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Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Chapter 17 - The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
Friday, November 25, 2011
Parrot Cages - Metal Toxicity in Parrots
Bellow listed common and not so common metals and their alloys that can be found in cage materials (wires, frame), hardware (screws, padlocks, hinges), parrot toys and common stuff around your house. Some of them if ingested may have adverse affect on your parrot's health.
All birds are very sensitive to toxins because of fast metabolism, delicate skin and respiratory system, small size, and digestive system with gizzard (pH 2.0, and 42C) that allows some non-food items sit there for prolong time releasing toxins or causing obstruction, impaction, bleeding and death. Natural curiosity and cleverness that pushes parrots to reach for, to chew and taste any usual and unusual objects and strength of its' beaks put parrots even at greater risk of being exposed to toxins not only when ingested, but through skin contact or when inhaled. Toxins (like heavy metals) get usually deposited in brain, bones, feathers and some in muscle tissue; and may damage many different organs causing non-specific signs of illness.
Paint used on your bird's cage is the main concern. Powder coating is much stronger than regularly applied paint that easily flakes and can be ingested and let the cage rust.
In short - ingesting any paint or any kind of metal is never a good thing - doesn't matter how safe it is, especially there are no standards for safe levels of toxic metals established for birds.
Lead and Zinc - highly poisonous for parrots. Exposure to paint or alloys in cage wires containing metals, as Lead and Zinc is the most dangerous to parrots since they naturally not only chew on everything but also use their beaks to climb. If your cage material or hardware contains these metals it more likely will cause heavy metal poisoning in your parrot. Also your family could be exposed to lead in a dust from your parrot's activity around the cage. The most common signs of poisoning in birds besides subdued behavior and shutting down - with lead poisoning - seizures and falls from the perch, with Zinc - falls from the perch. If you have any suspicion - contact your bird avian vet immediately. The bigger the parrot the bigger the danger - the large birds can easily scratch, shave or detach by chewing up some pieces of softer metals or paint.
Beside paint Lead may be used in paint primers, in soldering metal - soldered joints in cage (distinguished from welded joints), foil on wine bottles, champagne wire, fishing weights, curtain weights, rifle bullets and pellets, stained glass, in PVC and caulk.
Industry standards for Lead refer for the safe standards established by federal government that currently allow less then 600 ppm (parts per million parts or 0.06 % by weight) of Lead in household paint.
Check with manufacturers regarding Zinc, as there are no federal regulations for its content in paint.
Zinc is essential trace element, playing important role in enzymatic activity, but if ingested in uncontrolled amounts from non-food items may lead to high accumulation and toxicity. Zinc is not only used in paint but also may be used in plating - galvanization of cage wires, hardware and some metal parts of bird's toys (galvanization is term used only for zinc coatings to protect cage metal or hardware from oxidation and make it look better). This is extremely toxic for parrots as described above.
Not to mention Zinc galvanized wire or mesh in outdoor aviaries. Don't treat outdoor aviaries with vinegar to guard your parrot against zinc poisoning - what it actually does it will etch upper very accessible oxidized zinc layer (dull whitish coat - zinc rust) and zinc coating underneath oxidized layer to some point - not necessarily remove all of it but thin it enough to make underlying metal prone to oxidation and rusting which is also not good. This procedure may be sufficient to protect small birds from zinc poisoning but it seems as the best bet to avoid zinc around parrots altogether. Other zinc and its' compounds applications: UV protection in plastics, Sun protective creams and lotions, fire retardants, wood preservatives and agricultural fungicides.
Copper is an essential trace element required for hemoglobin formation and is a component of several enzyme systems. Copper is soft metal usually used for plating (not only US Mint cent coins - copper 2.5% plated zinc 97.5%, but also hardware and decorative elements on your cage), kitchen utensils, copper wire, welding. Copper can be potentially poisonous to birds - usually oxidized copper causes troubles - storing acidic food in copper containers or slightly acidic water from copper piping may contribute to elevated levels of this metal in your bird's diet and it's easy to avoid. Copper is a popular algaecide and fungicide (used in commercial and residential pools as well as to spray vegetables and grains to prevent fungus and algae growth).
Brass is alloy of copper and zinc and usually used in padlocks - it's probably ok for small birds that are unlikely to chew the padlock, but should be avoided around parrots. You can find few documented cases of metal toxicity in parrots that chew brass padlocks.
