EMERGENCY HELP - Toxic Smoke Melted Plastic Fumes

Violet_Diva

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Terrible accident, my phone and keys were left on the cooker and somehow the cooker got turned on (maybe cat jumping up?) My phone and keyrings are melted. The kitchen has no door and is ajoined to the sitting room. There's toxic smoke from burnt and melted plastic everywhere, choking on it, I've opened the kitchen door to outside, the kitchen window (which is tiny) and the sitting room window which is also tiny.

Bella and Dexter only have one door between them and the smoke. I want to go in their room to open the window, but i'm scared to open the door and let fumes in. I've put a fan against their door in an attempt to blow the fumes away from them and out the open window and door.

Oh my god I just heard a thud in there I've got to go in
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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I'm in, they're both on their perches, I've opened their window. I've put some material at the bottom of the door to try to block the fumes.
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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I'm so scared. I dont know what else to do right now.

ANY SUGGESTIONS / SUPPORT WELCOMED
 

YUMgrinder

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Can you take your feathered friends outside? Is the weather good enough to put them in your car for a little while?
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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I dont have a car, plus i'd have to go through the smoke to get them outside, plus I cleaned out the pigeon coop today so there will be lots of feral pigeon feather dust outside which I would have to take them through.

Now i'm in here i'm worried about the fumes on my clothes... so Ive put my shirt and trousers in a carrier bag...
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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I have no idea how long it will take for the air to clear...

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LONG THE FUMES WILL LINGER?
 
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GaleriaGila

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What a FREAK ACCIDENT!
So sorry.
You're doing everything that *I* can think of...
Did you open up ALL the windows, I'm guessing?
Good luck!
 

YUMgrinder

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if you do need to move them I suggest maybe putting them in a cotton pillow cover? if the thread count isn't way high they can breathe, I've heard of them being used in an emergency to get birds out of a burning home. Also filters out harmful smoke.
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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Thanks GaleriaGila. All possible windows are open, i'm now sat on the floor wearing a curtain :confused:
Wondering if I should venture back into the sitting room or not.

With the window open in here it's going to get chilly.

But I guess chilly parrots is the lesser of two evils right now...
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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Thanks YUMgrinder. Pillow cases! Thanks, If I can work out somewhere to take them to i'll definately do that!

Trouble is i'm an introverted recluse - so don't have that many human options, plus I melted my phone :17:
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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Bella looks a little poofed up, i'm hoping this to be just because she's getting a bit cold, letting her out for a fly would warm her up, but i'd have to close the window, plus all that exertion is going to make her breathe more... Oh what to do...
 
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chris-md

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I think if something were going to happen health wise it would have happened within minutes of the fumes being let off.

I think you're probably in the clear here. :)
 

DRB

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Turn off your furnace or ac, probably best not to have any more possible contaminated air pumped into the birds room.
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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The past 24 hours have been weird and terrible...
Seeing as i'm just sat here on the floor in a blocked off room wearing a curtain - I might just ramble it off my chest...

So a couple of days ago I found a young pigeon that had fallen from it's nest too soon. It was in an alley that is frequented by drunks and the like. I tried to put the pigeon high up on some kind of box of electrical stuff on the wall to see if the parent birds would come and feed it, I waited, a pigeon flew over knocking the baby off, I lunged and caught the baby. I took it home, put it in a pet carrier with plenty of vet fleece bedding, gave it some peas and sweet corn and was looking forward to having a new member in my flock.

ANXIETY
Im quite reclusive and my work has changed hands. The new owners have lots of training courses they want us to do. Ive been feeling so sick with anxiety about it, I had to go to London using various trains and the underground. Stressful for me - I hate it! I had to be up at 4am, didn't get back to the local train station until 7:30pm...

SADNESS
I got back to find the baby pigeon slipping away. I couldn't leave it outside, so I brought it in, in a box on a heat mat. I tried feeding but the little guy stopping swallowing. Gradually the little baby passed away. I was so upset, tormenting myself with "would they still be alive if I had left them in the alley?"

