rabbit229 Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 hello every body i am wanting an african gray but i have asthma is they any thing out ther that will clear the dust as it gets on my chest many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Greys and Cockatoos create quite a bit of powder down which can cause problems for people with allergies and asthma. Before making a a lifelong commitment to a bird, you might want to find a friend or breeder that would allow you to hang out around their birds for a few days and see how you react-especially on your bad days. They do make a few very good air filters which can make a big difference. Some of the better ones are by Austin Air and IQ Air. They are both fairly expensive, but they work very well. Don't waste your time with a cheap HEPA filter. I have the IQ Air and love it. It not only helps me, but it also removes unhealthy volatile organic compounds from the air before my birds breathe them. I believe it can also help filter PTFE fumes from overheated non-stick pans, which are deadly to all birds. Another thing you can do to reduce the powder down issue is to bathe your bird regularly. You can bathe them every day if you like. Do this as often as necessary to keep the powder manageable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 i was just reading about ionizer is that the same thing as astin air? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I would steer clear of any ionizers. They aren't very efficient and produce ozone, which isn't healthy. Ozone is a lung irritant and could adversely affect your asthma. Check out http://austinair.com and http://iqair.com<br><br>Post edited by: Kaedyn, at: 2008/08/29 18:54 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 well thank you very much keadyn i will keep away from them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tycos_mom Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I have acouple of air cleaners and they both have Ionizer on them but it optional on weather I use the Ionizer or just the air cleaner I don't ever use the Ionizer. I have asthma also and quite badly I might add. but with the air cleaners and frequent bathing It doesn't seem to affect me to much and my Grey sleeps in my bedroom. I just keep a small air cleaner beside my bed and it's never been a problem When I had both my Cocatoo and my grey I had more of a problem I think the cocatoo dust is heavier mabie because when I had him I could hardly walk to the end of the house without breathing heavy. I found antihistemines worked better then my puffer It was more of an allergy to my Cocatoo than to the dust I think. My grey doesn't seem to bother me at all though.<br><br>Post edited by: Tycos_mom, at: 2008/08/29 22:28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 it all sounds closer to me owning my own gray thank you very much for your coments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raiderbabe Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I have asthma but not a bad case of it. I have had it all my life and certain things can trigger it to be worse. Certain breeds of dogs can be really bad for me such as chow dogs, or any dogs with really short, fine hair. I have a yorkie and I am fine around her. My parents own labradoodles and I am fine around them. I just became a new mommy 3 weeks ago to an African grey and nothing has happened with my asthma. I seem to be doing just fine. Just wanted to let you know. It might depend on how severe you actually have asthma. Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Ionizers are bad to use around birds. My son has asthma, and I have the Bird air cleaners you see advertised in Bird Talk Magazine. I LOVE them, and my son is never bothered by the 4 birds we have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Kim and I were looking into buying one of these: http://www.austinair.com/petmachine2.php Anyone else have one? Anyone know anything that works just as good but doesn't cost $500? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Ok, better question. What in the world is the difference between these: http://www.austinair.com/healthmate.php http://www.austinair.com/allergymachine.php http://www.austinair.com/healthmateplus.php Or the Petmachine from my previous post? lol The specs look the same ..<br><br>Post edited by: Broomer, at: 2008/08/30 01:20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Broomer, I did a lot of research on filters and both the Austin Air and IQ Air units were considered the best. The IQ Air having the edge over the Austin, but both being very good. The IQ is the last step before you have to move away from portable filters and into even more expensive whole-house systems. What makes all of these units so much better than others on the market is how well they are sealed. It doesn't really matter how good of a HEPA filter you install if air can just slip around through the cracks. Air will follow the path of least resistance. The main differences in the Austin's you are looking at are really which filters they include, how much material is in each, and the square footage they cover. As far as filter stages go, my IQ has a first stage pre-filter, which removes the large particles, such as my grey's powder down. In reality, this first stage filter does what a HEPA filter would. A second stage carbon and alumina filter removes gasses and odors. If you aren't allergic to gasses in the air, then you might not need to spend the extra money on one with this stage. This is the stage that would remove off-gassing from new carpets, wood floors, etc. The third stage is a clean-room grade HEPA filter. This is the stage that removes fine particles, such as mold, viruses, and the like. If you know that all you are allergic to is the powder down, then you could get away with the lowest cost model. Even after all of my research, I still get confused when I read the descriptions on the Austin Air site. It only made sense once I called them, which is what I'd recommend. They were able to break down each model more precisely and I believe you can even purchase a lower cost model and upgrade it later. One thing to look into when you pick a filter is to make sure it can handle the square footage of the room(s) you'll be using them in. Each model's specifications vary. Oh... and one last point about these filters. The main reason I went with the IQ was that it can be very quiet at its lower settings, yet still change the air in my bird room several times an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I have one of these, and I found they were very expensive when it came to having to buy new filters that need to be changed every few years. They cost almost as much as a new machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaedyn Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Yeah. Talon hit upon the big downside to these machines. Filter replacement can be costly. If I remember correctly, the company I was considering buying an Austin Air from offered a 30 day money back guarantee. I didn't buy an Austin, so I can't vouch for the company, but it's a place to start if you decide to go that route. They can also give you an idea of replacement filter costs. http://www.sylvane.com/ You might find that just bathing your bird often is all you need anyway. That's a lot cheaper than any filter and good for your bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broomer Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Well, $230 per filter and Austin gives a 5 year warrenty on the filters, that's $50 a year, or $4 a month ($0.14 a day hehe :silly:), which is worth it. I'm normaly only allergic to cats and dogs, and I haven't noticed any problems from our once-a-week 3 hour visit to see Loki, but in the long run it might be worth it. I know it would help keep the air fresh and smelling clean(er) and would probably help with my other minor allergies that just cause some minor congestion (which I'm sure causes more snoring for Kim ... I'm a chainsaw :lol:). The only reason I'm looking at Austin is that it's sold here in Canada. Also, looking at IQ .. they're near double the price lol .. sooo $450-$550 for an air purifier of that quality would be fine with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 iv been hearing a lot about the xj3800 what do you guys think of these fillters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabbit229 Posted September 1, 2008 Author Share Posted September 1, 2008 sorry thats the ,intelli pro xj3800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now