How do you keep your birds warm in the winter?

[MikeyTN]

Yes I know but they're one of the very few species that's learned to adapt! I used to own a Quaker. But most can not....That's one of the reason why Quakers are being outlawed in so many states!!!! Along with big nest that they make and threat to farmer's crops, etc.

 

[MikeyTN]

My Quaker would of been 11 years old now if he was still alive....I raised him as a chick....One of the best birds I've ever owned, I miss him lots....One of my dogs killed him at 7yrs old....

 

[lene1949]

.. and then you have ringnecks taking over England...

 

[MikeyTN]

Well that's another one....just very few! I just read about that one the other day....

Most can not survive, for one they're not native species and doesn't know how to adapt! Second, most would freeze to death come their first winter! Or get sick and die as they're not raised out in the wild to adapt! Our captivity birds can catch cold pretty easy, sure they can adapt to cooler temperature, but not draft or freezing temp. We keep our house on the cooler side, BUT when you see your birds all puffed up, then there's a problem! IF your willing to take the risk, that's really up to you. For anyone who promotes it then having to take them to the vet because they got sick, think for the bird's best interest, not what you think might work. Have my lost birds in the past due to sickness? Yes I have! I used to raise them for years.

 

[MikeyTN]

A lot of them get lucky as people feed them through their bird feeders, otherwise they really have no food to eat!

 

[lene1949]

Well that's another one....just very few! I just read about that one the other day....

Most can not survive, for one they're not native species and doesn't know how to adapt! Second, most would freeze to death come their first winter! Or get sick and die as they're not raised out in the wild to adapt! Our captivity birds can catch cold pretty easy, sure they can adapt to cooler temperature, but not draft or freezing temp. We keep our house on the cooler side, BUT when you see your birds all puffed up, then there's a problem! IF your willing to take the risk, that's really up to you. For anyone who promotes it then having to take them to the vet because they got sick, think for the bird's best interest, not what you think might work. Have my lost birds in the past due to sickness? Yes I have! I used to raise them for years.

A video was posted not long ago about IRNs in England... They look like they're thriving...

 

[Amber]

Mikey- It is not the cold so much as other weather issues. A bird in the cold (reasonable cold, not sub zero) will generally adapt fine, unless it has underlying issues (parasites, ill health, etc). What kills birds is cold weather is usually NOT the cold itself, but events like frost and snow and wind. For example, budgies. Budgies live in the desert, they tolerate amazingly hot temperatures in the day, and freezing ones at night. Budgies escape in Canada all the time, survive pretty well (if having access to food), even in the cold, until the snow or frost gets them. Similarly, (healthy, well fed) birds in an avairy seem to have no issues with the cold on it's own. It's on a windy night, a frosty night, or during snow that they succumb. Thats why aviaries out of tropical areas need sheltered areas or nest boxes or similar for the birds to roost in to escape the bad weather. I'll never forget the time a friend forgot to cover her cockatiel aviary (Wind proof sheeting) one night and lost her favourite two birds because of a heavy frost ):

And, as someone from a tropical area inhabited by tropical parrots originally, they do have to deal with some very cold weather on occasions. Not as frequently as sub tropical or other birds (like savannah and grassland parrots) but they have adapted to it none the less, perhaps not as well geared to it as a grassland bird, but they HAVE adapted. Otherwise every time we had a cold snap all our native birds would die off.

In short, unless your bird is ill, being exposed to extreme cold, snow, frost, rain or other bad weather, which it shouldn't be if you are keeping them inside, I would not be overly worried. Mild cold (10 ºC/50 ºF) without detrimental variables like snow, frost, etc is something most/all species of parrots in captivity encounter in the wild regularly and can cope with easily. I wouldn't advocate deliberate keeping tropical parrots below that, but people do (we get -5 ºC/23 ºF nights here regularly, people keep birds outside, and provided they have adequate shelter, none of which I have seen heated, mind you, they have been more then fine.)

