# Other Pets > Birds >  Keep tweety safe with bird poison prevention tips

## suleka

following poison prevention tips to keep your companion avian in the sing of things:

* Birds are highly sensitive to inhalant fumes, so please avoid exposing yours to fumes from self-cleaning ovens and overheated cookware, automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, glues and paints, insecticidal fumigants, perfume and hair spray.

* Keep all prescription and over-the-counter drugs out of beak's reach, preferably in closed cabinets. Pain killers, cold medicines, anticancer drugs, vitamins and diet pills are all examples of human medications that can be lethal to birds, even in small amounts.

* Never allow your bird access to areas in which cleaning agents are being used or stored. Should your pet ingest them, he could suffer from a range of symptoms, depending on the substance, from mild stomach upset to severe burns of the tongue, mouth and crop.

* Foods and beverages that could be dangerous to birds include:

avocados
chocolate in any form
coffee & tea
moldy or spoiled foods
onions & garlic
tomato leaves and stems
yeast dough

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_broadude_ (03-07-2010),_Sariel_ (03-23-2010)

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## cinderbird

also, ive read in several places that teflon cookware is toxic to birds. something happens with the heat and teflon interaction that turns into a vapor the birds breathe in and they eventually expire. 

very sensitive animals.

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_broadude_ (03-07-2010)

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## Moofins07

> * Foods and beverages that could be dangerous to birds include:
> 
> avocados
> chocolate in any form
> coffee & *tea*
> moldy or spoiled foods
> onions & garlic
> tomato leaves and stems
> yeast dough


I once read somewhere that tea can help with diarrhea in cockatiels. I've let mine have a few sips of tea here and there whenever he gets a bit runny. I know it keeps ME from getting it.  :Embarassed:

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## Sariel

> also, ive read in several places that teflon cookware is toxic to birds. something happens with the heat and teflon interaction that turns into a vapor the birds breathe in and they eventually expire. 
> 
> very sensitive animals.


Teflon is hugely toxic to birds, I lost my first cockatiel this way years ago, before that was widely known. It was in a pretty open room too, one of those where the kitchen dining room, living room are all open to each other. 
 Since then we adopted a 'birds behind closed doors', method whenever someone is cooking on the stop top. 


 Id also recommend that whenever you visit someone elses birds, or handle birds from any other source you wash your hands before handling yours. Theres a couple diseases easily transferred this way.

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## djansen

so i cant cook with non stick pans with my conure around?

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## Shadera

> so i cant cook with non stick pans with my conure around?


They are potentially deadly.  There's no such thing as a safe teflon pan, unfortunately.  There are a lot of other items in the home than can contain teflon as well and should be used with caution.  Crock pots, hair driers, etc.

I tossed all my nonstick and bought a full set of SS when I got into birds.  And DARN I miss being able to fry an egg over easy.   :Tears:

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## djansen

> They are potentially deadly.  There's no such thing as a safe teflon pan, unfortunately.  There are a lot of other items in the home than can contain teflon as well and should be used with caution.  Crock pots, hair driers, etc.
> 
> I tossed all my nonstick and bought a full set of SS when I got into birds.  And DARN I miss being able to fry an egg over easy.


yeah, thats all we cook with :Sad:

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