THE SILENT KILLER
It makes no sound and has no smell. Polytetraflouethylene (Teflon
fumes) is deadly for your birds. A bird's size and lung capacity
make him more sensitive to the toxins in our environment. It was for
this reason that coal miners would take a canary down into the mines
with them. If the bird became sick or died, they knew it was
dangerous for them to be in that mine.
Polytetraflouethylene is known by the brand name Teflon and most
bird owners realize that using products that have this coating
cannot safely be used around birds. However, there are many other
brand names that are also polytetraflouethylene. Some of these are:
Silverstone, Fluron, Supra, Excalibur, Greblon, Xylon, Duracote,
Resistal, Autograph and T-Fal are just a few. These coatings are
used primarily to keep things from sticking.
The San Antonio Zoo in Texas lost 21 birds in an outdoor aviary
awhile back. Their death was caused when the birds gathered by
lights that the zoo had installed so that the birds could warm
themselves in an outdoor aviary. The bulbs had been coated with
Polytetraflouethylene. Phillips standard red heating lamps have a
coating of Teflon. The FDA now requires that bulbs be given a Teflon
coating as a shatter shield when used around food. If you are
planning to use a light to help warm a brooder or keep a sick bird
warm, look it over carefully and read the box to see if Teflon has
been used. If it does not have a box or does not say it has a
special coating, check the bulb itself. The Teflon coated ones have
a bubbly or cloudy surface. They may use one of the other brand
names for Polytetraflouethylene so remember that just because it
doesn't say Teflon it doesn't mean that it is safe to use around
birds.
PTFE was discovered in 1941. Basically this is a plastic. Teflon
is the trademark for a tetrafluoroeghylene resin with a high
resistance to heat and corrosive chemicals. It was originally used
in wire insulation, cable spacers, gaskets and in other applications
in the chemical industry. It then became popular as a non-stick
coating for cook ware.
In 1951 the first case of human suffering from
tetrafluoroethylene problems was reported. It produces flu like
symptoms in humans. The tetrafluoroethylene lingers long after the
product has been removed. It can remain in carpeting and draperies
for some time.
Birds die an extremely painful and agonizing death when exposed
to these fumes. This product may not kill all the birds at the same
time. The toxins travel on air currants. The currant can by-pass one
bird and come in contact with another. The fumes swirl on these air
currants similar to the way that smoke would. The bird does not have
to be in the room where the fumes originate as they can be carried
into various parts of the house on these air currants. Smaller birds
can take less of the fumes than a larger bird, but even a small
amount of exposure can kill a large bird.
When the report first circulated about Teflon causing bird
deaths, it was thought that very high heat was needed to release the
deadly fumes. Now there are reports that temperatures as low as 285
degrees can cause death to birds.
Teflon starts emitting fumes from the start of heating. It does
not have to be a high temperature or for an extended length of time
to cause death to your bird. Small birds breathing these fumes for
only a few seconds took as long as 24 hours to die.
Many people think that Teflon is only dangerous if the pan burns.
This danger lurks in other products besides cookware. These do not
have to operate at a high temperature to cause damage to your birds.
I have listed some products that use polytetraflouethylene. Not all
of these use this coating nor are these the only places that it is
used. Carefully read all products that you buy before you use them
around your bird. If in doubt, call up the manufacturer and asked
what he has used in the product.
Some Products That Use
Polytetraflouethylene
- Heat lamps
- Portable heaters
- Sole plates on irons
- Ironing board covers
- Burners on stove tops
- Drip pans for burners
- Broiler pans
- Griddles
- Many cooking utensils
- Woks
- Waffle makers
- Electric skillets
- Deep fryers, crock pots,
- Hot air popcorn poppers
- Coffee makers
- Bread makers
- Non-stick rolling pins
- Lollipop molds
- Corkscrews
- Never-Stick-Stainless Steel
- Stockpots
- Roasters
- Non-stick gingerbread molds
- Pizza pans
- Tortilla presses
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