In short, be aware of the cold, and what your birds tolerance is. If he is not used to the cold he probably does not have the down or enough insulation to cope with it. Acclimatise him accordingly if possible. If he goes through a regular summer/autumn/winter/spring cycle and moults in accordingly and appropriately to the weather, is healthy and not being exposed to the elements, he will be fine.

It's one thing to be aware of the cold, it's another to make it a worry when with sensible thought it does not need to be. Plenty of tropical animals adapt to seasonal variations easily. Parrots can adapt to cold easily if you do it right, it's frost and snow, wind and rain, that are the problems. If your bird is inside I wouldn't be worried. I'd be MORE concerned about sudden drops and rises in temperature then steady cold any day.

 

[Amber]

it's also worth mentioning this.

Apple seeds contain cyanide, but we still feed our birds apple. Why?

Because we can remove the risk by removing the seeds.

To not feed our birds apple because the seeds contain a negligible amount of cyanide would be overkill, right?


Similarly, we sometimes have to keep our birds at cooler temperatures. Why?

(Because sometimes we can't afford to live in a tropical paradise, or to heat our homes to a constant 25*C all year, every year. Because that is overkill. But mainly it is the following.)

Because, like with the apple, we can minimise and even eliminate the risk involved just by basic thought. You wouldn't feed your bird seeds containing cyanide, you wouldn't stick them outside on a sub zero night. But you WOULD feed your bird de-seeded apple, and you would keep them inside, away from draughts and other issues at a cold, but not dangerous, 10*C/50*F provided you have acclimatised them.

Caution is one thing. Caution is good! It makes us think about our actions and plan accordingly. Overkill is another.

Anyway, you know what is more dangerous then keeping birds at a steady temperature? Flicking the thermostat on and off and putting them through constant temp swings.

At night, my house in winter is a comfortable 16-18*C where my bed and the cage is. During the day it is a steady 13-15*C as I am not home, with the heater programmed to come on if it drops below that for Alex's sake. This is ok for both me and him. In fact, we are more sensitive to the cold then birds!

 

[Auggie's Dad]

While I second the idea that our birds are more resilient to cool temperatures than some think, the examples of feral flocks 'thriving' is really a bad argument for that.

A *population* of feral parrots may survive and thrive, while at the same time any given *individual's* odds of surviving the winter could be very low.

The thought that a population of dusky conures could survive a winter and reproduce to replace the lost numbers is of no comfort if Auggie's odds of survival are 30-40%. I hope to do better at providing him a home than nature would give him in a land foreign from his own.

Or as Tennyson noted:
"Are God and Nature then at strife,
That Nature lends such evil dreams?
So careful of the type she seems,
So careless of the single life;"

 

[Amber]

While I second the idea that our birds are more resilient to cool temperatures than some think, the examples of feral flocks 'thriving' is really a bad argument for that.

A *population* of feral parrots may survive and thrive, while at the same time any given *individual's* odds of surviving the winter could be very low.

The thought that a population of dusky conures could survive a winter and reproduce to replace the lost numbers is of no comfort if Auggie's odds of survival are 30-40%. I hope to do better at providing him a home than nature would give him in a land foreign from his own.

Or as Tennyson noted:
"Are God and Nature then at strife,
That Nature lends such evil dreams?
So careful of the type she seems,
So careless of the single life;"

Good point!

Also worth noting that natural selection would come into play with those feral birds. Say a flock escaped, or enough birds of one species to form a flock from individual escapes, or whatever. Those without the capabilities to survive the winter would die, leaving those who have the capability to endure the bad weather to survive and pass on their genes, meaning each individual in the next generation has a higher chance of being 'cold resistant' and so on. Eventually the genetic makeup of the whole flock shifts to the favourable 'cold resistant' genetic combination (genetic drift). Birds that could not survive would die off while those that could (not only in cold, but in foraging and everything) survive to reproduce... Therefore, they are genetically more resistant as a group to the weather, and are NOT a fair comparison for domestic birds without that intense pressure to survive. Thats a very oversimplified version, but it's the basics. :54:

 

[MikeyTN]

