Got the spring cleaning bug? Having the urge to do some freshening up which might include painting a wall or a room?
Plan carefully to avoid any dangers to your bird. To understand why birds are so sensitive to anything in the air including odors of cleaners and paint, let's take a quick look into how a bird's unique respiratory system works.
Birds are very different than us and their respiratory system is much more complex. Air enters through the bird's nares, then passes through the sinuses, and then into the throat. There is a small slit in the roof of a parrot's mouth called the choana which helps clean and warm the air taken in. Then the air passes on through the larynx and trachea and into the bronchi, then the lungs, and onto the air sacs. Now these air sacs reach all the way into the bones of the bird which helps with flight, but also means that anything the parrot breaths in, reaches far into the bird's body.
Structure of Bird Lungs:
- Like mammals, birds have two relatively small symmetrical lungs located in their chest cavity.
- In a bird's lungs are bellows-like air sacs. These air sacs keep the lungs perpetually inflated.
- A bird's lungs/air sacs do not expand and contract as they do in mammals and reptiles.
- Their lungs are connected to a trachea (windpipe).
- Unlike mammals, birds have a system of air sacs that extend throughout their body.
How Birds Breathe:
- Air is drawn into the lungs through the trachea and distributed to the air sacs.
- The air sacs then pump air through the lungs in a one-way direction.
- This unidirectional flow of air ensures that the lungs are constantly receiving fresh oxygen.
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As the air passes through the lungs, it crosses thin capillaries where oxygen diffuses into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide diffuses out.
So, if you are planning on doing some painting this spring, removing your bird from the home before you begin, and for a minimum of 48 hours after completion, is the best idea. If that's simply not possible, make sure your bird is as far away from the area being painted as possible. Make sure windows in the painted room are open and the area is well ventilated. Closing the room door and even laying a towel at the bottom of the doorway for extra containment helps.
There are more and more paints that say 0% VOC (volatile organic compounds) or low VOC. When searching for the safest paints, try to find both “Zero-VOC” and “Non-Toxic”, using a “Zero-VOC” tinting system for adding colorant. Labels that clearly state safe for babies, safe for people with asthma or respiratory problems are a better choice to use.
