Lighting a candle is a great way to wind down after a long day.
However, when we own a pet we must first think if our needs are compatible with theirs.
Birds have quite sensitive respiratory systems, so candles have to be chosen with caution.
That being said, let’s find out if beeswax candles are safe for parrots.
The answer to the question, “Are beeswax candles safe for parrots” is yes. However, still be cautious and read the ingredients list before lighting a beeswax candle near your bird. Even if the candle is “all natural” hidden ingredients can be harmful to your parrot.
Parrots have very sensitive respiratory systems.
As an owner, you want your parrot to be happy and safe.
Let’s see why beeswax candles are good for parrots, unlike most candles and if there are any worries, we should be cautious about when choosing a beeswax candle.
In this article, we will take a look at why beeswax candles are safe for parrots, what harmful added ingredients in beeswax candles you should look out for, whether or not beeswax candles ever expire and much more.
With so much information to discuss, let’s dive in!
Why Are Beeswax Candles Safe for Parrots?
There are so many options for candles, so what makes beeswax candles the safest choice for your parrot?
There are many chemicals that we should steer clear of in candles to keep our parrots safe.
Let’s see why beeswax is actually safe for our parrots.
Safest but still risky
Beeswax is by far the safest option of candle to use for your parrot.
The only caution when buying beeswax candles is to make sure the candle doesn’t contain any bad chemicals and ingredients as well.
These ingredients may be hidden when buying from a big brand or wholesale store.
We will talk more about this later, but take caution of additives when picking out a beeswax candle.
Beeswax cleans the air supply
Beeswax burns clean and is actually a natural ionizer.
This means burning beeswax candles help to clean your air supply.
Like air purifiers, beeswax candles release negative ions that neutralize the particles from air pollutants.
This brings the air to a balanced state and makes pollutants in the air harmless.
You are making the air cleaner by burning this form of candle.
This is excellent news for your parrot!
The cleaner the air, the better for them.
Also, with parrot dust and dander circulating around your house, you’ll thank the air purifying properties of beeswax candles as well.
Where you need to be cautious is in added scents.
The best policy is to get beeswax candles that are unscented, to stay on the side of caution.
What harmful added ingredients in beeswax candles should I look out for?
Now that we know that beeswax candles are safe for birds and actually help clean the air, let’s lead about additives.
When you buy a beeswax candle from a store, even if it says it’s “all-natural” there may be hidden chemicals inside that you should look out for.
Essential Oils
Essential oils should be avoided at all costs around birds.
Essential oils are branded as being an all-natural alternative to chemical fragrances.
This is great for humans but deadly for parrots.
Some essential oils are okay for birds.
However, most are toxic to small animals.
This includes fragrances like eucalyptus, tea tree oil, and ylang yang.
Some essential oil scents are fine for use around your parrot.
Read up and be cautious when buying a product with essential oil use.
Essential oils are a popular alternative to chemical fragrances but should be avoided around your parrot.
Buying unscented beeswax candles is the best way to go in order to keep your parrot safe and healthy.
Lead Core Wicks
Not only are fragrances in your candles dangerous to parrots, but the wick can also have its own mess of problems.
Some wicks are made with a lead-based core that the EPA found emits particles of lead into your air supply when burnt.
This can be deadly for your parrot.
To avoid lead-based wicks, make sure the candle you’re purchasing has a cotton wick or a wick that doesn’t have a metal base.
This will ensure that no lead-based products are in your candle.
Buy from small candle businesses to talk with owners about what type of wick they use in their candles.
Packages can be deceiving so it’s good to go straight to the source.
Do Beeswax Candles Ever Expire?
Another plus about beeswax candles?
They don’t ever expire!
Candles made from other forms of wax have a shelf life.
However, all-natural, unscented beeswax candles never seen to rot and expire.
This means you won’t have to rush and burn beeswax candles.
Instead, you can store them away for a rainy day if you don’t find yourself burning candles often.
This is great to have in mind for emergencies.
If the power in your house goes out, you need a backup light source.
It’s good to have beeswax candles around for these cases since they are safe for your bird.
My beeswax candle has a white film over it, is it still safe for my parrot?
Yes. What you are seeing when your candle develops a white cast on the outside of your candle is referred to as the candle “blooming”.
This can happen when you leave a beeswax candle untouched for several months.
This is a natural process that does not disrupt any properties in the candle.
The white cast happens because the softer beeswax oils are coming to the surface.
You can choose to burn your beeswax candle with the film intact or simply remove it with a cloth if you prefer a shinier candle.
Where Can I Buy Beeswax Candles?
Beeswax candles are more common around you than you think.
You can buy beeswax candles from a traditional store.
However, this runs the risk of additives being put in your candle that you’re unaware of.
Because of this, we recommend buying from a local, small business if you can.
Some of these small businesses may be on Amazon like these here.
Look for farms around you that take part in beekeeping.
Often they will make candles to sell with the wax that is produced by their bees.
Also, you can go to farmers’ markets near you and see if there are any candle sellers that sell beeswax candles.
These are both great options because you can talk with the seller face to face.
This way you can ask about additives and find a beeswax candle that is safe for your parrot.
Also, you can ask them if they have any scented candles that are safe in nature and not made with chemicals.
If there are no sellers in person near you, look online at places like Amazon.
There are plenty of people online that sell high-quality beeswax candles that are truly all-natural.
Often if they are a small enough business, they will be willing to answer any questions you have and quick to respond.
How Can I Make Parrot Safe Beeswax Candles?
If you’re still not sure about buying from someone, that’s okay.
You can make your own beeswax candle.
Buy a few blocks of all-natural beeswax from a trusted seller.
You can find this the same way you can find the pre-made candles like Amazon for example.
Then, you need wicks from a seller you can trust, and lastly safe essential oils of your choice if you wish to make the candle scented.
Research which essential oils are safe before dropping them in.
As we discussed earlier, not all essential oils are safe and some can cause major problems to your parrots.
This is why unscented or heavily researched essential oils are the way to go.
The process
The process from there is fairly simple.
Use a double broiler to melt the wax, set the wicks and use a tool to keep the wick held up straight.
Then pour the hot wax into your jar or mold of choice and let the wax harden and cool.
Then cut the wick to the desired height and there you have it!
You made your own all-natural, parrot-safe beeswax candle.
Since you picked out all the ingredients yourself, you are safe from unnecessary and dangerous additives.
Beeswax candles are by far the safest candle for your parrot.
The beeswax is a natural ionizer that actually cleans and restores your air to equilibrium just like a mechanical air purifier.
Beeswax candles are best bought from small businesses because they disclose the most amount of information regarding additives in your candle.
Beeswax candles are safe on their own, but added scents and chemicals from big brand stores can lead to terrible consequences.
Make sure to read up on what ingredients are in your beeswax candle before buying or make the candle yourself.