Pet Forum / Birds / Birds / December 2003

No "fire" in my house.  No candles, incense, fireplace fire, matches,
lighters, smoking, birthday cake candles.  There are 3 fire extinguishers in
the bird room, two smoke detectors, one of which is connected to a security
system that will alert the fire department, etc.  We have a couple of escape
plans even though we have not done a dry run because the plan involves
throwing birds out doors into the yard.

When Adam from "Average Joe" set his pink teddy bear on fire, everyone knew
Joanne would go into, "see, see how easily it can happen" mode.

The smoke stinks, the fumes may be toxic, the flame is dangerous and it's a
very easy lifestyle of avoidance to adopt.

We do cook which has its own hazards, but I was vetoed when I suggested we
eat all our meals out.

This might help.
http://groups.google.co.uk/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=candles&btnG=Goo
gle+Search&meta=group%3Drec.pets.birds.*

I simply don't.

I read the information generally available on line, then weighed
the pros and cons and decided that I prefer not to take that
particular risk with my cockatoo.

I miss candles a little, but I gave my hubby a lava lamp for Xmas
lest year, and it's quite a pretty alternative.

Other folks are free to disagree with me. As another regular
poster here says in her sig line, if it's right for you, it's
*right* for *you*.

Tara J. Ballance
Montreal, Canada

I normally use candles only in the bathroom when the birds are caged in
another room. (They think bubble baths are filled with whipped cream so I
don't let them in there!) I did use about a dozen candles in the same large
room as them when we had that blackout. But all of the windows in the house
were open and the candles were soy based with non-lead wicks.

Jan