for your loss, Aldosbooks. I have read that danger in the past but figured my pots would never get that hot. I have also heard the same thing regarding the self-cleaning ovens (which do get that hot) so I will never use that again.

[lovemyGreys]

I'm so sorrry to hear of Charlie,

 

Here is a thread on the dangers of Teflon for members to read...

 

http://www.greyforums.net/forums/bird-food/32353-teflon-coated-cookware.html#34727

[Tari]

I did my research but I was one of those people that thought "Oh I am careful it won't happen to me." I have seen many people with that frame of mind.

I should of remembered no one is perfect and it can happen. It may not happen the first time you cook something with your birds in the house. It can happen sudden like with you or over time after being exposed to it for years.

I lost 11 birds to that stuff many years ago.

I threw it out. I use SS now.

[dutchputch]

<br><br>Post edited by: dutchputch, at: 2008/08/24 17:13

[dutchputch]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. This is what is happening to my grey right now. PLEASE READ THIS: I have been making a lot of microwave popcorn lately. I had no idea that teflon is in the microwave bags. My 12 year old grey, Dutch, is now fighting for his life in the hospital. They think he will have permanent neurological damage if he survives. He went from being playful and healthy to falling off his perch with clenched claws, and seizures about 10 minutes later and bright yellow urine. It's a good thing I was home when it happened. I rushed him to the hospital where they have been treating him for almost a week. I visit him daily and he was went from laying in a corner of in incubator (I have never ever seen him lying down) because he couldn't stand to now standing but very wobbly. His claws are unclenched but too wobbly to perch and one claw still slightly clenches. When I visit him he just sits there with his eyes closed. On Tuesday I'll have to make the tremendous decision of whether to put him down. I'm going thru hell right how all due to microwave popcorn.

 

Another thing I found when researching toxic things was there is toxic glue (zinc) in empty paper toilet and paper towel rolls. I've read on parrot sites that this is a good thing to give your parrot to play with.

 

Post edited by: dutchputch, at: 2008/08/24 17:18<br><br>Post edited by: dutchputch, at: 2008/08/24 17:31

[danmcq]

OH, I am so sorry to hear that Dutchputch. What a tough decision you must make.

 

I appreciate your posting this warning regarding microwave popcorn. My wife loves those quick convenient little bags. They will be no longer in our home!!

 

This will undoubtedly save other parrots.

 

I do hope your Parrot pulls through. Please keep us posted on your situation.

[nims]

Hi,

 

Im sorry to hear that Dutchputch. Im sure whatever decision you make for dutch will be the right one. Thanks for the posting there is some really good information.

 

I also use the microwave popcorn (not anymore!!) I now by the dried corn kernals and pop them myself.

 

Good Luck

 

Nims

[lovemyGreys]

What a sad situation you find yourself in.You will make the right decision in the best intrest of your grey.My thoughts are with you.

[judygram]

I am so sorry to hear of this Dutch, I had no idea that teflon was in those microwave bags, and I will no longer use them either, this stuff keeps popping up in so many things that we never even thought of.

 

Thanks for sharing your story with us for it may save another grey's life but my thoughts and prayers are with you now.

[Broomer]

Oh my, I'm so sorry to both of you.

 

 

Dutch, thank you very very much for meantioning the popcorn. My Microwave is within 10 feet of Loki's soon to be cage, and I had no idea. I'm a popcorn fiend myself. Not anymore.

[Broomer]

Now I'm wondering if the JiffyPop trays or air popping machines are tefflon coated :unsure:

[bbrew5]

I'm so sorry for both of you.

[Missa818]

I am so sorry. I knew that Teflon wasn't exactly something you want your bird around, but I guess I didn't realize how quickly and severely it can affect them. I will be using my iron skillet now...

The descriptions of Dutch's seizures sounds an awful lot like what happened to Raz a few years ago, but the vet said it was calcium deficiency, so now he gets calcium eggs once a week. But now I am thinking it might have been more along these lines! Thank God he is okay. All of you with sick or lost birds are in my thoughts.

[Tycos_mom]

Oh my God My daughter just came home and said that Orvill redebacker popcorn is now safe and is made with wax bags apperently even people where haveing seisures fron teflon in the bags if you tear the bags in between you will find a thin peice of teflon but now they are making redenbacer popcorn with wax bags so if you buy popcorn read the label firs because some plases still may carry the old bags. I will be popping corn the old fashion way in a heavy pot with a bit of corn oil. I am so sorry and my prayers are with you both I could not Imagine the grief you both must be feeling thankyou for your warning about the Popcorn I had no Idea. Thank goodness the last time I bought popcorn I bought the new redenbaker bags I didn't know there was a difference I bought a box of 24 bags which my daughter and her friends cooked up within a week I don't even want to think about what would have happened if it was the old kind with the teflon bags. I have three birds in my kitchen most of the time I feel sick just thinking about it.<br><br>Post edited by: Tycos_mom, at: 2008/08/25 10:25

[dutchputch]

Tycos_mom,

 

There are two different toxins in microwave popcorn. One is in the fake butter called diacetyl. The other toxin is in the microwave bag and is called polytetrafluoroethylene (teflon).

 

ConAgra, who makes Orville Redenbacher and Act II popcorn, took out the toxin diacetyl from the fake butter this past November. There's a good chance that if you have popcorn from these two companies the diacetyl is still in those bags. I haven't found any information that ConAgra removed the teflon toxins from the microwave bag. By the way, Teflon is the trademark term for polytetrafluoroethylene. I wouldn't go by what someone said when a loved one's life is at stake. If you find that ConAgra has in fact taken out the polytetrafluoroethylene from the bags please post your findings.