Moving to Oregon, need some advice on lighting?

[Kiwibird]

Since we've had Kiwi, he has always enjoyed a prime spot in the living room, just a few feet from a very sunny window, and a lot of (supervised) outdoor time during the warm months. We live in Arizona, so sun is abundant. We will finally be moving up to Oregon (Portland area) in October, which isn't exactly known for being sunny. I know the little guy needs a good light source, so I need some suggestions-

For starters, he doesn't really spend THAT much time in his cage (or any one place) in the first place that putting a permanent light fixture somewhere would do him any good. He's only really in his cage a few waking hours any given day, and that will probably be even less, as I am not going back to work after we move. I have been looking at those verilux SAD light therapy lamps, and thinking about getting one for the living room and the bedroom. I don't really know how well they work, or if they would even do anything for a bird if he was just in the same room. Before my bearded dragon passed away, I used to have to buy these $80 "full spectrum UVA/UVB" bulbs for her, and have also debated having a couple of those around in the special light fixtures, but again, I have no idea if it will do anything for him. Does anyone have any good ideas?

 

[SoCalWendy]

Since we've had Kiwi, he has always enjoyed a prime spot in the living room, just a few feet from a very sunny window, and a lot of (supervised) outdoor time during the warm months. We live in Arizona, so sun is abundant. We will finally be moving up to Oregon (Portland area) in October, which isn't exactly known for being sunny. I know the little guy needs a good light source, so I need some suggestions-

For starters, he doesn't really spend THAT much time in his cage (or any one place) in the first place that putting a permanent light fixture somewhere would do him any good. He's only really in his cage a few waking hours any given day, and that will probably be even less, as I am not going back to work after we move. I have been looking at those verilux SAD light therapy lamps, and thinking about getting one for the living room and the bedroom. I don't really know how well they work, or if they would even do anything for a bird if he was just in the same room. Before my bearded dragon passed away, I used to have to buy these $80 "full spectrum UVA/UVB" bulbs for her, and have also debated having a couple of those around in the special light fixtures, but again, I have no idea if it will do anything for him. Does anyone have any good ideas?

Keep in mind that in Oregon, it doesn't get dark until about 9-9:30 pm.

 

[ShellyBorg]

I spend a couple weeks there in OR every summer. You will have lots of time for sunbathing and more sun than you think. I winter it can get gloomy for a week at a time but you should do fine.

 

[Julianna]

I live in olympia, wa, which has similar weather to the portland area. I just use regular lighting, and although I've considered using a full-spectrum light or something like that I never got around to getting one. I don't think it matters too much, because, like SoCalWendy said, it doesn't get dark until about 9 in the summer. During the winter it gets dark earlier, but it's still not too much of a problem.