lost 3 birds

brdcrazy5

New member
Sep 11, 2014
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I realize i am new here, and i hope maybe this will help someone. as parrot people i know you understand the flock family. I had 5 birds, 2 African grays, 2 Quakers, and a blue and gold Macaw. The flock started in 1991. so all birds were in their late teens early 20's. All healthy.
I have an avain vet, arranged their diets all the " right parrot" research etc. I never even did anything to the house that wasn't double checked...
I was canning, which i have done for years, yet this was the first time i ever canned pickles. I was done with the canning. and checked on the birds and they were all fine... withing 3 hours i lost 3 birds.) Aug 4,2014
BO( blue and gold) woke me up which i thought was laying an egg sound or a night fright. By the time i picked her up she died in my arms. I though it was a massive heart thing...and while carrying her i walked through the house ad saw the quakers already gone. The 2 quakers ( Kiwi and woody) and the blue and gold ( Bo). I hurriedly got the remaining birds in carrying cages and outside ASAP. The grays ( coco and scooter) made it( even though one was handicap), and it makes no sense with the room locations etc. I had the grays housed at the avian vet until i could make sure the air was safe etc. All was cleared through the house. The gray birds were also in some respiratory distress but it cleared after a couple days.
The vet said they didn't think it was the vinegar dill pickle brine, but a friend did some research and when water is put in the vinegar it boils sooner releasing some fumes. Others have told me the local town spraying in conjunction with the canning.....
I am not trying a debate here just sharing my story as the grief is tearing me a part. i tried to be so careful for over 20 years to keep them safe. But most of all i miss my friends... i know grief stinks..I have lost many people and pets,, i think its that i was responsible. I don't know if the vinegar thing is 100% true,, however as parrot lovers i thought i would pass it on just in case...plus its hard to be alone with all this...
i appreciate you listening.
 

goalerjones

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2011
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Hahn's macaw, RIP George, Jenday Conure
Is it possible that there was a gas leak? Or someone used another airborne product? Teflon in any of the cooking pots?
 
OP
B

brdcrazy5

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Sep 11, 2014
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i own no teflon...They do spray heavy for west niles/mosquito around here and like i said maybe the combo. No leak as i had the heating and cooling come out for safety check. the guy checking it said he thought i might have raccoons in attic ( which i freaked ) and i had an emergency trip from critter control double check.. there was nothing. coco and scooter are still healthy..
 

RavensGryf

Supporting Member
Jan 19, 2014
14,233
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College Station, Texas
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Yes I've heard of the heated vinegar before. I'm so sorry that this terrible tragedy has happened to you. Please don't blame yourself. You couldn't have possibly known this was going to happen!
Thank you so much for the warning, and again so sorry.

Since the. Greys made it, I'm thinking certain species might be either more sensitive or more resistant than others. Give your Grey babies big hugs and kisses. This will take time to heal. Take care.
 

KimKim

New member
May 5, 2013
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CAG
I'm so sorry for your loss, but thank you for sharing your story.
 

veimar

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Feb 5, 2014
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Chicago, IL
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gcc Parry; lovebird Coco; 3 budgies (Tesla, Franky and Cesar); cockatiel Murzik, red rump parakeet girl Onyx
OMG! How horrible... I'm SO sorry for your loss - you must be devastated now. Sending you hugs and good vibes!
BTW, THANK YOU so much for letting me know about the danger of pickling! I was about to pickle the tomatoes tomorrow and had set up stuff ready. Maybe you saved my birds lives!
 

faeryphoebe1

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Feb 1, 2013
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I'm so sorry that you lost 3 of your babies (((hugs))). I'm glad the other 2 made it, and that they are there for you, to help heal your broken heart.
Thank you for sharing your story.
 