Nickel could be potentially toxic to your bird. Even though there are little documented evidence could be found clarifying nickel toxicity for pet-birds and parrots in particular, few articles clearly show that nickel is moderately toxic to wild birds as well as poultry (especially in young actively growing birds - in experiments growth of chicks to 4 weeks of age was significantly depressed at 700 ppm nickel and above). Nickel is commonly known as human allergen (causing dermatitis upon skin contact) and its insoluble salts and soluble aerosols are highly toxic to everything live. Nickel commonly used for plating as it prevents metal corrosion (on iron and copper usually). So even if you decided that it's OK to have nickel-plated stuff around your parrot check it frequently, as it may chip and expose underlying metal to oxidation.
Tin is soft metal considered by many experts as not toxic for birds unless it's "galvanized tin" (which is misused term for galvanized sheet metal (galvanized steel) or some small galvanized iron containers) - if in doubt - consult manufacturer. According to Wikipedia metal tin itself is non-toxic but most tin salts are, as well as some organic tin compounds - TBT (tributyltin) for example. TBT is very toxic - thin layer of this polymer may serve as a protective coating on non-food glass and ceramics. Tin resists corrosion from distilled, sea and soft tap water, but can be attacked by strong acids, alkalis and acid salts. Tin is present in various alloys, such as soldering tin & bronze, pewter, bell metal, Babbitt metal and dental amalgams. Organotin compounds are used as fungicides, insecticides and bactericides and they are well known for animal and human toxicity. Additionally, these are applied as PVC and PCB heat stabilizers.
Steel /a.k.a. Wrought Iron is hard metal nontoxic (mostly because it's hard and very difficult for parrot to detach and ingest piece of it) to birds, but rust - is, so be careful as cage coating wears off and corrosion starts - consider powder coated cages versus pained. Powder coating is much stronger and structured surface of this coating provides better grip for birds.
Stainless Steel (SS)- is very hard material, that will not shave or scrape easily, will not rust under normal indoor conditions. It doesn't require any coating, plating or paint, very easy to take care for - you can power wash (just remove your beloved bird!:) and wipe the cage dry - basically nothing to worry about. Couple comments on Stainless Steel:
Some stainless steels may stain and rust if left in humid acidic environment for prolong time or if bird's droppings accumulate in some places that also keep moisture;
You can find many references saying that SS is not magnetic - this is not exactly correct. Stainless steel is any alloy that contains 10.5% or more of chromium and iron in excess of 50% and other components. Its magnetic property depends on what other components of this alloy are - nickel, magnesium, carbon, nitrogen, molybdenum...Any steel alloy with nickel is not magnetic (nickel strengthen stainless characteristic of iron and chromium alloy). Medical grade SS usually uses nickel and chromium so it's not magnetic. Alloys only with chromium (no nickel) are magnetic. Different combinations of components define magnetic power of alloy.
Some parrot's owners say that bright super glossy SS cages (shiny almost mirror-like looking surfaces) made their parrots very exited (even agitated) - it may make sense to look for SS cages that have less lustrous finish - polished surface with subdued mat tone - electro-polishing usually does just that.
Aluminum is a soft metal and by many considered as safe for birds. However few studies indicated that some birds' species in aluminum-laden habitats with high Aluminum diet have elevated aluminum level in bones and laid deformed eggs with soft shells leading to reduced hatchability. Other studies bring concerns with bone grows and body weight gain in growing chicks with elevated aluminum in the diet. So it's probably more safe not to let your parrot put his beak on aluminum stuff around your house and to avoid it in bird's toys (just as mere precaution - you never know what reaction your particular bird will have)
Most of parrot aluminum toxicity cases that were documented connected to heated aluminum foil - which is mostly attributed to fumes from its non-stick polymer additives.
Selenium, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, thallium and cobalt are potentially toxic to birds. Poisoning causes by these elements have been well documented in wild birds due to environmental exposure and infrequently diagnosed in pet birds but it seems prudent to know main sources of household exposure to these elements.
Selenium is another required dietary element that can be toxic if ingested in high amounts. Selenium used in electronic industry, glass and rubber production, photographic processing, pesticides and shampoos - avoid your parrot contact with these chemicals. Interpretation of selenium toxicity is complicated by its interaction with other metals, particularly with mercury and arsenic that may reduce selenium toxicity.
Mercury is nonessential very toxic heavy metal. It affects the immune system, alters genetic and enzyme systems, and damages the nervous system, including coordination and the senses of touch, taste, and sight. Since most of the household hazards associated with mercury were recognized and eliminated while ago - until you are feeding your parrot fish and mercury containing thermometers it's highly unlikely that your bird will have exposure to the most toxic mercury form - Methyl-mercury or elemental mercury.
Cadmium - is found in some batteries, pigments, used in electroplating, soldering, alloy manufacturing and plastic production. Cadmium and its compounds are extremely toxic even in low concentration. If ingested, bird will accumulate it in liver and kidney causing kidney damage, reduced egg production and altered behavior.
