Bath & Body Works candles fill rooms with lovely scents, but are they safe around our feathery friends? If you or your bird are curious, read on for the details on candle safety and solutions for safely enjoying candles when you own pet birds.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Essential oils and fragrance chemicals in Bath & Body Works candles can be toxic or irritating to birds’ respiratory systems, so exercise caution and never leave lit candles unattended around birds.
Dangers of Candles and Fragrances for Birds
Essential Oils
Many candles, especially scented and essential oil candles, contain compounds that can be dangerous or even fatal to pet birds when inhaled or ingested. Essential oils like tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lemon oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, citrus oils, and pine oils are highly concentrated and can quickly cause toxicity in birds’ small respiratory systems leading to chemical burns, pneumonia, liver and kidney damage.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, there is little oversight and regulation around safe usage limits for birds. Exposure to concentrated essential oils can occur through inhalation of vapors or airborne particles, preening of feathers with oil residue, or ingestion during accidental spillage.
Even a few drops can be toxic to a bird in an enclosed space. It’s best to not use essential oil candles at all in homes with pet birds.
Synthetic Fragrances
Along with essential oils, many scented candles also contain synthetic fragrances and chemicals that can irritate airways when heated. Birds have very sensitive respiratory systems and are more vulnerable to airborne particles and fumes.
According to Columbia University’s Department of Environmental Health & Safety, compounds released from candles like acetone, benzene, toluene, and acetaldehyde are known irritants and should be limited around birds.
A bird might not show immediate symptoms, but chronic exposure over time can cause respiratory issues, lethargy, loss of appetite, and cancer in some cases. The most severe effects often happen in small enclosed spaces where fumes are concentrated.
Ventilation and air purifiers can reduce risks, but avoiding synthetic fragrances is best for bird health. Safer options are 100% beeswax or soy wax candles with pure essential oils, used cautiously for limited times.
Smoke and Soot
Candle smoke and soot contains very fine carbon particles that can build up quickly in indoor air. Birds are easily susceptible to respiratory inflammation and illness from particulate inhalation. According to the Journal of Avian Medicine and Surgery, heavy smoke exposure can lead to life-threatening conditions like pneumonia or air sacculitis for birds over time.
High ventilation helps, but does not eliminate risks fully. Covering cages when candles are lit reduces exposure. Soot can also pose problems between cage cleanings if soft particles land around birds’ living areas.
As prey animals, birds feel safer with cover, but Enjoying candle ambience always merits monitoring birds closely for signs of lethargy or irritation. Removing delicate birds to another room while candles burn can be the wisest approach to avoid these health impacts.
Protecting Your Bird From Candle Fumes
Ventilate the Area
Proper ventilation is key to allowing candle fumes to dissipate instead of building up to dangerous levels. Open windows, use fans, or run your HVAC system when burning candles in an enclosed space with your bird present. Avoid burning multiple candles at once in a small, enclosed room.
CO2 and other gases released by burning candles displace oxygen in the air over time. Ensure enough fresh air circulation to prevent oxygen levels from dropping to dangerous levels for your bird.
Keep Birds and Candles Separate
The most guaranteed way to protect your bird is to burn candles in a separate room from where you house your bird. Close the door to prevent fumes from reaching your bird’s environment. If you must burn a candle in the same room as your bird, place it as far away from your bird as possible and ensure adequate ventilation.
- Don’t place burning candles near your bird’s cage.
- Be aware of ceiling fans or HVAC vents that could spread fumes.
- Never leave a burning candle unattended if your bird is in the same room.
Choose Unscented or Bird-Safe Candles
The fragrances and oils used in scented candles have been linked to respiratory irritation in birds when inhaled over time. According to the National Audubon Society, chemicals from scented candle fumes can build up in birds’ tissues and bloodstream when continually exposed.
| Unscented Candles | Essential Oil Candles | |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | Safer | Use with caution |
| Fragrances | None | Natural plant oils |
| Example Scents | N/A | Lavender, eucalyptus, citrus |
According to avian veterinarians, unscented candles made from soy, vegetable, or beeswax with cotton wicks pose little risk to birds. Candles with essential oils may be safer alternatives to artificially fragranced candles around birds, but owners should still use caution and proper ventilation.
