Some household items are clearly harmful for your pigeons—like sharp objects, open fire, or a working cooktop—but other hazards are much less obvious. This page is a non-exhaustive list of common household items that may be harmful to your bird without you realizing it.

Teflon, Odors, and Scents

Pigeons have extremely sensitive respiratory systems, and exposure to smoke and fragrances can kill them! You should avoid any strong scents, but especially items such as:

• Teflon. Non-stick cookware very often has Teflon coating; Teflon-coated space heaters are also common. Items like hair straighteners, curling irons, or hair dryers should also be checked for Teflon before use. Teflon is extremely harmful for your bird.
• Smoking. Do not smoke anywhere near your bird, as its lungs are not meant to handle this.
• Fireplace or open fire is not just a fire hazard, but is also harmful because of the smoke, so even if your bird cannot directly access the fire, it is still not a good idea.
• Aerosol air fresheners such as Febreeze.
• Scented candles can also be harmful to your pigeon, as well as any other heavily scented items. Simmer pots are a great alternative.
• Fragrances and cologne should not be worn around your bird.
• Household cleaning supplies with strong scents should be avoided; if you have to use cleaning supplies around your bird, opt for hypoallergenic versions or versions that are designated safe for kids.
• Self-cleaning function on your oven can release odors and vapor that will contain very small particles of dirt and soot. It will not be visible to you, but your bird will feel it.

It is worth noting that simmer pots, aromas from cooking, and naturally-occurring smells are generally safe, and your bird will not be harmed by them. Artificial (including natural but artificially concentrated) aromas, chemical odors, smoke, and soot is what causes the most harm.

Houseplants

Some common houseplants are not safe for animals, and that includes pigeons! That list is unexpectedly large, so if you have plants in the room where your pigeon will enjoy their out-of-cage time, it is worth checking every single one against a Google query like “is X safe for animals” or “is X safe for birds.”

<aside> 🐦 We previously recommended the Common Bird-safe and Toxic Plants list from Birdhism, however it lists at least one toxic plant (String of Beads) as safe! It is recommended to double-check every plant individually instead of checking against a pre-compiled list.

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Other Pets

Do not let your pigeon interact with your dog, cat, ferret, or any other pet! No matter how well you think you know your pets, one accident is all it takes before you lose your bird. Keep pigeons and other animals separated at all times if you want them to be safe.

Any pet means other birds, too. That includes parrots: parrot beaks can severely injure pigeons, and a wing slap from a pigeon to a smaller parrot like budgie can severely injure the parrot. This also includes pigeons interacting with doves. Pigeons and doves may be closely related, but their behaviors are different and they will not understand each other. A pigeon can severely harm a dove; they should not be allowed free contact.

Direct aggression is not the only reason pet interaction should be avoided. Mammals have lots of gram-negative bacteria, and if the pigeon comes into contact with it, it can make them very ill, as they naturally do not have much gram-negative bacteria in their bodies.

<aside> 👄 For the same reason, don’t let your pigeon peck the inside of your mouth or kiss them with wet lips! You too have lots of gram-negative bacteria in your saliva!

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