Has anyone used a mosquito repellent with Picaridin rather than DEET? I've read this does not harm birds, but wanted your input if you would.
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mosquito repellent
- Thread starter Mitzi
- Start date
Rebel
Sprinting down the street
- Joined
- 2/10/22
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- 435
The newest approved insect repellent in the U.S. is picaridin, a synthetic
compound which has been in wide use around the world for several decades,
but has only been approved for use in the U.S. since 2005. Picaridin is similar
to the natural compound piperine, found in plants that produce black pepper.
It protects against mosquitoes, biting flies, ticks, fleas, and chiggers and comes
as a pump spray, lotion, liquid, aerosol, and wipe. Picaridin appears to be as
effective and much safer than DEET and does not dissolve plastic. It is
considered nontoxic to birds, so this is probably the safest product to use around birds, but I
still wouldn't recommend having your birds on you after you've applied picaridin.
In general, most insect repellents can cause at least some degree of neurotoxicity to birds
(picaridin may be the exception), including stimulation or depression of the central nervous
system or even death. If you do wear insect repellents outside, make sure you apply them
after leaving your home and have thoroughly scrubbed them off your skin before touching your
birds. Since most contain oils, water is not adequate to remove them, even if they don't feel
particularly oily on your skin. There is no safe level of exposure to insect repellants for companion birds.
You be the judge.
compound which has been in wide use around the world for several decades,
but has only been approved for use in the U.S. since 2005. Picaridin is similar
to the natural compound piperine, found in plants that produce black pepper.
It protects against mosquitoes, biting flies, ticks, fleas, and chiggers and comes
as a pump spray, lotion, liquid, aerosol, and wipe. Picaridin appears to be as
effective and much safer than DEET and does not dissolve plastic. It is
considered nontoxic to birds, so this is probably the safest product to use around birds, but I
still wouldn't recommend having your birds on you after you've applied picaridin.
In general, most insect repellents can cause at least some degree of neurotoxicity to birds
(picaridin may be the exception), including stimulation or depression of the central nervous
system or even death. If you do wear insect repellents outside, make sure you apply them
after leaving your home and have thoroughly scrubbed them off your skin before touching your
birds. Since most contain oils, water is not adequate to remove them, even if they don't feel
particularly oily on your skin. There is no safe level of exposure to insect repellants for companion birds.
You be the judge.
