Moving - again - and have a question

[Tango's_Mom]

So in September I'm moving into my boyfriends apartment and taking Tango with me (of course, as if I'd go without him). But here's my dilemma, it's a typical 2 bedroom apartment and the only options we have for a place to keep Tango is either the living room or our bedroom, but the problem is, we almost never spend much time in there except to read at night (when Tango is already asleep) when we're asleep or when we're getting ready in the morning. So I don't necessarily want him in there because it would make it challenging to keep him company when we're at home. The problem with the living room is that it is completely open to the kitchen, and I'm worried about any fumes or smoke or anything like that. We only have 2 cooking utensils that I've found that have teflon, one is a cookie sheet and we have about three that don't have non-stick, so that's no problem, but the other is my wok, which is probably my most used pot, I cook with it constantly. Since Tango has always been in a separate, area, and I always keep the place well ventilated when I cook, and only ever use it on low heat, I've never had a problem, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable without that extra airspace.

What do you guys think? How would you deal with this, where would you put him and how would you keep him safe?

On an unrelated note, I remember reading somewhere that those essential oil home fragrance things were safe around birds. Does anyone know if this is true and if those little essential oil heater thingies with an unscented tea light underneath are safe to use around birds? what about those reed diffusers? are there specific oils that are safe and others that aren't, and how do you tell?


Thanks

[momo]

Re: pan.
We used to have teflon and they used to be my god send as I love eating eggs.
But then I bought a stainless pan ( $10 from local supermarket! ) because of Elmo.
All you need to do is add a bit more oil to ensure lubrication. I find that a stainless pan is alot more easier to cook with. Heats up alot faster.

Cooking with teflon pans, as my mother has told me, is quite bad for your health and has had links to cancer. If you think about it, if its deadly for your fids, what is it doing to you?

[Elle]

We lived in an apartment and my birds were in the living room. The place was pretty opened. We never had a problem with fumes from the kitchen or smoke.

Even if the birds are not in the same area as the kitchen, fumes can travel to other rooms. Do you remember the commercial about secondhand cigarette smoke that would seep under the bedroom of a baby? Well, fumes and smoke in general are like that.

My husband found an stainless steel wok that he usses alomost daily (he too cooks a lot with it) and I don't think he would go back to the old ways.

[Tango's_Mom]

I was looking for a stainless steel wok, and have not yet been able to find one, might have to go hunting again, the one I have was cheap, so I kind of got it for use in the mean time because I got attached to the one my roomate had before he moved out. I just got my income tax return back, maybe some shopping is in order lol...
And yes all our other pots and pans are stainless steel, so if I could find a stainless steel wok that would be ideal.

[Elle]

We got ours at Costco. They usually bring it back around the Hoidays. It's not one you can fin dall year round over here. If my memory is good, it's a cuisinart.

[shylevon]

Just keep a close eye on what you are cooking, never letting the temperature of teflon get above 450 degrees, and you should be fine. If the fumes from cooking are going to kill your birds, it won't matter if they are in the bedroom or the living room, as toxic fumes are fatal to birdies even if humans cannot smell them and fumes will waft all around an apartment. Care is the key, not walls or doors.

As for essential oils, check to ensure they are pure essential oils, meaning they do not contain fillers that allow them to maintain their fragrance for longer. Pure essential oils are derived from plant matter, usually the blossom or fruit, and they are no more harmful than if birdie were smelling a real flower. One fragrance to avoid however, even if it is a true essential oil is Eucalyptus. This fragrance causes the sinuses to drain, and in a birdie that can oftentimes cause great discomfort and even aspiration. Fruit scents like cherry, apple, and orange are very nice in a home, as are all the flower scents. If you want to try it, without venturing into the expense of a diffuser, just put a drop of the oils onto a lit lightbulb. The warmth will release the scent in a low enough dose that you can see how birdies will react. the best place I have found to purchase high grade, true essential oils at a very reasonable price is at shops that teach soapmaking, or stores that sell soapmaking (and sometimes candlemaking) supplies.

[LovelySydney]

I would keep Tango in the living room, since it sounds like thats where he will have the most ability to be social with you and your bf. As far as cooking, maybe move him into the bedroom when you cook. Although I don't think this is necessary, but maybe just as an added safety net. We just make sure we know what we are cooking with and watch the smoke levels, etc. We also try to keep windows cracked or even a door open just to be sure. I wouldn't use the teflon pans anymore, just to be safe. As someone else posted, they could be potentially dangerous to you too!

[Tango's_Mom]

So I was wandering the mall today, and what did I find, but a steel wok, on sale none the less, so there's that taken care of. As far as the oils go, thanks for the info I really like having those kinds of things around, but since getting tango I haven't had any kinds of fragrances in the house at all, I even wait to leave before I put on my perfume the rare occassions I wear it. So it'll be nice to try that out.

I saw something else today that caught my eye, they were little scented soy pellets that melt and diffuse scent, has anyone seen these, and know if they'd be safe?

[Pips mom]

I don't know about that one, but I believe potpouri is safe warmed in one of those warmers. One time a friend of ours had a wonderful pumpkin smell in their home in the fall and that's what it was.....smelled like someone was baking a pumpkin pie! My Woody stayed with them while we went away and they had the potpouri warming in the pot and Woody was fine! so I'm pretty sure that stuff is safe!

[FuzzyAga]

I'm glad you bought a steel wok. Stay away from that Teflon stuff--I'm sure the chemicals leach out and go into your body. Yuk!

Here's a quick tip about cooking with stainless steel pans. There's a saying, "hot wok, cold oil--food wouldn't stick." It means, put the wok/pan on the burner, turn it on, let it heat for about 5-10 seconds first and then add the cold oil. Now start adding the ingredients.

If food should stick, put the empty pan with the stuck food on the burner, sop up any excess oil with a paper towel, add some water to the wok/pan, put it back on the burner, and let it heat up to a gentle simmer, then shut off the heat. Clean-up is easy this way--no hard scrubbing. You could probably use a spatula to clean up the bottom of the pan.

As for scents, I grow lavendar and at the end of summer, I clip off all the lavendar spears, clip off some of the heads and put them into a container. I leave this around and every once in a while, squish the heads with my hand, releasing the scent into the room. Well, my Juanita would help herself to the lavendar heads, eating the tiny seeds inside them, and after her snack, when she landed on me, she was like a scented woman--smelling of lavendar! Glorious! She was super appealing then! The scent of a lavendar lovie really kicks up your love a notch--if you could love them anymore!

[momo]

Yeah I too found a good spatula is my friend when cooking. I've got two, one that is like a shovel and the other is like a scraper. All metal ones. plastic scares me