Teflon, why is it bad for birds?

Question

i put my birds in the other room when i cook with teflon cookware.
i really don't see the point, teflon has got to be the most harmless thing next to water.
what's the deal? and wikipedia won't help anyone out here, i've already checked.

Answer 1

my ex husband cooked with teflon in a small tralor with small birds , in the tarlor , the next day they were dead! telfon puts out a deadly gas , thats kills parrots and small birds . its not b.s .

Answer 2

It's very dangerous. When it gets to a certain temperature it releases a gas that is toxic to birds and small animals. I've heard of several case where birds have died to do owners cooking with teflon. Best thing to do it get rid of it and go to stainless steal. It's not good for people either. In older pans, or ones that have been scratched it starts to flake off and gets injested and lodged in your body. I knew a woman that had to have surgery because they thought she had cancer, when they got in there they found a lump of teflon instead.

Answer 3

You shouldn't even use teflon with a bird in the house. Teflon releases fumes when heated that are toxic to birds. It's extreamly dangerous for them, I would get new pans with out teflon and get some pam sray instead.
also even when cooking with reg pans don't leave bird in the kitchen, a lot of birds can die from heat exhaustion by just being in the kitchen when you cook.

Answer 4

I found the following on the website listed below.

Of the 6.9 million bird-owning households in the US that claim an estimated 19 million pet birds, many don't know that Teflon poses an acute hazard to birds. Most non-stick cookware carries no warning label. DuPont publicly acknowledges that Teflon can kill birds, but the company-produced public service brochure on bird safety discusses the hazards of ceiling fans, mirrors, toilets, and cats before mentioning the dangers of Teflon fumes.


As a result of the new data showing that non-stick surfaces reach toxic temperatures in a matter of minutes, EWG has petitioned the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to require that cookware and heated appliances bearing non-stick coatings must carry a label warning of the acute hazard the coating poses to pet birds. Additionally, EWG recommends that bird owners completely avoid cookware and heated appliances with non-stick coatings. Alternative cookware includes glass, stainless steel and cast iron, neither of which off-gases persistent pollutants that kill birds.


The government has never rigorously studied the safety of Teflon pans. The Food and Drug Administration approved Teflon as a Food Contact Substance in 1960 after reviewing a hamburger frying study in which elevated levels of fluorinated compounds were found in the hamburger fried on Teflon. FDA judged these levels to be of little health significance. After a prominent Midwestern paper reported on cases of bird deaths and human polymer fume fever, the Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that the Commission would investigate only upon receiving a formal complaint with underlying data. CPSC failed to ban Teflon-coated drip pans, which can reach 1000°F, even after well-publicized poisoning incidences.

Answer 5

Teflon has been found in almost every living creature on our planet and has recently been under scrutiny for all kinds of cancers. It is not harmless and I'm afraid we are about to find out just how unharmless it really is.

Answer 6

no teflon is not as safe as water. not the water around here anyway. could kill your bird and might give you a toxic fever, and that is when used properly. best bet is to go with stainless and cast iron. corning glassware is not bad but isn't really that good either.

i suggest you go sit with your bird anytime you are heating up toxic things like teflon in your kitchen. but then why would you use such stuff? it's just useless mass-market krap.

Answer 7

Teflon is not harmful to birds..
It is the fumes given off by overheated / burning teflon
that is poisonous....

Answer 8

Teflon releases gases into the air when heated.

Answer 9

Birds are susceptible to a respiratory condition called "teflon toxicity" or "PTFE poisoning/toxicosis." Deaths can result from this condition, which is due to the noxious fumes emitted from overheated cookware coated with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). This chemical is found on most non-stick cookware and appliances, some stain repellant products, and other household items.
What are the signs of PTFE toxicosis?
The signs of PTFE toxicosis are non-specific, and could be seen in a variety of respiratory and other diseases. Birds are usually found dead in the cage or gasping for air and eventually dying. Mild exposures may result in difficulty breathing, wheezing, incoordination, weakness, depression, anxious behavior, or seizures.
The diagnosis of PTFE poisoning is usually made through physical examination, a history of using an item with a non-stick surface that was possibly overheated, and, if the bird has died, a post-mortem examination. The toxic particles released by overheated PTFE mainly affect the lungs. On post-mortem examination, the lungs are often dark red in color, with hemorrhages and congestion. Hemorrhages and congestion may also appear in the trachea and bronchi. These changes are not specific to PTFE toxicosis, but occur with many types of lung irritants, so there is no way PTFE toxicosis can be positively identified. Other toxic irritants include aerosol sprays, tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, natural gas, ammonia, and burned foods and cooking oils. The signs associated with exposure to these toxins vary from mild chronic pneumonia to acute death.
The overheating of PTFE has been found to cause lung problems, not only in birds, but also in rats and humans. In people, the disease has flu-like symptoms and is known as "polymer fume fever." It is rarely fatal, although it can cause serious illness, especially in people with underlying respiratory disease.
Why are birds more sensitive to PTFE toxicosis?
The respiratory tract of birds is extremely sensitive to toxins in the air because of its unique anatomy. It is extremely efficient in exchanging gasses in order to provide very high levels of oxygen to the muscles for flight. While delivering oxygen so efficiently, it can also deliver toxic gasses. In addition, the small size and high metabolic rate of birds increases their susceptibility to airborne toxins. Birds, often canaries, have historically been utilized as sentinels for toxic gasses in coal mines because of this increased sensitivity.
To what temperature must PTFE be heated to be toxic?
Never use PTFE-coated drip pans in a household with birds.
Under normal cooking conditions PTFE-coated cookware is stable and safe. Many studies have found that PTFE-coated pans must be heated to above 536°F to release toxic particles and fumes, in a reaction called “pyrolysis.” This is a very high temperature, and is rarely reached during normal cooking. Most cooking in PTFE-coated cookware is performed at temperatures between 250° and 400°F. On the other hand, if a PTFE-coated pan is allowed to boil dry or an unfilled pan is heated on HIGH, toxic fumes can result. PTFE-coated drip pans (pans under the burners) will reach over 600°F or higher within minutes during normal use because of their close proximity to the heating element of the burner. Never use PTFE-coated drip pans in a household with birds.
After "Teflon" or other non-stick surfaces are scratched or tainted in any way, they are more susceptible to breakdown at lower temperatures. There have been reports of some instances of toxicity at lower temperatures.
Please remember!!!
Birds are susceptible to almost ALL FUMES, Please take precautions to protect your bird!

Answer 10

It is the fumes given off by overheated / burning teflon
that is poisonous