The thing is most can not survive! Why do you think birds migrate? Part of the reason is food! Plus the predatory birds and the other wild birds attack them first because they're not from here. There's PLENTY of parakeets and Cockatiels that escape out here ALL the time, there's absolutely no population of them here outside. Yes I know birds can learn to tolerate, like I've said I keep my house on the cooler side. I know they can live in aviaries outside, BUT as you said, providing the proper shelter is the key! I've been to the botanical garden in Des Moines, they keep breeding parakeets, finches, etc within, it's amazing to walk in to see. BUT when they place a few Cockatiels within, they had to be removed cause they weren't thriving as they should, but a different Cockatiel may do better....Yes that would be the gene to pass on! But I think it's cruel to place them outside in a foreign land where they do not belong and test their bodies with the temperature. IS it a have to thing to do? NO! People do trial and error! IF you loose your two favorite bird outside because of frost, it's your own doing and should be the one to be blamed! When it comes to trial and error when their life is concerned, I do NOT believe in that sort of thing unless it's an absolute have to type of deal to better the bird's life!!!!

 

[Mare Miller]

Survival of the fittest, yes. But...could you, eventually, bring your pet bird along to the point, of becoming physically capable to take on the challenges of winter cold? I think that if they have the right nutrition available, water, and night time lodging, they could adapt. I definitely wouldn't put my bird out in the middle of winter without him being acclimatized first. Living in the foothills of the Sierras, we have pretty mild temps compared to easterners but still, it's been down to the 30's the last couple days and I let Mi Amigo outside when it gets 42 degrees, he let's me know when he's ready! If the sun's not out, I won't let him go, if it is, he's gone!

 

[YNAMomma]

lol yeah i was expecting cold cold to. I am in Minnesota and in winters here with wind chill it gets to -75 degrees farenheit. So your cold is still semi summer here lol. Here I also have a basic oil space heater i got at a garage sale this last summer for liek 3 dollars =) works great and i cover my birds with a nice warm blanket, which on the coldest of nights is sometimes nice to put in the dryer for a few minutes first so the space heater doesnt need to be on so high. =)

 

[Amber]

The thing is most can not survive! Why do you think birds migrate? Part of the reason is food! Plus the predatory birds and the other wild birds attack them first because they're not from here. There's PLENTY of parakeets and Cockatiels that escape out here ALL the time, there's absolutely no population of them here outside. Yes I know birds can learn to tolerate, like I've said I keep my house on the cooler side. I know they can live in aviaries outside, BUT as you said, providing the proper shelter is the key! I've been to the botanical garden in Des Moines, they keep breeding parakeets, finches, etc within, it's amazing to walk in to see. BUT when they place a few Cockatiels within, they had to be removed cause they weren't thriving as they should, but a different Cockatiel may do better....Yes that would be the gene to pass on! But I think it's cruel to place them outside in a foreign land where they do not belong and test their bodies with the temperature. IS it a have to thing to do? NO! People do trial and error! IF you loose your two favorite bird outside because of frost, it's your own doing and should be the one to be blamed! When it comes to trial and error when their life is concerned, I do NOT believe in that sort of thing unless it's an absolute have to type of deal to better the bird's life!!!!

What is your point on migration? You mention food? I don't know of any parrots that do mass migrations (May move a few 100kms to feeding grounds, but that's about the extent of it) I could be wrong, but eh. I don't see the point you are trying to make? Is it migrating birds are non native (because that is incorrect, if they naturally migrate they are naturally part of that ecosystem, even if only for a limited time)? How does that relate to feral parrots? You claim migrating animals are attacked more? I would like to see evidence of that first. And how does it relate to this? Migrating animals are not a parallel for feral populations of parrots.

I think you need to realise what people are saying. The general consensus here seems to be keeping birds inside, even if cool= good. Keeping them outside in proper housing and properly acclimatised=ok. Keeping them outside exposed to the elements =bad. No one is making that an argument, but they are, however, trying to stop the whole 'keeping a bird in a cool house' risk being blown out of proportion.

No one is advocating taking non native birds and releasing them or exposing them to the elements. It was a biological discussion on the genetic dynamics of such groups for anyone who may be interested as to WHY they survive better then captive birds, and why they are not a good comparison as a result.

