Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, here's a question for all you guru's out there. A relative of mine, who we got a corn snake for, called me to ask if her self-cleaning oven fumes and odors would harm the snake. She wants to be cautious because a friend of hers lost a cockatiel (sp) from it. She turned on the self-cleaning and the next morning she found a dead bird. I guess she investigated and did find that the fumes were harmful to the bird.

I wasn't sure what to say except to air on the side of caution until we can find out. What do you all think?

Thanks for any help.
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Gregory S. Hake

Not sure myself, but I don't like to stand around in the fumes, so I would guess the snake would not want to either. I would recommend moving the snake to a part of the house away from the stove until the fumes are gone.

Birds are VERY susecptible to that sort of thing (fumes from non-stick cookware does them in too). I think it's the way their lungs are set up. Still best to be on the side of caution, though.

The fumes from ovens and teflon pans are VERY TOXIC, people shouldn't even be around them. I wouldn't even clean my oven with animals ANYWHERE in the house, take them out for a feildtrip the day. I belive birds are more sensitive to it, but I just wouldn't risk it with my critters, I clean mine by hand.
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DogStar

"Many have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You remain responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." --Antoine de Saint Exupery

Well, maybe I should tell my aunt and the whole family to leave when they are cleaning their oven!! lol.

Thanks for the info everyone and we'll keep the snakes far away when cleaning. The back deck is a pleasant view.
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Gregory S. Hake

So, it's best to keep teflon/self cleaning oven use down to a minimum if you have sensitive pets.