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Caring for Your Pet Bird During a Power Outage

Caring for Your Pet Bird During a Power Outage

It's easy to become dependent on electricity in all aspects of our lives—and especially in our pet care routines at home. No matter where you live or what time of year it is, there is always the possibility of a power outage. It's always wise to plan ahead and consider a few scenarios before a problem occurs. Ask yourself: how will a power outage affect my bird? How will I continue to meet all of my pet's needs? Here are a few tips to help ensure that you and your bird won't be left “in the dark” during a power outage:


Consider purchasing a generator

While not always practical or budget-friendly, a portable or standby home generator capable of supplying electricity to your house or apartment is the ideal solution for keeping your bird (and you) comfortable during a power outage. Even a small generator can be helpful for ensuring that the heaters and/or fans that are needed to regulate heat or cooling in your home remain working until the power's turned back on.


Keep your bird cool

During summer outages, it's critical to prevent your bird from overheating. Birds are not generally very tolerant of rapid temperature fluctuations, but they can tolerate warmer temperatures better than colder ones. If your air conditioner or fans aren't working, try creating a breeze between two open windows to help cool off the room; just make sure not to have your bird in the direct path of the draft.. Another option is to provide a small bird bath or mist your bird with a misting bottle to aid in cooling.


Wrap the habitat

Again, a drastic change in temperature is never ideal for birds, so if the power outage happens during cold weather, you should attempt to prevent the temperature in your bird's environment from dropping too rapidly. While wrapping your bird's habitat with blankets won't necessarily warm your bird, it can help keep your bird's home from becoming colder than it already is, and this can be very useful during winter outages when the house is slowly cooling.


Keep smoke away

During a cold weather outage, avoid exposing your bird to smoke from any fireplaces, candles or lamps that might be used to heat the house. Smoke can irritate your bird's respiratory system. Similarly, if you plan to use any type of space heater, do not place your bird too closely to it, and be sure not to use any heater with parts that are coated with Teflon or a similar substance—the fumes can be harmful to birds.


Have bottled water on hand

In the event that a power outage affects your home's water supply, you'll want to have some bottled water handy so that your bird has fresh water to drink and bathe in.


Keep your pet bird calm

All pets require special care during a power outage, as they are sensitive to disruptions in their routines and home turf. Pets often can sense your anxiety as well. Be sure to comfort your bird and keep her routine as normal as possible.

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