REMEMBER THE CANARIES? They were used by coal miners as "warning signs" for any toxic fumes: if the birds died, the miners knew to vacate the premises immediately. That's because our birds' respiratory systems are more efficient than ours and they are affected by toxins quicker than we are. Due to their small size, high metabolic rate, low body fat AND efficient respiratory system, our birds can die quickly when exposed to airborne toxins. One of the worst dangers is the non-stick ingredient, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which comes under the brand names, TEFLON, SUPRA, SILVERSTONE, and many others. Basically, anything that has a non-stick surface can kill your bird.

When cookware with PTFE (ANY NON-STICK COOKWARE) is over heated, it breaks down and emits several types of organic gases and hydrofluoric acid: the gases and acid attack the air sacs of the birds almost immediately. Also, after "Teflon" or other non-stick surfaces are scratched or tainted in any way, they are susceptible to breakdown of the acid and gases, no matter the temperatures.

As the world becomes more modernized and the push is for more convenience, the grip of "PTFE" on many different products has escalated. Always check with manufacturers to make sure their products are "PTFE free." Be careful and avoid the following types of products that have non-stick coatings:

Maggie Wright is a marketing consultant and expert on African Grey parrots. She wrote the popular Barron's pet manual on Greys: African Grey Parrots: A Complete Pet Owner's Manual. She created the Grey Play Round Table®, which is an informative website with information on how to care for Greys. She is the creator/publisher of Nature's Corner® Magazine. For more information, refer to the following sites:

www.AfricanGreys.com
www.MaggieWright.net
www.AnimalLoversUnited.com
www.NaturesCornerMagazine.com

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