Signs Your Bird is Experiencing Respiratory Distress
Sneezing, Coughing, Wheezing
One of the most obvious signs of respiratory distress in birds is increased sneezing, coughing or wheezing. These symptoms indicate irritation and inflammation in the upper respiratory tract. Sneezing is the body’s attempt to expel foreign particles or irritants from the nostrils.
Coughing helps clear mucus and debris from the trachea. Wheezing occurs when the airways constrict, leading to a high-pitched whistling sound during breathing.
If your bird starts sneezing or coughing more than usual, pay close attention. Frequent bouts can lead to fatigue and stress. It’s especially concerning if discharge is thick, discolored or bloody. Such changes signal a possible infection requiring veterinary care.
Ruffled Feathers, Fluffed Appearance
Healthy birds keep their feathers sleeked close to the body. But when a bird feels unwell, it tends to fluff out its plumage. The ruffled, puffed up look is a response to inflammation and fever. Raising the feathers allows body heat to dissipate more readily.
Along with fluffed feathers, watch for changes in your bird’s posture and activity level. A hunched stance with drooping wings shows malaise. Your pet may prefer to sit still rather than move around the cage. Loss of appetite frequently accompanies illness too.
Keeping Beak Open, Straining for Breath
As respiratory distress advances, birds often start gaping and breathing with an open mouth. Tail bobbing is another sign of labored breathing. The tail bobs up and down with each inhale as the bird struggles to get adequate air.
Rapid or noisy respiration indicates a medical emergency requiring prompt veterinary treatment. Severe cases may lead to cyanosis, a bluish discoloration of the skin and membranes caused by inadequate oxygenation.
Immediate veterinary care is vital to support breathing and prevent respiratory failure.
When to Call an Avian Vet About Respiratory Issues
Breathing Changes Last Over 12 Hours
If your bird is showing signs of labored, rapid, or open-mouth breathing for more than 12 hours, it’s wise to consult an avian veterinarian. These respiratory changes can signal potentially serious health issues like pneumonia, air sac infections, or even tumors.
It’s important to have your feathered friend examined and diagnosed properly.
Some key signs to watch for over a 12+ hour period include: tail bobbing at rest, using abdominal muscles to breathe, stretched neck breathing, noisy breathing, discharge from the eyes or nostrils, and changes in droppings.
If you observe any of these symptoms continuing for half a day or more, pick up the phone. An avian vet can help determine next steps like medications, nebulization, or x-rays.
Listlessness, Weakness, or Collapse
Birds are masters at hiding illness. So if your parrot or parakeet seems obviously listless, weak, or even collapses, it indicates they are likely critically ill. These severe signs mean your bird’s respiratory system is severely compromised and immediate veterinary assistance is needed.
Some specific indicators of listlessness and weakness to watch for include: fluffed-up feathers, closed eyes or inability to keep the head up, loss of appetite, increased sleeping, loss of voice, refusal to move or play, leaning on the sides of the cage, or seizure-like activity.
Any of these merit an emergency avian vet visit as soon as possible – it could be the difference between life or death for your beloved bird.
Tail Bobbing at Rest
Tail bobbing in birds refers to a rapid, often subtle, pumping motion of the tail feathers as your bird breathes in and out. This occurs normally when birds are active, but abnormal tail bobbing at rest signals respiratory distress.
If you observe consistent tail bobbing when your parrot or parakeet is calm and perched, it can indicate potentially serious respiratory trouble. Contact your avian vet right away if it persists for more than 10-15 minutes while resting.
It’s tricky for non-experts to identify abnormal vs normal tail bobbing. So when in doubt about new, exaggerated, or persistent tail pumping while perched, play it safe. Call your exotic bird veterinary office, describe what you’re seeing, and ask if your pet needs to come in.
They’ll guide you on any next steps to address the issue.
Conclusion
While most fragrance chemicals are not intended for birds, a few wise precautions can allow you to safely enjoy scented candles even if you have feathered roommates. With open windows, separating birds from ignition sources, and monitoring birds for signs of respiratory irritation, candles can fill your home with scent without endangering your pets’ health.
