Space heater?

Is a space heater okay for a bird? It gets rather cold in my room and it's really the only method I have of keeping it warm. It's a rather older model but I think it just heats up what I assume are copper coils via electricity then has a fan that distributes the heat..?

They are ok for the bird..but can be a fire hazard...the oil filled one have come down in price and are much safer for everyone

Generally yes,, with mandatory precautions!

http://www.parrotforums.com/questions-answers/64082-tiny-space-heaters.html if you end up replacing it, go oil filled

If you're just concerned about your bird you can buy one of those heaters for the cage. They get up to 100 degrees F and are safe for the birds as long as they don't chew the wires which will be outside of the cage.

https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Supplie...F8&qid=1479836033&sr=8-3&keywords=bird+heater

https://www.amazon.com/K-H-Heated-B...=1479836054&sr=8-4&keywords=bird+heated+perch

Well I was more worried about my hedgehog in all honesty but I was worried about the space heater emitting nasty chemicals that could harm the bird since I've heard specific heaters and AC units can do that.

I love my little space heater. The birds do too! It is a mini heater that blows the air like a fan with different settings and an automatic thermostat. The heating element is ceramic and safe. I've had it a few years and have always used it with the birds. The brand is Pelonis. They come in different models and sizes. I love it. Quality made, and inexpensive. Pelonis Ceramic Heater Fan (NT20-12D) - Heaters - Ace Hardware

I have used oil-filled space-heaters like this. No fan, but they radiate heat a good distance and are considered safe from a fumes POV. Like many electric heaters, make sure they are plugged into a protected source and keep the unit and cord free from clutter. I personally don't use extension cords with this type of appliance.

Thank you so much for this thread. :heart: I use space heaters often, and it never occurred to me that they could be a hazard to Levi.

I contacted the manufacturer and they do not use Teflon, thank God!

Yes you can use one, of course it shouldn't be too close to the cage but at a safe distance away, a few feet at least. We use one like this:





They're great because they don't get too hot, it oscillates, and they have a timer so you can set it for 2, 4, 6 hours, etc.

Most good space heaters have no "hot" exposed parts and are set up to immediately turn off if tipped over etc. A space heater is fine,but DON'T buy a ten dollar space heater, buy a 80 dollar space heater with all the safety stuff built in! A space heater thats ok to put around human babies.

the concern is that often electric heaters with a coil are coated with chemical that can overheat and cause deadly fumes for birds. It's PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) sometimes called Teflon. I think there are other types that also emit toxic fumes when overheated. So, you could be using one that has this unsafe chemical coating on its element and not even know it till one day your feathered babies are dead. It only takes a scratch on the coating or overheating to emit the fumes and within minutes it will kill birds and you won't know it's happening. unfortunately it's hard to tell what has this chemical coating as it's not always labeled. I use the electric oil radiators so I know there's no chance of my birds coming in contact with these chemicals for the same reason I got rid of all my Teflon cooking pans. Often you can call the manufacturer and get info on it. good luck! I found two of my oil radiator heaters used locally for $35 (for both) so they are not expensive and work well. Make sure your bird cannot get too close, kids too. They do get HOT