Should I buy a cockatiel from a smoking home?

Asked by BoyWonder (811

) December 15th, 2008 from iPhone

I want to buy a cockatiel for my mom for Christmas. A lady I know is selling one for $60. The problem is that the lady smokes cigarettes. She’s been raising and breeding cockatiels for a number of years and she claims she never had a problem before with them. The bird I want to buy is a 4 month old female and I’m bringing her into a smoke-free environment. The lady smokes around her birds but claims she isn’t blowing smoke around them or directly on them, however I am a little worried. I know that a bird’s lungs are very delicate and they’re very susceptible to air pollution and airborne illnesses. I’m getting a good deal but I don’t want to get a bird that will die on me early. Am I worrying too much, or do I have a legitimate reason to be concerned? What should I do?

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2 Answers

Birds do have very sensitive lungs. I had Blue fronted Amazons for many years . I know their lungs are sensitive to strong smells such as air fresheners and especially to cooking and burning food in a Teflon coated pot. I would not buy a bird from a smoker who smoked in the same house as a bird .

mzgator (4163

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I would go with your gut feeling. you are totally right about the concern. but if you get it now the bird has a better chance to live then it does where it is now. I have two parrakets and we smoke but the smoke is never near them. we have a closed off room for smoking. but that don’t mean that they don’t get other kinds of smoke like from cooking, and the wood stove. they are in the kitchen and we have had them now for 5 years and they are good and healthy.

rossi_bear (753

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