Safe and natural air freshners

[CallumConure]

I'd like to preface this thread by saying I do NOT use aerosols, those cone thingies, plug-ins, etc. I'm instead looking for safe or alternative ways to help freshen up my living space. Whether it is bird safe air freshners (don't know that that exists) or how to DIY my own birdy safe air freshner.

I live in Minnesota, USA and it's starting to get too cold to open windows and as it turns out, my apartment's air is quite still and stagnant. We have high ceilings, no ceiling fans, etc. I can only place so many fans too lol.

Any ideas? Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[noodles123]

I'd get a nice, non- ionizing air filter---one that circulates 1000 sq ft every 30 min or so. They are not cheap, but they can be affordable ...Fresh flowers, like lilacs, could also be an option.Simmering some cinnamon sticks in a pot (as long as you don't overdo it it or leave it simmering too long) is another thought.

 

[bug_n_flock]

Cinnamon sticks, water, orange peels is my go-to. sometimes add a bit of cloves.


Eta: simmered, I mean.

 

[18WheelsOfSteel]

Plenty of odiferous flowers, trees and spices/foods that ought to do the trick, Rose, Sage, Connifers, Lavender, oranges, lemons, limes etc ought to all be safe enough for them, they aren't likely to be strong smelling, but they should help a bit, cinnamon listed above is a great idea too

 

[SailBoat]

Great recommendations above as the source will also add to the overall humidity level of the room /apartment.

The active word is "simmered!"

 

[CallumConure]

Awesome, thanks for the help! I'll have to try simmering cinnamon and orange peels! I love oranges and always have some on hand

I'm also part of a rat forum (I have a ton of rats and they're known for having sensitive lungs) and I asked this question to my ratty friends on that forum. I was suggested Nature's Air Sponge. It absorbs the odor, but doesn't give off a fragrance. I was also suggested a bowl of vinegar, but I think Callum would mistake a bowl of vinegar as a bath for him... I DO NOT want my bird smelling like vinegar lol! Then he'd truly live up to his nickname as Smelly and Stinky Bird.

However, I did look up how to make your own air fresheners, and I saw pretty much all immediate results were using essential oils. What is the consensus to use essential oils with birds around? I'd like to add I do not use essential oils and don't plan to, since I don't know their affect on birds (and by extension my rats). My question was just more of curious for curiosity's sake.

 

[bug_n_flock]

.... sorry to be a downer but I feel compelled to warn. PLEASE tell me the rats are in a separate room from Callum! I made this mistake and lost Pistol because of it. Rats can and will kill birds!

 

[noodles123]

essential oils are very risky for birds (in general) and there isn't enough research to say they are safe (while there is research indicating that some are not )---they have medicinal impacts on humans via inhalation and the same is true of birds--they enter our blood-stream...then add the complications of their respiratory systems and very small size in comparison to humans..some oils are very bad for them and either way, you are sending oils into the air...
A rat's lungs are WAY less sensitive than a bird's, as rats are mammals and their lungs don't connect to their bones with all of the lobes that birds have---birds need a ton of oxygen to fly the way they do, so even an asthmatic human is hearty compared to a healthy bird.

 

[SailBoat]

Last I read, USDA does not regulate that industry, nor it's processing centers. Its a crapshoot on what is in any given containing in any given run, let alone anything from one lot to another.
Just not one of my recommended tools...

 

[CallumConure]

Bug_n_flock, It's a yes and no question. I live in an apartment, and both my apartment complex and grandma don't want any of my animals out of my room, so both the rats and Callum are in the same room. I spend basically 100% of my time in there, so Callum isn't alone in my room that often. Callum and the rats do not interact AT ALL. For their free time, he is in his cage. I'll give him an extra fun toy or yummy treat for that time so he doesn't feel like he's missing out.

