Winter bird lighting...

[JawzX]

As much as I'm never really ready to think about it (until ski-season gets under way ) winter is coming soon up her in the great white north, and with it comes short, short days.

I currently work second shift, 4pm to 12:30am, and with sunset happening near 4:30 during the darkest days of the year I will not be home to leave a light on for Buddy so she gets a 10 hour (or more) "day" in the winter months. Easy solution is obviously a light on a timer, but I'm wondering if others have experience providing artificial lighting for their birds in winter and what they recommend?

Are the UVA/UVB "avian" lights on the market a worthwhile investment (I already use "daylight" florescents in all my fixtures)? What's an appropriate "day" length for a parrot in winter? Any other tips?

 

[Spiritbird]

It is recommended to have full spectrum lighting for our birds all year long. There are some old threads on this topic and is also one that is debated on the forum. I follow my vets suggestions and us it all year long. It is a special light bulb and lamp and yu can order one at Dr. Foster/Smith.

 

[wildheart]

My reptiles made me an expert on UVB lightning because without it they will die.

UVB is the most critical portion of the light spectrum and is not found in normal household lighting or "full-spectrum" lighting. It will not pass-through modern window glass, screen or Plexiglas. It is for this reason that we are required, through good-husbandry practice to provide a good strong UVB source, either naturally, through unfiltered sunlight or artificially through the use of specialized lamps, specifically designed to emit high-levels of UVB.

Never buy the spiral UVB lights because they are known to cause eye infections. The tube is better but you have to make sure that it does not only emit UVA but ALSO UVB, it must be written on the box. A lot of people buy UVA or full spectrum lights and think that it is the same as UVB and then they end up with sick animals.

Megaray is of course the best brand on the market but also the most expensive.

I use timers for all my animals, one for switching on the lights and another to switch on the heaters at night.

Good luck with your winter, I will NEVER survive with such short days and temperatures under 77F.

 

[wildheart]

I forgot to mention something that is REALLY important. The light MUST be replaced after 6 months, actually 5. I have a gun that measures the UVB that are emitted and the distance that it reaches, by the fifth month the UVB becomes very weak.