WORRY
Then I came to the realisation that the baby might have already been sick - and i'd just brought it into the house. I wen't online and bought a ton of f10 products, decided Bella and Dexter will have to be quarantined to their bird room for the next 6-8 weeks to be on the safe side.

Didn't get to bed until 4am :(

Got up today - tended to my flock and then this happened!
 

itzjbean

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My best advice would be to get them to your Avian Vet so they can be put into a AICU unit and given oxygen, maybe an overnight stay until you can get the fumes out and cleared. But since you don't have transportation that won't work. Is there anyone else in the house that can drive you? If there isn't, I'm curious what would happen if your birds were to have a medical emergency, how do you get them to the vet ??
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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Thanks chris_md, i'm feeling a little better now you've said that!
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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Thanks DRB, no furnace or ac in this house.
 

itzjbean

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The past 24 hours have been weird and terrible...
Seeing as i'm just sat here on the floor in a blocked off room wearing a curtain - I might just ramble it off my chest...

So a couple of days ago I found a young pigeon that had fallen from it's nest too soon. It was in an alley that is frequented by drunks and the like. I tried to put the pigeon high up on some kind of box of electrical stuff on the wall to see if the parent birds would come and feed it, I waited, a pigeon flew over knocking the baby off, I lunged and caught the baby. I took it home, put it in a pet carrier with plenty of vet fleece bedding, gave it some peas and sweet corn and was looking forward to having a new member in my flock.

ANXIETY
Im quite reclusive and my work has changed hands. The new owners have lots of training courses they want us to do. Ive been feeling so sick with anxiety about it, I had to go to London using various trains and the underground. Stressful for me - I hate it! I had to be up at 4am, didn't get back to the local train station until 7:30pm...

SADNESS
I got back to find the baby pigeon slipping away. I couldn't leave it outside, so I brought it in, in a box on a heat mat. I tried feeding but the little guy stopping swallowing. Gradually the little baby passed away. I was so upset, tormenting myself with "would they still be alive if I had left them in the alley?"

WORRY
Then I came to the realisation that the baby might have already been sick - and i'd just brought it into the house. I wen't online and bought a ton of f10 products, decided Bella and Dexter will have to be quarantined to their bird room for the next 6-8 weeks to be on the safe side.

Didn't get to bed until 4am :(

Got up today - tended to my flock and then this happened!

What a terrible turn of events. I'm so sorry. Ugh, I would hate having to navigate London, too!! That would be the worst. Is this a job you like a lot, or could you try to find something more stable with less traveling? Do you take anything for your anxiety? Maybe your doctor can prescribe you something, otherwise I actually just ordered a bottle of Bach Rescue Remedy flower essence, it's used on both humans and animals to calm and relieve stress and anxiety. I'm excited to try it when it gets here!

The poor baby pigeon! You could have possibly called an animal rehabilitation center in your area, I know in my area there's a number you can call when wild animals are found. And yes it could have very well been sick, and your flock could be compromised, so yes quarantine may be in order.

Just take a deep breath, do what you need to do and keep your head high. These things do happen!
 

DRB

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What a horrible sest of circumstances, hope you get a break real soon. This is hindsight, but I would never bring an unknown bird into your house again, it is too risky to your own flock. If you feel compelled to help such a distressed bird in the future, maybe find a alternative location.
 
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Violet_Diva

Violet_Diva

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Thanks itzjbean. My partners parents have a car, so in emergencies I can call on them if need be, but they are quite elderly, so I try to avoid bothering them if I can. My real avian vet is VERY far from us, but there is another vet that is closer that has some exotic experience as one of the vets there has birds. So I could take them there.

Do you think I should? I'm worried about stressing them out...

I do like my job, I will have been there 10years this September. I have looked around at other jobs but I can't find anything that pays the same or even close that doesn't require qualifications or experience. I don't take anthing for my anxiety, I might follow your lead and look for a herbal alternative.
I have a small flock of pigeons, 2 I partially hand raised.

Sorry if my messages sound blunt - my tablet keeps freezing
 
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