Looking for a new mattress: Precautions, Suggestions and Advice

[buurd]

I'm looking to get a new mattress:

What precautions should I take with the birds?

How long should I keep them out of the room?

Any suggestions on what kind of mattress?

Are they all toxic? Are some less toxic?

Any experience/anecdotes?

Thanks.

 

[Allee]

Hi there. Thank you for considering your feathered ones before you make your purchase. Your new mattress should be fine unless I'm missing something. The biggest danger I can think of concerning a mattress is letting your parrots share your bed. As far as toxicity, as long as your parrots don't ingest any part of the mattress I think they'll be okay.

 

[chris-md]

It depends on the mattress. Memory foam mattresses off gas. They give off a strong fume for a few days, then disappears. Problem is I don’t know what the gas is or if it’s toxic. I’ll say our boy turned out fine but his cage was in the basement.

 

[SailBoat]

Traditional mattress construction tends to keep their manufacturing regional as they do not lend to easy shipping other than direct from manufacturing to retail outlets. This assure that the vast majority of toxic materials are not allowed and regional /national controls provide greater safety.

The concern regarding traditional mattresses are any chemicals that are added to control or limit: bugs /molds /stains, 'or' add colorings etc... in the coverings and sub-structures of the mattress. Near all National Brands are aware of these issues and rarely include such products today. Not so such in the past.

Another concern is recycled mattress materials and that 'stuff' that are found in them. National /larger manufacturing facilities do not use recycled materials because 'they' introduce variations into they system and can cause a facility to shutdown. Small area manufactures 'may' use recycled materials and as a result may also chemically treat those materials.

Testing for chemicals: Plow your nose deep into the mattress (lay down, nose down) you will smell the chemicals. Think Scotguard, Raid, etc...

Ask questions, read labels.

High Tech /New Tech Mattresses. This group of 'foam' based products commonly use traditional coverings and the same test as above works just as well. Note, this group of products can lock in heat and become uncomfortable. Also, many high Tech mattresses can be crushed down allowing for international manufacturing and shipping and as a result limiting regional and national safety manufacturing protections.

 

[bill_e]

I bought a Sealy memory foam/gel mattress a few years ago. The foam is covered with a zip on cloth cover. We added a mattress cover to that before putting on the bedding. I don't remember ever smelling anything. Having said that if you buy online you could get something that really stinks. Nowadays almost anyone can make a mattress by gluing layers of foam together.

 

[ChristaNL]

The was a 'thing' with matresses a few years back- where they exuded toxic fumes (even to humans) for months. But the authorities got them- so that is no longer an issue afaik.
The biggest issue is transport - every container (internationally) shipped gets gassed, whether it needs to or not.
Those can linger a bit, so if you have a safe place outside to "air it out" would be great.


If you smell anything/ just as a precaution: get as much ventilation around it as you can manage and let it breathe for a few days with the door to the rest of the house closed and the windows (if that is an option) wide open.
If you have a 1 rooom-house...ventilate, ventilate, ventilate (just don't get your parrots in the drafts... ).

 

[buurd]

Traditional mattress construction tends to keep their manufacturing regional as they do not lend to easy shipping other than direct from manufacturing to retail outlets. This assure that the vast majority of toxic materials are not allowed and regional /national controls provide greater safety.

The concern regarding traditional mattresses are any chemicals that are added to control or limit: bugs /molds /stains, 'or' add colorings etc... in the coverings and sub-structures of the mattress. Near all National Brands are aware of these issues and rarely include such products today. Not so such in the past.

Another concern is recycled mattress materials and that 'stuff' that are found in them. National /larger manufacturing facilities do not use recycled materials because 'they' introduce variations into they system and can cause a facility to shutdown. Small area manufactures 'may' use recycled materials and as a result may also chemically treat those materials.

Testing for chemicals: Plow your nose deep into the mattress (lay down, nose down) you will smell the chemicals. Think Scotguard, Raid, etc...

Ask questions, read labels.

High Tech /New Tech Mattresses. This group of 'foam' based products commonly use traditional coverings and the same test as above works just as well. Note, this group of products can lock in heat and become uncomfortable. Also, many high Tech mattresses can be crushed down allowing for international manufacturing and shipping and as a result limiting regional and national safety manufacturing protections.

So if I walk into a local mattress, furniture or department store, all of the mattresses are made locally? National brand names, like Sealy for instane?

I gave up looking for a mattress online . I was so frustrated. About the only thing I could see , was that I cannot afford the wildly overpriced mattresses that were truly non-toxic. Frustrating!

And I read that reddit Q & A with an ex matress salesman. They price them at 4 to6x the cost, on average. I have a low tolerance for bull, and dealing with any salesman is odious work, but car and furniture salesman have got to be the worst.
I wish I could order a cheap nontoxic one, online. But I also dont want my mattress to have been made in China.

 

[Flboy]

So if I walk into a local mattress, furniture or department store, all of the mattresses are made locally? National brand names, like Sealy for instane?

I gave up looking for a mattress online . I was so frustrated. About the only thing I could see , was that I cannot afford the wildly overpriced mattresses that were truly non-toxic. Frustrating!

And I read that reddit Q & A with an ex matress salesman. They price them at 4 to6x the cost, on average. I have a low tolerance for bull, and dealing with any salesman is odious work, but car and furniture salesman have got to be the worst.
I wish I could order a cheap nontoxic one, online. But I also dont want my mattress to have been made in China.
Costco! They sell a high quality foam unit, and their warranty is truly bulletproof! If you can wait, it always goes on sale!
https://www.costco.com/mattresses.h...hDlrrKmnRER+JJdFlx1JnBuvTLBkxPalvQ/1vD4Uv7g==