Did you know the pans in your kitchen, the coffee maker you use every day or even your iron and iron board cover could be your Parrot’s worst enemy?  Parrot owners, new and those that go beyond the norm for thier Parrots, make the mistake of keeping one favourite cooking apparatus that can kill their Parrots.

PTFE, an acronym for Polytetrafluoroethylene, is a silent, but deadly killer.  At room temperature, it is harmless, but easily becomes a vapour when heated or damaged at normal cooking temperatures.  Once in the air and inhaled by a Parrot the PTFE stick to the inside of the breathing sacs causing severe damage.  Very few Parrots survive PTFE toxicity.  Symptoms include respiratory distress, tail bobbing, open mouthed breathing, dropping off the perch and raspy breathing.  Once progressed it results in pulmonary edema, or the lungs filling with fluid, followed by suffocation.

You may be thinking now, 'Should I throw my pans out?' or 'How am I supposed to make my morning coffee now?' the answer is simple - remove all non stick coated cookware and anything else containing PTFE, and replace them with items that do not contain PTFE.  For instance, stainless steel, copper and cast iron cookware is not treated with PTFE.  There are also non-stick pans coated with ceramic instead of PTFE.  Removing any cookware or appliances containing PTFE is the only way to ensure your Parrot’s safety from this threat.  There are countless incidents where Parrot owners were aware of the dangers of teflon who have lost their Parrots through carelessness, or simply human error.  Even if you think you would never make a mistake that could put your Parrot at risk, others in the household or visiting may.

If you do suspect your Parrot has PTFE poisoning get him out of the house immediately, then return to remove the item from heat or turn off the appliance, open the windows in your house to increase ventilation and call your avian veterinarian immediately as the effects happen very quickly.

There are so many items that contain PTFE we may not eliminate them all simply because we don't know.  At the very least ensure everyone else in the household becomes educated on the risk so they don't bring home a new gadget that contains Teflon.  Any time a suspect item is in use, error on the side of caution and make sure your Parrot is in a different room with separate ventilation.  Accidents happen, and this is one accident you never want to happen in your house.  Take care to avoid an accident, like the one in this picture, that could lead to the loss of your pet Parrot.

Here is a list of common household products that can contain PTFE:

  • Irons and ironing board covers
  • Frying pans, roasting pans, quart pans, egg poaching pans
  • Bakeware such as cookie sheets, Bundt pans, cupcake pans, cake pans, and bread pans
  • Nonstick-coated appliances - toaster ovens, grill plates, electric pans, space heaters
  • Easy clean and self clean ovens
  • Many cooking utensils
  • Coffee makers
  • Heat lamps, and portable heaters
  • Woks
  • Waffle makers
  • Crepe makers 
  • Hair straighteners, and hair dryers
  • Stain repellents
     

If you are not sure whether or not your household items has PTFE keep in mind anything that has a coating is most likely made of teflon - especially when it comes to non-stick cooking pans, and baking sheets.  As well, anything else that seems coated such irons may contain PTFE.  Treated items are typically dark in colour and have a telltale dry yet greasy feel.

Kathleen