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MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
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Antioch, TN
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"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
I'm so sorry to hear about your babies!!! I have canned dill pickles before years ago and I had a open kitchen next to living room where I had 3 parrots in. I didn't lose any of them though.....
 

weco

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Nov 24, 2010
3,342
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USA
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Nanday, suns, parrotlet, Patagonian
Boiling vinegar is a respiratory irritant and similar bird deaths have been attributed to the boiling of vinegar and after reading this thread, I checked the MSDS (material safety data sheet) for white distilled vinegar & was a bit surprised to find the large number of sheets on file, even a couple published by H. J. Heinz (the pickle company), from back in 1992, but no blatant warnings or prohibitions...however...all carried cautions to evacuate people with respiratory conditions to fresh air or that they should be administered oxygen and they caution against breathing vinegar fumes...so...on that basis and considering the delicate nature of avian respiratory systems, I might be inclined to think that boiling vinegar could very well have been the cause.....I know that the couple of times I was in my grandmother's kitchen, when she was canning pickles, I couldn't stay in there very long.....

While doing my extracurricular reading this morning, I did learn something about vinegar & ceramic cookware, don't use anything acetic in the cookware, oranges, orange juice, tomatoes, acetic foods will leach out the lead used in making the ceramic cookware, as will milk, but apparently not as fast.....any foreign made ceramic pottery/cookware should not be used for foods and/or drinking...let it stay on your decorative shelf, especially grandmother's or great-grandmother's pottery.....

The National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health article stated that more lead will leach into hot liquids like coffee, tea, and soups than into cold beverages.

Cooking utensils and nutrition: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia


I really am sorry for your losses brdcrazy5!
 

Pinkbirdy

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Feb 26, 2013
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macaw,LS2,congo grey,2Blk Hd caiques,Hawkhead,yellowstrk lory,Blue frnt amazon,sun conure ,Yellow sided greencheek ,Goffin ,Rosebreasted Cockatoo,Greenwing Macaw,Blue and Gold Macaw,Nanday conure,Ecle
OMG !!! Im so sorry .I know how careful you were [we all try to be]. Thank you for sharing this in your time of hurt . Take care
 

Timothy

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Aug 16, 2014
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Port Richey, Florida
Parrots
Blue & Gold Macaw [Maya] // Sun Conure Baby [Zippo] // 2 Lovebirds [Nibblet & Nellie]
I am so terribly sorry for your loss ! I know the pain of losing a companion before his time, i can only imagine what you must be going through. Keep in mind, there are way too many parrots who are unwanted and need forever homes! That might ease the pain a little, rescuing a little guy from a bad situation and giving him all the love your late friends received.

Thank you for sharing this story, it will be added to my kitchen DONT'S list.

Regards,
Tim
 

Blancaej

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Apr 5, 2013
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I am so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine the grief you must be going through. :(

Thank you for taking the time to share this important information with all of us.

Weco - great info! Thanks!!
 

Allee

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Oct 27, 2013
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U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
I am so very sorry for your tragic loss of three flock members. I know your greys will help you through the heartbreak, so glad you were able to get them out in time. Twenty years is a long time to care for a flock, it's obvious how much you loved them. As terrible as the accident was, it could have happened to anyone. Thank you for sharing your personal story and valuable information.
 

4dugnlee

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Apr 27, 2014
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Oh I'm so sorry for you having to go through this! Prayers your way! You obviously gave all of your fids an awesome life.
 

Terry57

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I am so sorry for your loss and my heart goes out to you. I also want to thank you for posting this, that is not something I ever would have thought of. It shows what a wonderful person and bird lover you are that you thought of others at this terrible time, and wanted to share in case it would keep someone else from experiencing the same loss.
 

Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
So sorry to learn of your tragic losses, brdcrazy5. Despite our best efforts there are still substances not widely known to be hazardous to avians. We owe a debt of gratitude to you for caring enough to sound the alarm while grieving and to public forums to spread the word so we can better protect our precious parrots.
 

Anansi

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I am so sorry for your losses. And my deepest thanks for your selflessness in thinking to warn others even in the midst of your grief.

And weco, thank you for the information that you posted, as well. The time you take to research these things is always much appreciated.
 

Dustbunny

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Apr 7, 2014
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I just want to echo Anansi's sentiments here. TY. I'll be honest my first thought was, "Oh my God how terrible!" Followed immediately by, "Thank God she shared this so I can be careful in the future."

It must be so hard not knowing for certain what killed them and fearing for the survivors. It just draws out the fear and whole nightmarish situation. I suspect the vinegar as well. I've always wanted to make dill pickles. I don't think I'm gonna do that now. TY again. *Hugs* :(
 

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