As for the cockatiels in the gardens, then their avairy was probably not adequate for those birds and they were not getting the required set up. Finches have different requirements and tolerances to cockatiels, and slapping some in an aviary with them is not a good idea unless you have given the cockatiels adequate space geared to their needs. If so, they shouldn't have had a problem. I would like to see their setup though, before I make those judgements.


As for the part I highlighted in red, the person who lost their birds was violently ill and forgot (suffered from mid stage dementia in addition to her physical illness). I doubt she could get physically outside to pull down the wind sheeting/frost covers on the cage anyway by that stage. She died recently after. You would blame a woman with dementia, who was INCAPABLE of remembering for this? If so, that is disgusting. It is immensely disrespectful for you to assume something and place the blame on her not knowing the situation at all. I repeat- This poor woman suffered from dementia. My mother answered her ad and acquired her last cockatiel after (we already had one at the time) to prevent this from happening again, but how can you blame someone with dementia for forgetting to cover her birds? She was mentally incapable. If anything it was her families fault for not doing something sooner. Don't judge someone, ever, until you know the whole situation. I have absolutely no respect for people who do.

 

[MikeyTN]

Amber,

You left that part of the story out! Regardless she has an issue or not, maybe she shouldn't own any birds if that's the case! Does she forget to feed and give water? Your the one blowing out of proportion going on full attack!!!

 

[TheDukeofGoodCleanFun]

Registered to comment on this thread.

We use two Avi-Temp infrared heaters for our three birds, who absolutely love them.

Avitech Exotic Birds - Supplies, Equipment and Nutritional Supplements for Birds!

They're hooked up to the thermostat (also sold on the site), so that when it's not below a certain temperature, the heaters are off. This way, we can keep the bird room door closed, and the house can be at, say 70, while the bird room is a nice 80 degrees F. These panels are one of the only truly "safe" ways I've seen out there to provide heat to birds. They mount directly on the cage, and only provide heat to objects, not to the air, so it doesn't take away humidity. Highly recommend these products!


Edit: Re-reading my post, it sounds like an advertisement, but I'm just really enthusiastic about these heaters. Sorry about that.

 

[lexx510]

Registered to comment on this thread.

We use two Avi-Temp infrared heaters for our three birds, who absolutely love them.

Avitech Exotic Birds - Supplies, Equipment and Nutritional Supplements for Birds!

They're hooked up to the thermostat (also sold on the site), so that when it's not below a certain temperature, the heaters are off. This way, we can keep the bird room door closed, and the house can be at, say 70, while the bird room is a nice 80 degrees F. These panels are one of the only truly "safe" ways I've seen out there to provide heat to birds. They mount directly on the cage, and only provide heat to objects, not to the air, so it doesn't take away humidity. Highly recommend these products!

Thank you!

 

[TheDukeofGoodCleanFun]

Thank you!

My pleasure! Let me know if you have any questions - been using them for about 4 years now.

 

[Amber]

Amber,

You left that part of the story out! Regardless she has an issue or not, maybe she shouldn't own any birds if that's the case! Does she forget to feed and give water? Your the one blowing out of proportion going on full attack!!!

So because it was 'left out' it was ok for you to make an attack on the birds owner? Their could have been any number of variables and it could be any number of situations. One makes THAT assumption when given inadequate information and thinks about the possible situations before making a statement. Regardless, it was off the actual topic, but if I need to defend someone from attacks and assumptions they don't deserve, so be it. And if you want to call that a 'full on attack' fine by me.

I am happy to discuss birds and winter, and to continue to discuss the first 4 paragraphs of my previous post which addresses migration and the like, but I will not tolerate people making assumptions about others without defending them. End of story. That's the last I will say about it as it is not relevant here. I'm happy to discuss it with you elsewhere if you feel the need.

 

[MikeyTN]

Like I've said regardless she was sick or not. She IS the one to be blamed. You were treating like its ok to do just because she had an excuse! Its inexcusable!!! Will you leave your child in the cold to freeze? NO!