Tips for Bird-Proofing Your Home When you hear the word ‘bird’, you immediately think of ‘flying’. Flying is the basic instinct of birds that they need to do every time no matter wherever they are. If you have a pet bird, you need to give him plenty of space to fly around. Although, vets suggest that to keep your pet bird healthy, engage him in playful activities and give him fun toys in the cage. Again, flying remains an important part of bird nature. Today, we would let you know how to bird-proof your house so that your bird feels safe living and flying around. THE RISKS OF NOT BIRD-PROOFING If you have a pigeon as a pet, their nesting areas could be full of bacteria and more than 110 pathogens that would become the sole reason for respiratory diseases at your home, If you have small kids, you certainly need to make your home bird-proof so that bird droppings should not cause immense risk to human health. If the air conditioning and water supply pipes are not protected safely, the birds might damage them by scratching and making holes with their beaks. There would be a hazard of leakage around your house. The maintenance technicians sometimes have to take extra precautions while treating these areas as potentially harmful bird droppings could be a threat. It certainly requires routine inspections and regular monitoring around the house. AREAS OF THE HOUSE TO PAY ATTENTION TO First of all, you need to stop your pet birds from making a nest on the roof. You should protect your roof tiles but how can you bird-proof your roof? You can use bird spikes, audio deterrents, comb fillers, and even chimney caps to seal the areas. The resting holes within your roofs would be filled and would deter the bird from building their nesting areas over there. Another useful way to bird-proof your roof from at-home materials is the use of foil paper. Foil paper reflects in the sunlight and keeps the birds away from its high reflection. You can hang foil on the roof to keep the reflection quotient high and stop the bird from nesting there. SECURE THE BIRD’S LIVING AREA Birdcage placement is another priority to give him a safe environment to live in. Do not place the cage too far from the windows. Keep it where the bird can see outside and still feel the outdoor environment, however, keep a safe distance from the windows and doors. Keep the cage where it can easily see the family members and feel a part of the family. The bird does not remain left out while still thinking about its quiet time. Social interaction is extremely important for the birds’ psychological health. “Tips for Bird-Proofing Your Home” Most important! The bird’s cage should be made from safe, non-toxic materials. It could include stainless steel and powder-coated metal. It would keep the cage from rusting. Also, when the bird scratches it from its beak, the rust won’t go into its stomach and cause tummy problems. The bars of the cage should be shaped evenly to prevent the bird from getting stuck and getting himself physically injured. MINIMIZE RISKS IN OTHER AREAS OF THE HOUSE Keep your bird out of the kitchen. Keep him away from a hot stove and toasters etc. Even keeping him far from toxic eatables like onions, coffee, tomato, and potato stems is extremely important as these foods are not recommended by vets for pet birds. Living room safety is another important Tips for Bird-Proofing Your Home that you need to consider. Candle flames, cigarettes, cigars, vapes, aerosol products, and cleaning chemicals should not be present in your living room. If you want your bird to stay away from hazards when you are not around. When you would take your pet bird to the bathroom to bathe him, he would be under your supervision. You should not let him out his beak in the shampoo bottle or soap. Small birds can take bath in the sink easily while large birds might need a shower. You just need to be more vigilant when pet birds are with you in the bathroom. REMOVE TOXIC AND DANGEROUS ITEMS Tips for Bird-Proofing Your Home The common household toxins, the smells that can kill birds, are chlorine bleach, phenols, and ammonia. You should strictly keep any items away from your birds that have any of these smells. Common household products like perfumes, deodorants, and hair spray should be kept away in locked cupboards. These smells can also kill the bird if they catch respiratory problems from their fragrances and are left untreated. WINDOWS AND DOORS The primary factor that you need to take care of while having a pet bird around is preventing the escapes of birds through open windows and doors. Windows should be shut close when they are not in use. You can use strips of chart tape to keep the window protected while still keeping some parts of it open for indoor lighting for birds. Also, to give a full feel of the daylight, avian full spectrum LED natural daylights are a great option for giving your bird indoor lighting. The spectral energy is equivalent to that of the daylight when windows are closed so that your bird can enjoy the day’s energy. Moreover, you can take great benefit from artificial sunlight for birds. The major advantage of this option is that you can control how much light your bird should be exposed to. The number of hours the bird receives light is called the ‘photo period’. The hormonal triggers are in your control once you control this artificial sunlight for your pet bird. ELECTRICAL SAFETY Birds should NOT be exposed to electrical wires anywhere in your house. They try to tweak them with their beaks which has a high risk of getting them electrocuted. Conceal the cords in safety boxes and cover the switches with protection. HOUSEPLANTS If you are a plant lover, be aware of bird safe indoor plants. Some of the safe plants are Wandering Jew, Spider Plant, Zebra plant, Monkey plant, Danish Ivy, Purple Passion, Sensitive Plant, Aloe Vera, etc. The indoor plants that are not bird safe are Philodendron, also known as Dieffenbachia, Lilies, Ivy, Holly, Morning Glory, Daffodils, etc. CONCLUSION Tips for Bird-Proofing Your home this is important step in protecting both your property and the birds themselves. By taking preventative measures such as installing bird netting, sealing off entry points, and using visual deterrents, you can create a safe and comfortable environment for both you and the birds that inhabit your area. Not only does bird-proofing help to prevent damage to your property, but it can also prevent potential health hazards and unpleasant odors caused by bird droppings. Overall, investing in bird-proofing measures is a wise decision that can benefit both you and the natural ecosystem surrounding your home while keeping it safe for your pet bird at the same time.