MSD Manual

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Common Household Poisons

Common Household Poisons

This list is not inclusive because there may be other substances toxic to birds that have not been widely documented. The bird’s environment should be limited to those items known to be safe.

  • Acetone (nail polish remover)

  • Ammonia

  • Antifreeze

  • Ant syrup or paste

  • Avocado

  • Bathroom bowl cleaner

  • Bleach

  • Boric acid

  • Camphophenique

  • Carbon tetrachloride

  • Charcoal lighter

  • Clinitest tablets

  • Copper and brass cleaners

  • Corn and wart remover

  • Crayons

  • Deodorants

  • Detergents

  • Disinfectants

  • Drain cleaners

  • Epoxy or super glue

  • Fabric softeners

  • Fluoropolymer fumes

  • Galvanized materials

  • Garden sprays

  • Gasoline

  • Gun cleaner

  • Gunpowder

  • Hair dyes

  • Hexachlorophene (in some soaps)

  • House plants (including calla lilies, mistletoe, poinsettia, and others)

  • Indelible markers

  • Insecticides

  • Iodine

  • Kerosene

  • Lighter fluid

  • Linoleum (contains lead)

  • Matches

  • Model glue

  • Mothballs

  • Muriatic acid

  • Mushrooms (some varieties)

  • Nail polish

  • Oven cleaner

  • Paint

  • Paint remover

  • Paint thinner

  • Perfume

  • Permanent wave solutions

  • Pesticides

  • Photographic solutions

  • Pine oil

  • Prescription and nonprescription drugs

  • Red squill

  • Rodenticides

  • Rubbing alcohol

  • Shaving lotion

  • Silver polish

  • Snail bait

  • Spot remover

  • Spray starch

  • Sulphuric acid

  • Suntan lotion

  • Turpentine

  • Weed killers

  • Window cleaners