Callum is not allowed on their cage, near their cage, etc. They, rats and Callum, are not handled at the same time. He has his stand and is a very good boy about sitting on me, my chair, or his stand, but never where the rats are. I don't let any of my animals interact, really. I understand this is far from ideal, but it's what I have to work with and do my best to prevent any accidents. Hopefully I can find a solution to this issue in the near future.

noodles123 and SailBoat, I tend to agree with the essential oils thing. While I don't necessarily disagree with alternative medicine, I dislike how unregulated the entire industry is right now. For anyone familiar with the vaping issue going on right now, we can relate this sort of issue with deaths and lung injuries currently coming out. Something perceived to be safe or fine turns out not to be safe and needing more research. (Needless to say, don't vape around birds or rats).
While I do like the idea of essential oils and their potential help, I disagree strongly with the use of them until we know the effects on us humans and our animals. While a person can say "using this made me feel like crap" our animals aren't as fortunate. This is the same exact discussion we got into on the rat forum I mentioned earlier.

 

[bug_n_flock]

That is similar to how I did things when it happened. I literally stepped out of the room for a *moment*. Pistol was out of the cage talking to Fatty, so I figured it would be fine and she would continue to do so. She was not only gone when I came back in the room, but greusomely so. If I had to be in a situation like yours again with only one room, I think I would look into those hanging velcro bird net barriers to put up around the rat cages. Edit for clarity: the rats were in their cages, Pistol, even not being allowed over that side of the room at all, flew over to the cage in the short time I was not supervising her.



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Maybe something like the above product, but large enough to completely block access(or slow access long enough to intervene). The hard lesson I have since learned is that a threat never seems "real" until it is *too* real.



And I am a fellow rat lover. After that happened I had to rehome all of mine and have some rat free time to let the intensity fade a bit. I only recently have gotten to a point where I could have rats again. It wasn't their fault-they were just being rats, but I wasn't able to separate blame from them for what happened. The 2 boys we adopted just recently are lovely animals, but they are NOT trusted around birds even for a second.

 

[CallumConure]

That is similar to how I did things when it happened. I literally stepped out of the room for a *moment*. Pistol was out of the cage talking to Fatty, so I figured it would be fine and she would continue to do so. She was not only gone when I came back in the room, but greusomely so. If I had to be in a situation like yours again with only one room, I think I would look into those hanging velcro bird net barriers to put up around the rat cages. Edit for clarity: the rats were in their cages, Pistol, even not being allowed over that side of the room at all, flew over to the cage in the short time I was not supervising her.



Maybe something like the above product, but large enough to completely block access(or slow access long enough to intervene). The hard lesson I have since learned is that a threat never seems "real" until it is *too* real.



And I am a fellow rat lover. After that happened I had to rehome all of mine and have some rat free time to let the intensity fade a bit. I only recently have gotten to a point where I could have rats again. It wasn't their fault-they were just being rats, but I wasn't able to separate blame from them for what happened. The 2 boys we adopted just recently are lovely animals, but they are NOT trusted around birds even for a second.

I'm sorry that that ended up happening to you. To say that that was a horrible experience is a major understatement. I'm looking into getting something like the product you described now, but I just have to hang it close enough that Callum can't get to the cage, but far enough away that my rats can't pull it through and chew it up/ tear it up. I'll also have to see if my apartment would allow it. To my knowledge, my apartment has a rule against hanging bedsheets on the walls. If anything, I'll attempt to talk to my apartment complex and see if an exception can be made for their and my bird's safety.

Thankfully, I have one of those huge Double Critter Nation cage for my rats, so it's only one cage. I actually got a stand to give Callum his own space. He would constantly try to land on the rat cage and I'd take him off. Now with the stand, he's got his own space to sit on and doesn't feel as big of a need to sit on it. For now, whenever I leave the room, Callum is usually on my shoulder or is in his cage, so I don't leave the opportunity for him.


I'm glad you rescued two new boys I brought home two brothers a few months back and I'm glad I did, I lost one of my rats recently. The rats act as my unofficial ESA's, but to actually get that label on them would be difficult since they are so short lived, unfortunately

I really sound like I'm making a ton of excuses and I'm not denying that I am, and I really don't mean to sound like I don't care about Callum and my rats. I really do, but I just have to find a solution my apartment will be okay with. And since they can come into my apartment whenever they want, I can't necessarily sneak something by them. I'll try to research more solutions to this Callum-rat issue when I get home (I'm currently at college and have to go to class).

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.