Lisa Shea Forums Parakeets Health and Medical Issues self-cleaning oven

I read on the main website about a self-cleaning oven killing two parakeets, which is terrible! I live in a pretty small apartment with my parakeets and I have an older oven that needs to be cleaned. Is it safer to clean the oven by hand since my apartment is so small? I wouldn't want to put my birds at risk. Thank you all for your thoughts! (:

absolutley clean it by hand there is now a days good products with no fume smells that actually work...once you get that oven clean always line the bottom with aluminium foil and you wont ever need to worry about this again...in the meantime when you do go to clean i would seriously suggest doing it when you can open doors and windows just cover the bird with something to protect from the chill in the air if there is one for the first hour and even if possible bring to the remotest area of the house and close doors and block the bottom of the door with a towel so the chemicals dont reach in that room but still have doors and or windows open for the first hour or a bit more...

with the new cleaners out there that you spray on its not like they use to be years ago...they work quick an work very well and read the can to make sure it says no odors etc...

then like i said once its all clean be sure to completely line the bottom of the oven it makes life a whole lot easier to just chuck out a piece of aluminum foil later on ...

Thank you so much for responding! Unfortunately, this oven is pretty neglected right now. And from what search I have done they do not recommend using oven cleaner in a self-cleaning oven. Maybe tomorrow I will put my birds in the bedroom (with the towel stuffed under the door like you suggested.) I will then open up my front/back door while it is self cleaning. Do you think that will keep them safe, or should I also open up the bedroom window where they will be staying? Thank you so much (:

I might also get really neurotic about it and call the vet tomorrow....lol

nope....and i would not recommend something i have not myself used...my oven is also older and self cleaning one and ive used the stuff i mentioned.

calling a vet is a good thing to do make sure its a AVIAN vet if you do ...

however as mentioned ive used a spray foam cleaner ...oderless or fumeless it says on can...and all is fine...i know for sure to NOT use the self cleaning bit...waaaaaay not good as you have read from your first comment....

non stick cookware also ****very very dangerous...i tossed all mine...

good luck...

We have one of those "Self-Cleaning Ovens" and I worry about what it would actually do to the human inhabitants of the house if we let it go through a cleaning process. There is even a 600 cfm fan vented to the outside right above it and that thing would not keep up with the fumes.

"Self Cleaning" My arse. Take care of your birds and yourself.

I wouldnt use the self cleaning feature at all. Like I have not tried it yet but there is a new Dawn that supposedly has enzymes called Dawn Power clean and I heard that works well on oven grease

Thank you everyone for the advice! I will also try the dawn power cleaner before anything else. I called two different veterinary clinics that both see birds and got mixed information. One said it would be perfectly fine to put them in the bedroom....the other basically said don't risk it. and said if I absolutely have to, find a bird sitter for the day. Thinking more about this, I don't want my cat near it either! ...or myself LOL so I'll definitely just clean it myself; i dont want to have to kick everyone out and then worry if it's aired out enough. Thank you all for the help (:

ill have to remember about dawn but i believe what i used was easy off...and the one that said it would be perfectly fine that vet....welllll they need to seriously rethink this.

I know! I was surprised the other vet thought it was perfectly fine.....I think the other vet will be my bird's primary doctor lol

cant say as i would blame ya but as a matter of curiosity you mentioned vet clinics...

were either of these vets, people who special in birds?? ...avian vets as any vet will tell you they have a education in treating birds ie:

DVM'S, and they do about in total not more than 6mos to a year out of a four year study to become a DVM...not much in the line of knowing about birds...

where a avian vet...thats allll they study about and go to school for more than 4years for that privilidge...

dvm's its mostly dogs and cats studies...thats why all of us here putting emphasis on...seeing and looking for a avian vet...BIG difference...when you need it to be.