Cadmium is long known as carcinogen. Besides possible cadmium exposure through food (most of the plants have high level of absorption and accumulation of environmental cadmium - one more reason to feed your parrot organic food), burning fossil fuels such as coal and oil and smoking are other dangerous sources of cadmium exposure - since lungs absorb cadmium much more effective then guts. Do not smoke around your parrot and never let it to reach for you cigarette butts, don't burn coal or use oil lamps. Keep your artist paints (if it applies to you) out of reach of your parrot. Cadmium Yellow, Orange & Red pigments used in artistic colors, in coloring plastics and some specialty paints, in color glass and ceramic glazes (Tiffany lamps, red stoplights) also contain cadmium.
Arsenic has been used to control agricultural pests, to pressure treat wood for outdoor use (until 2003) and in chemotherapeutics. If ingested different organic and inorganic arsenic compounds accumulate in kidney and liver and may cause anemia, nervous disorders and immune system suppression. Hopefully your parrot exposure to this hazard is very limited.
Thallium sulfate (salt of heavy metal Thallium) used as rodenticide (to control rats) and household insecticide (ants and cockroaches) - is highly toxic to mammals, birds and insects used only by professional exterminators - very unlikely your parrot will be exposed to any of this unless you store and use this chemicals in your house.
Cobalt and its salts are used in nuclear medicine, enamels and semiconductors, grinding wheels, painting on glass and porcelain, hygrometers and electroplating, in vitamin B12 manufacture, as a drier for lacquers, varnishes, and paints, and as a catalyst for organic chemical reactions.
According to Wikipedia although cobalt is an essential element for life in minute amounts, at higher levels of exposure it shows mutagenic and carcinogenic effects similar to nickel. After nickel and hexavalent chromium (VI), cobalt is a major cause of contact dermatitis in people.
Play it safe - check all metals in your bird cage and on your birds toys regularly for chipping, peeling, rust & oxidation.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
A List of Companies Going Out of Business
One of the signs of recessions is the increase in the number of international and large companies that decided to close or to go out of business. Most of the managements of these companies stopped the business operations to save the remaining profits. To have ideas which international enterprises have filed bankruptcy, featured below is a list of companies going out of business in the past years.
Shabby Chic
Shabby Chic is an international manufacturer of home furnishings. Most of the products offered by the company are antiques. It also manufactured beddings and curtains. The firm filed Chapter 11 on January 29, 2009. The company started the liquidation of the finances of some of its branches in America.
Chernin Shoe Outlet
This firm filed for protection of bankruptcy on February 2, 2009. The retailer of footwear experienced financial troubles in the past seven years. In order to get money, the company decided to sell the assets of the firm valued between 0 to million. The total amount of assets listed by the firm before it decided to go out of business is million, while the debts posted by the firm amounts to million.
Bruno's and Food World
Bruno's and Food World is a grocery store that has several chains or branches in the different states of America. The firm filed bankruptcy on February 5, 2009. The owners of the store signed sold the company to Southern Family on April 30, 2009.
Ritz Camera Centers
Ritz Camera Centers Inc. decided to go out of business on February 20, 2009. The company started the liquidation process on March 20, 2009. Some of the popular products offered by the firm are digital cameras and digital photo frames. According to the top management of the firm, one of the factors that threatened the company's performance is the recession in America in 2008.
Fatburger
This fast food restaurant offers burgers, shakes and French fries. Its top management decided to file protection for bankruptcy on April 10, 2009. Based on reports released by the firm, the bankruptcy or the closure of the restaurant was caused by the recession in America in 2008.
Home Décor Products
Home Décor Products decided to stop the business operations on March 30, 2009. This home improvement shop is known for offering faucets, power tools, swimming pool supplies and barbecue grills that are made from high quality materials. The decline in the performance of the company in the early 2000s led to its closure.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Hydrofarm JSV4 4-Foot Jump Start T5 Grow Light System
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Post Date : Nov 22, 2011 19:57:09
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The 4 ft wide Jump Start T5 Grow Light System is ideal for seedlings, cuttings, flowers and house plants. The super efficient T5 lights help you grow faster by providing 15-20% more lumens than traditional grow lights. It features a simple toggle clamp for easy lamp height adjustment, and the fixture has an internal reflective finish that directs more light to plants. Ideal for African Violets, orchids, flowering bulbs, vegetables, seedlings and cuttings. Super easy assembly.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Indoor Seed Starting Essentials
Right after the New Year's party, the mailman starts dropping seed catalogues into my mailbox. They are some of the most wonderful mail. They inspire dreams of the coming year's gardens and help to fill the dark days of winter with visions of tasty vegetables and colourful flowers. The best part of spending the winter months gardening through the catalogues is the complete lack of weeds or sore backs.
