Houseplants?

Hello bird parents =)

Owning a lovebird has been one of my dreams...very recently, since I'm on my last semester of University, I have been looking into adopting one, but I have one big concern. I own A LOT of houseplants, and the room I plan on letting the bird spend most of it's day with me in free-flight is a jungle. I suppose I'm recreating the tropics in this room with all my animals and plants...

Do you think it's too much of a risk to own a bird with these plants around?

Thanks for your help.

peace

I have about 40-50 houseplants in my house with 5 flighted birds and never had any problems. I try to put the poisonous ones like poinsettias, philodendrons and pothos in the bedroom to keep away from them, but I have still pretty "bad" ones like peace lily and pothos rootings in the living room where they fly, and they never touched anything that is poisonous. There are tons of plants that are non-toxic that I have there. My birds adore my majesty palm fronds and love to "preen" them. LOL But only if I cut them off and place into their play area - generally they don't touch any plants in the room. So just check online about the plants you have.

Thanks Veimar! I'm so happy now!

About half my plants are toxic, like the peace lilly's, pathos and avocado plants. Though, maybe if your birds don't eat your plants, I can keep an eye on my future bird and deter him/her from the plants....My little dog LOVES greens (he's like a goat) and I had to train him not to eat the plants because they are toxic to him too...

You've given me hope XD

peace

You could spray your toxic plants with bitter apple spray to deter your dog form them. My lovie actually did nibble on pothos a few times and even broke the whole vine which made me very pissed off, but nothing happened to her. She just chews through things, but doesn't eat them. I'm more worried for my plants being dismembered than for the safety of the birds in this case! LOL I believe that birds who live in nature have some instinct knowledge about what to eat and what not to.

Violet, be careful here.....just because one owners birds don't bother their house plants, does not mean your future bird will be as trainable and while a plant is listed as toxic and may not have posed problems with any birds of several owners DOES NOT MEAN your bird will not harbor a severe sensitivity to one or more of your plants.....I am not a plant person and can live without them in the house, but if someone or some list describes a plant or other item as toxic/dangerous, I will research exactly what/why it is toxic/dangerous & if one of my birds landing on it & maybe nibbling a taste or two appears a dangerous possibility to me, that particular plant that plant continues its life as an outdoors plant OR a suitable cage is placed over it to keep the birds away from it.....

The plant lovers here don't appreciate that, but their only other option is to keep their plants in their room, with their respective doors closed.....my SO have discussed this & I grew up "Sleeping single in a double bed (or larger)" and don't mind the temperature...heck, I've been known to turn the A/C on in the winter...I've got lots of blankets.....

All I'm trying to say is that while poison ivy or oak doesn't bother me, I doubt the majority here can say the same thing.....

Good luck.....

Thanks Veimar, that's what I was thinking too, that maybe the bird will act as if in the wild and not just eat any plant it sees =)

Maybe the bitter apple will deter the bird as well XD

Thanks weco, I wouldn't want my new bird to be harmed...I'll test the bird and plants out under supervision and if it seems the bird want's to eat or even just shred the plants, I'll have keep the plants away from the bird...for the birds safety and I wouldn't want the plants I've been collecting for the past decade and a half to be shredded either =)


It was nice talking this out with you two, I'm glad I joined this forum =)

peace