Essential Oils???

[PipnMe]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone knows anything about using essential oils in a diffuser in the same room as my GCC?

 

[snowflake311]

I have used REAL Essential oils not the fake cheap walmart stuff but the real kind and it is fine. It will not harm your parrot. I would not use that cheap chemical kind. Essential oils would be the safest air freshener for a parrot house.

 

[SilverSage]

Some plants are not safe for birds to ingest. As a rule, please do not diffuse anything that is unsafe for your bird to eat. For example, melaleuca oil is not safe to use.


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[SailBoat]

I have used REAL Essential oils not the fake cheap walmart stuff but the real kind and it is fine. It will not harm your parrot. I would not use that cheap chemical kind. Essential oils would be the safest air freshener for a parrot house.

Snowflake, It would be wise to spend a little time discussing what makes a 'REAL' essential oil as I have seen far too many 'cheap' kinds being pushes as the 'REAL' stuff. And, just because the scammer is charging high prices does not make it 'REAL' and clearly does not make it safe! There is so much junk out there that I would rather people not use any essential oils.

You may also want to talk about the diffuser unit, as there are some of those units are down right dangerous.

 

[Billdore]

no tea tree oil toxic to birds. I have a one and I have tangerine and lemon and I'm still afraid to try it. Young Living is some good stuff pricey but good.

 

[PipnMe]

No worries, no cheap stuff here! Young Living is my go to. Ok, no melaleuca oil or tea tree oil. Thank you all for the advice!

 

[SilverSage]

There are others that are dangerous; be sure to research each one before diffusing


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[snowflake311]

Ok let me put it this way. IF it is pure oil from a plant that a bird can eat it is safe to use. I have used Clove, lavender, orange, Cedarwood, lemon, and peppermint. With no problems and no died or sick birds.

The diffuser I use is in a clay thing where the candle heats the oil that sits above it.

 

[Kentuckienne]

Let me ask something..you guys who like the essential oils in the air... Why do you like them? It's because they smell good. If there were an essential oil that was proved beyond a doubt to greatly improve health, and smelled like an old sock dipped in skunk juice, nobody would use it. We like the oils because they smell good, and rationalize that they are good for us, because anything that smells good and lifts our spirits must be good for us. Humans are very much affected emotionally by smells. Think how a certain aroma can take you back to your childhood and evoke strong feelings and memories.

This doesn't work with birds. They don't have the same memories associated with fragrances that humans do. They may not even smell the same things we smell. In my research I haven't found a single, provable benefit to birds from being exposed to atomized oils, and there are many proven risks. For one thing, these oils aren't tested or regulated and th vast majority ar chemically synthesized. The person packaging them for resale may have been told the oils are pure and natural, etc., but they don't have the facilities to do independent testing so their assurances are meaningless.

Birds have incredible respiratory systems that are much better at absorbing oxygen - and toxins - from the air. A bird might have a bad reaction to a chemical in the oil - and make no mistake these oils are in fact chemicals. Or the tiny droplets could attach to the lining of the air sacs and pathways, where they might collect dust from the air or block the absorption of oxygen or evaporation of waste gases. If the oil contains any bacteria - I promise it isn't sterile - tiny droplets of oil could transport pathogens into the bird and help attach them to the inside of the bird.

fragrant oils smell nice, but I personally am not willing to risk any iota of harm to the bird in order to enjoy them. There are plenty of places like the car or the bindery where I can enjoy such things if I want to.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Good god we agree on something LOL

 

[LordTriggs]

I was told all air freshening items were dangerous for parrots.

I've got a reed diffuser right now as I have no birds and to be honest, it hasn't changed the smell. All the perfume from it goes out the window. If there's a smell around something needs a clean, the other way to get a nice natural fresh smell is to open the windows and let some air get around. If you're in a city or something where air isn't great you can boil orange peel. It takes a while to get around but it's what I did when I had my bird. I put a plastic cover just above the bowl I put the peel and water in so he couldn't burn himself and it was amazing! Smelt like I was inside an orange!

 

[SailBoat]

Ok let me put it this way. IF it is pure oil from a plant that a bird can eat it is safe to use. I have used Clove, lavender, orange, Cedarwood, lemon, and peppermint. With no problems and no died or sick birds.

The diffuser I use is in a clay thing where the candle heats the oil that sits above it.

Please know that I was not, nor am I chasing you on this subject. My concern is that those who do not have your experience and knowledge can be easily taken advantage and especially with this type of product. Hence my request for clarity on selecting one over another.

 

[plumsmum2005]

FYI http://www.parrotforums.com/cockatiels/66291-help-tea-tree-humidifier.html

 

[PipnMe]

Let me ask something..you guys who like the essential oils in the air... Why do you like them? It's because they smell good. If there were an essential oil that was proved beyond a doubt to greatly improve health, and smelled like an old sock dipped in skunk juice, nobody would use it. We like the oils because they smell good, and rationalize that they are good for us, because anything that smells good and lifts our spirits must be good for us. Humans are very much affected emotionally by smells. Think how a certain aroma can take you back to your childhood and evoke strong feelings and memories.

This doesn't work with birds. They don't have the same memories associated with fragrances that humans do. They may not even smell the same things we smell. In my research I haven't found a single, provable benefit to birds from being exposed to atomized oils, and there are many proven risks. For one thing, these oils aren't tested or regulated and th vast majority ar chemically synthesized. The person packaging them for resale may have been told the oils are pure and natural, etc., but they don't have the facilities to do independent testing so their assurances are meaningless.

Birds have incredible respiratory systems that are much better at absorbing oxygen - and toxins - from the air. A bird might have a bad reaction to a chemical in the oil - and make no mistake these oils are in fact chemicals. Or the tiny droplets could attach to the lining of the air sacs and pathways, where they might collect dust from the air or block the absorption of oxygen or evaporation of waste gases. If the oil contains any bacteria - I promise it isn't sterile - tiny droplets of oil could transport pathogens into the bird and help attach them to the inside of the bird.

fragrant oils smell nice, but I personally am not willing to risk any iota of harm to the bird in order to enjoy them. There are plenty of places like the car or the bindery where I can enjoy such things if I want to.

OK, just to clarify, I'm not diffusing oils because it makes my house smell good. I am doing it for health reasons for myself. Either for migraines or anxiety. I just want to make sure my bird will be safe with them either on me or diffused. Thank you all for the advice! I promise to stay away from the ones that are toxic to birds.

 

[PickleMeDickles]

I use essential oils all of the time. I have a 500cc reservoir and place about 15 drops in it. If this is the type of setup you are using I would not worry about it. Even the ones that are generated from a tree I don't worry about it (I figure trees are probably their chewy toys in the wild). I have noticed that the calming oils do help to calm my beasts. I buy them on Amazon as the Dotara (or whatever they are called) are outrageous. I have found 2 that I really like and pretty much stick to them.

 

[Billdore]

I dont know about all trees or birds but red maples are toxic to african greys. cause not all trees are native to our birds still have to be very careful.