I think I read Febreeze is that true.. I know about the teflon... but what other chemicals are there... and what do I use to clean the cage.

All chemicals from household products can be deadly to animals.

I clean my cage with just water and soap. Sometimes I will take it outside and hose it down (without the keets, of course), to remove excess poop and all that good stuff. Then I bring it back to the bathroom and wash it down with warm water. I add soft soap, non-toxic, and clean it real well with a toothbrush.

Then I let it dry for awhile or you can dry it off with a towel or papertowel.

Yeah as Cristina said almost all of them can be deadly, the problem is when you can smell them, that means they are going to be hard on your birds. We try to avoid any air fresheners, carpets cleaners, amonia(sp), bleach, and so on. Most of the time we try to use white vinegar to clean, it cleans pretty well and it is safe. Also don't use candles, or like you said teflon. It's tough sometimes because you must change a lot of what you use but I think it is very worth it for my babies, I don't like even using stuff like pledge or glass cleaner anywhere near them, if by chance I must use something I think could be harmful, I move the birds into a room close the door and put a towel down at the bottom of the door, also I open the house and turn on fans to air out the smell, and I won't bring them back in until there is no smell at all. And I will never use any of those things on stuff that the birds might climb on or stand on. ANyways I am a nut about that kind of stuff, but I think it pays to be. Best wishes. Jloc

i wanted to buy a strightening iron that has both ceramic and teflon coating so as to cause less damage to your hair. can i use it in the bathroom with the door shut?

If it has teflon, I wouldn't use it. If it gets over a certain temperature it can kill your bird. These things aren't just harmful, they are deadly and the death caused by teflon (in particular) is a horrific death and can happen quickly.

My motto is, if in doubt, don't use it. I often email companies if I'm not sure of something in them and ask.

Some people will tell you closing the door is OK, some will tell you its not. I just don't take the chance. Its not something I can undo.

Hope that helps.

Even with the door closed, its still dangerous to use your straightner cause of the Vent system, it will flow the heated tedflon throughout the house!! Plus even when you open your door all the stored teflon stuff will be released from the bathroom!! I mean c'mon all hair straightners are gonna be harsh on your hair! So why not get a keet safe one and then maybe a hair product thats specially meant for using heat like a blow dryer or straightner! I know that Tresemmme (spelling?) makes Heat Formulated spray now to help protect your hair! So try that!! =)


with the household products, well anything with a strong scent is most deffinatly out of the question! Remember keets sense of smell is a lot more sensitive then ours!! I highy reccommend staying away from products like 409, Glass Cleaner, Fantastic, etc. If your unsure look at the packaging and see if it is animal safe or not! If your looking to the cleant he room that your keet is in and want to use those kind of products, remove the keets cage completly and then wait for the room to air out before putting the keets back!

I simply use Wet Ones wipes to clean the bottom of their cage and then go to the bathroom and rinse it all off in pretty warm water! Dry and then set back!! You only need that or use mild non-toxic soap and water! Strong cleaners are not needed to clean a keets cage =)

hope I've helped and I apologize for any awful spelling mistakes!!!

This topic has really gotten me to thinking. What about other things such as perfume, finger nail polish and remover, spray deodorant, etc.??? I'm all paranoid about all these things now that we have the keets in our house.

in a nut shell

ALL common household cleaner and airfreshners are harmful to parakeets

I wouldn't consider perfume or fingernail polish to be household cleaners or air fresheners...which is why I was asking for more specific answers. :)But thanks for the reply.

I always spray my perfume and use my finger nail polish and remover away from my keets. like i do my nails downstairs, my keets are upstairs!