If the garden centres are filled with thousands of boxes of vegetable and flower plants in the spring, why would I spend the time, money and effort to grow my own? It's about puttering in the basement with soil and water and little green growing things when there is wind and snow swirling outside the window. It's about the yearly renewal of that life cycle. It's about choice. I can pick up a seed catalogue and spend a ridiculous amount of time trying to choose one of the 65 varieties of Tomatoes listed. It's a rare garden centre that will offer you more than half a dozen.
First we have to get the seed to germinate. Germinate, a 10 cent horticultural word that appears to mean 'start growing' but which actually reveals some of the hurdles. Technically, 'germinate' means to encounter the conditions that overcome a seed's natural dormancy. For the vast majority of annual flower and vegetable seeds the presence of sufficient available moisture is the primary requirement for germination. Some of the tricky bits are in those two words - sufficient and available. We can throw our tomato seeds into a puddle of icy outdoor water in the spring and they will certainly have 'sufficient' but there are other factors in that seed's dormancy that prevent that 'sufficient' water from being 'available.' What's missing. Understanding what's missing from the puddle is what can make you a successful seed gardener.
Back to the puddle. Plants are living organisms similar to you and me in many ways. We couldn't survive in the puddle either because it provides its 'sufficient' water to the exclusion of one other element. Plants breathe just as we do and at the bottom of the puddle there is a significant lack of air. Providing a growing medium that provides both air and water in the right balance is one of the keys to successful seed gardening. Every garden centre will be happy to sell you a bag of light soilless mix designed to make a good germinating medium.
When you first plant your seeds you will have the soil at the optimum moisture level if you followed the directions on the bag. My favourite technique is to stand each seed tray in a saucer of water so that the soil can absorb as much water as possible. By letting it soak up from the bottom the seeds do not get disturbed by any stream of water hitting the soil. A seed that has begun to germinate and then is allowed to dry out, is dead. Water exposed to the air, as on the surface of a tray of damp soil, will naturally evaporate. Applying additional water on a regular basis is a solution but not the best one. Covering the seed tray in some manner to prevent the evaporation is a far better answer to this problem. The covering should be clear to allow light to enter and it should be far enough above the soil line so that the emerging seedlings do not bump against it. There are lots of commercial clear plastic seed flat covers available or if you are cheap like me then you discover the top half of many food packaging containers will do quite nicely on smaller seed flats. Those seed flats can often be guaranteed to fit if you simply use the bottom of those same containers and punch enough holes in the bottom to ensure good drainage. Reuse! Recycle! Nobody cares what they look like as long as the seeds grow in them.
The other thing that was missing in that icy puddle was sufficient warmth to tell the seed that it had at least a moderate chance of growing if it started to absorb the apparently 'available' water. Seeds tend not to be suicidal and will not come out of their comfortable dormant state until they feel that the conditions for successful growth and continuation of their species are present. That is the second hurdle that we must overcome. Putting some nice fresh seed into a perfect germinating soil mix that has been properly moistened will produce very few seedlings unless the optimum temperature for germination is present.
Now seed growing starts to get even trickier. Most of would tend to setup our seed growing operation in the basement or some other out of the way location where the presence of soil and water will not upset the tidier members of our households. These are probably not the warmest spots in our homes. Now we need to supply some supplemental heat. The best solution is a heat mat that is designed for the purpose. It's water proof, got a thermostat, (to avoid actually cooking your seeds,) and almost every seed catalogue has them at a reasonable price. Our tomato seeds would like a soil temperature around 75 F / 24 C and are quite happy if the air is several degrees cooler.
The primary requirement now, is for sufficient light to drive the growth process. Nice bright windowsills have produced some reasonable tomato plants but they are far from the ideal. The light is unidirectional and the plants will naturally bend toward it. Yes, the dedicated among us can turn the plants every day to overcome some of this problem but that's not me and it's probably not most of you.
For the vast majority of our seedlings, ordinary fluorescent light will be more than sufficient. Keeping the tubes within an inch or two of your plants is the big secret to success. This obviously requires some method of adjustment so that the distance can change as the plants grow. There are some commercial light and tray structures available or you can create one that fits the space that you have available.
It should be becoming obvious that there is a fair amount of setup and investment involved in this seed starting operation. Just remind yourself and anybody else in your household that is questioning your activities, that this setup, once done, will last for many years and make their world a better and tastier place throughout those years.
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