I was walking along the beachfront when I saw a fellow parrot owner walking along with his African grey parrot sitting on his shoulder.
I noticed the owner was heavily vaping.
I am not one to judge, but I did think I’m not sure he should be doing that with his parrot so close.
I decided to check it out before I made judgments about others.
Let’s answer the question. Is vaping bad for parrots?
The answer is yes, vaping is bad for parrots. Vaping contains things like antifreeze components, formaldehyde, and several other toxic chemicals. Vaping around your parrots can be as dangerous as smoking around them. Parrots have susceptible respiratory systems, and vaping is hazardous for them.
Parrots’ lungs are very different from human lungs, and due to their much higher relative energy needs, they are very efficient at processing oxygen compared to us humans.
This means that a parrot’s lungs are also much more susceptible to processing and absorbing toxins, and it doesn’t take all that much to make them sick.
Upper respiratory infections are widespread in parrots, and this is why vaping and smoking are so bad for them.
This article will discuss the long-term damage of vaping for our parrots, if e-cigarettes are as harmful as vaping, and the toxic fumes in vaping for our parrots.
Let’s discuss all the answers to parrots and the dangers of vaping.
Is vaping safe for my parrot?
No. Vaping is not safe for your parrot, and parrots should not be anywhere near breathing in second-hand vape.
Vape, e-cigarettes, and regular cigarettes are equally as dangerous to our parrots.
They have an incredibly sensitive respiratory system, and for this reason, no form of smoking should happen near your parrot.
If you do require a vape, you will need to step outside away from your parrot.
Even if your parrot is in another room, vaping in the house is close enough to affect them.
Can vaping kill a parrot?
Yes, it can.
It all sounds very dramatic, but the nicotine solution in a vape is much higher than that of a cigarette.
Nicotine is highly toxic to parrots.
Due to the nicotine concentration, if your parrot swallowed any by accident, it would cause rapid death.
Even a small amount can cause them much harm, so if they have prolonged exposure to the vape, it can shorten their lives and make them very unwell in the process.
The blunt answer is, do not vape around your parrots.
Does vaping cause long-term damage to parrots?
Yes, if you think about all the health warnings for us humans and how the habit of smoking and vaping is detrimental to our health, it is a considerable amount worse for our parrots.
Their sensitive respiratory systems will experience damage much quicker than our lungs will.
The nicotine, antifreeze components, formaldehyde, and all the other toxic chemicals found in vaping will settle in the lungs and air sacs of our parrots.
Much like how it would with us humans.
The parrot’s blood pressure will rise, and the lung function will decrease.
This will damage their hearts from the toxins and will require extra energy to perform, putting pressure on the parrot’s bodily functions.
If they have prolonged exposure to vaping, they will suffer an untimely death.
Can I vape around my parrot?
No. You must not vape around your parrot. It is exceedingly harmful to all birds, not just parrots.
Parrots have an impeccably sensitive airway system and are more likely to absorb chemicals through their respiratory tract.
Parrots are also vulnerable to respiratory problems if they groom or preen while in the environment of someone vaping due to residue laying on their feathers.
Vape pens with nicotine are exceptionally high risk for parrots.
The toxins will irritate their lungs, and even after you are done vaping, the toxins will linger in the air for quite some time.
Meaning your parrot will still be inhaling the dangerous toxins long after you have finished your vaping session.
If you must vape near your parrot, ensure you hold the vaping pen near an open window.
Ideally, you should vape as far away from your parrot as possible and consider going outside away from them.
Do e-cigarettes have the same effect as vaping to my parrot?
Yes, the concentration of nicotine found in these products are so harmful to our pet parrots.
Our parrots can suffer from nicotine poisoning and become critically ill quickly if they accidentally ingest even small liquid nicotine quantities.
It will absorb quickly in the body more rapidly and completely than regular cigarettes, and the vape and e-cigarettes contain much higher amounts of toxins that affect our parrots.
If your parrot ingested liquid nicotine, you would need to seek veterinary treatment urgently.
The vet will likely try to induce vomiting to try and save your parrot.
If a parrot can suffer this greatly from a small amount digested in error, prolonged exposure to the toxins will make them gravely ill.
What is in vape that causes my parrot harm?
The most dangerous toxin is nicotine.
Nicotine causes seizures and vomiting.
It is very upsetting to see a parrot suffering in this way.
There are a whopping 65 chemicals in these products, all relating to cancer, stunted development, and reproductive complications in humans.
As we have discussed today, the side effects are much more significant in a parrot.
Research showing serious complications for humans as it is us who purchase and use these products.
Parrots’ research is limited, but vets speak of grave dangers for parrots and ask for more information.
Should I stop vaping around my parrot?
Yes, you should stop vaping around your parrot.
Vaping will make your parrot very ill and cause them an early death with constant exposure.
The simple answer is you must not vape around your pet parrots.
Are the fumes from vaping toxic for my parrot?
The fumes from vaping are incredibly toxic to your parrot.
A parrot will rapidly absorb the toxins found in the vape smoke due to a highly effective respiratory system which is sadly detrimental to parrots in this situation.
The flavorings and other chemicals used to create the aerosol still remain unpublished, so full side effects are still unknown.
Going to vape in another room is still not enough to protect your parrot.
You need to walk out of the building into the open air to ensure your parrot won’t suffer any adverse effects.
After much research, you have a complete and detailed reason why you must not vape around your pet parrots.
I don’t know about you, but it’s certainly put me off the idea of vaping.
If you are concerned about your parrot inhaling or ingesting anything to do with vaping or e-cigarettes, seek veterinary advice urgently.