Any Suggestions for Warmth in Winter Time?

[Panama]

Looking to see what everyone does in the winter time, if anything, for their Amazons. I have heard that the sleep tents can be somewhat dangerous as they tend to chew and can get caught in the strings of the fabric. Panama stays in the main room of the house, which is an open living room / kitchen / dining room. We keep the house between 70-72 in the winter, but some nights when it gets much colder outside, I feel he needs a little extra warmth. Does anyone have any ideas to keep the chill out? When it is time for bed we cover his home with a white sheet, and the past couple "really cold" nights I have added a thin blanket on top of the sheet to cover the top of his home. We live in the southeastern parts of the US, and "really cold" here is really not that cold, so most of the winter I am not concerned, but we do on occasion have a cold snap that gets out night time lows down to the 20s. Most of the winter our lows do not drop below 40. I am wondering if there is anything that anyone would recommend for the inside of his home (cage) at night? A safer version of the sleep tent??

 

[SailBoat]

With the exception of a cold draft targeting your Amazon, what you are defining is well with in the comfort zone for your Amazon. The slightly heavier winter night cover is prefect.

We are in the Great White North and we have had a Colder than Normal December! The inside has been a straight 70 degrees. We have been fighting with a Humidity problem as the furnace mounted unit has required manual adjustments. Other than that, all is well with our Amazon.

Enjoy, and keep your Amazon out of the drafts and all will be well!

 

[wrench13]

Fall - Salty has a reptile pad type heater under the papers in his cage right under his sleep perch. He gets covered with a heavy black cloth cover that I made. Once winter sets in, like now, we add electric blaanket on top of his cover, on the lowest setting. He is not a cover chewer, which is the ONLY reason this is possible. If Panama chews his cover even the slightest, do not use my method.

This is my method, your results may vary.

 

[kozykitty]

We love the oil filled electric radiators. We've had one for 30 years that's still going. No open heating element--feels like a good old fashioned radiator--only on wheels. We got one to put next to Gloria's cage. You can get fancy ones with all kinds of digital temperature controls and timers but we have a pretty basic one. We also have an avian light for her. The radiator is thermostat controlled and we just keep it on all winter. She has a heavy black cotton canvas cage cover for sleeping.

 

[plumsmum2005]

Here in the UK, our temperatures fluctuate a fair bit. Plum is covered by a large valance sheet which basically covers his cage and then I use some large towels over the ends of the cage for a bit extra insulation. At times I have been concerned about him and put on an extra layer but mostly if I go peep at him he is all toasty in there as he has generated a fair amount of heat himself. Drafts are the key to avoid so if your bird is cold at night maybe consider moving his cage.

 

[Kiwibird]

As long as there is no draft, if it's warm enough for you it should be warm enough for your bird The rainforest can dip into the low 50's at certain times of year, and while it isn't recommended to have your house that cold, amazons are able to cope with cooler temps. They may be a little 'puffier' during the winter, since fluffing up traps pockets of air between the down feathers and keeps them toasty warm. I also notice Kiwi consistently packs on a few extra grams in the winter, and is offered a little extra nuts and seeds since he's burning more fuel to keep warm. He is not a fabric chewer, and therefore is allowed a little cuddle hut as well in the winter, but those are not appropriate for all birds. His cage cover is made of polar fleece. Due to finances this year, we're running the thermostat at 67. Kiwi is fine. I do not personally trust any of those warming devices. I know in the reptile community, under tank warming pads are notorious for malfunctioning, overheating and occasionally catching fire. I don't trust heated perches or panels (or blankets or anything else "heated") either as they all use similar heating elements and if it were to catch fire while you were sleeping, it would be over before you even heard the smoke alarm go off. If you need an additional heat source, oil radiators are the safest option.

 

[Anansi]

As long as there is no draft, if it's warm enough for you it should be warm enough for your bird The rainforest can dip into the low 50's at certain times of year, and while it isn't recommended to have your house that cold, amazons are able to cope with cooler temps. They may be a little 'puffier' during the winter, since fluffing up traps pockets of air between the down feathers and keeps them toasty warm. I also notice Kiwi consistently packs on a few extra grams in the winter, and is offered a little extra nuts and seeds since he's burning more fuel to keep warm. He is not a fabric chewer, and therefore is allowed a little cuddle hut as well in the winter, but those are not appropriate for all birds. His cage cover is made of polar fleece. Due to finances this year, we're running the thermostat at 67. Kiwi is fine. I do not personally trust any of those warming devices. I know in the reptile community, under tank warming pads are notorious for malfunctioning, overheating and occasionally catching fire. I don't trust heated perches or panels (or blankets or anything else "heated") either as they all use similar heating elements and if it were to catch fire while you were sleeping, it would be over before you even heard the smoke alarm go off. If you need an additional heat source, oil radiators are the safest option.

Very much on point. Well said!

Years ago, before my first ekkie when I had my cockatiel, Suzie, I used to keep a ceramic heater by his cage during the winter. He couldn't put on a sweater or cover up under a comforter or anything if he felt cold, after all. But a few years after he passed (miss you, Suzie!), while doing extensive research for keeping eclectus parrots, I was shocked to learn that it was completely unnecessary!

As SailBoat, Plumsmum and Kiwibird pointed out, the true danger to a parrot is found in drafts. This is due to the way that they maintain their body heat. They trap those little pockets of warm air specifically in accordance with the current temperature around them. Drafts tend to throw that off, as it mimics a sudden and precipitous drop-off in temperature. The constant attempts to readjust can be a stress on their systems. Basically, sudden shifts are far more difficult for them to handle than a consistently cool temperature.

Don't get me wrong. There are temps that are too cold, of course. But temps in the steady 60's or 70's will not be a problem. Personally, I don't keep any snuggle hut type things in their cages, nor do I add additional heating or even cover their cages at night. I do, however, make absolutely certain that there are no drafts entering their area.

 

[SailBoat]

Since our language has been altered over the years and as a result can cause dangerous errors if care is not taken.

Long Discussion Short: The full range of the family Amazona will get them into a couple of very small 'Rain Forest' areas as a few of them will 'Migrate' into these small areas during late Spring, Summer and early Fall. Winter temperatures will sink as low as the 30 degree F range for few days at a time. An Amazon will not do well at those temperatures unless they have been slowly exposed to lower temperatures allowing a much great number of downy feathers to fill in (but, not recommended). Areas called 'High Land Forests,' which are drier than 'Rain Forests' are more common in the ranges Amazons are found and like above, they only Migrate into these areas while the trees still have their leaves.

 

[Panama]

Thanks Everyone! Ya'll have put my mind at ease. We live in a new home, that has brand new windows and doors. No drafts, yet And we keep the house between 70-72, so I believe Panama is going to do just fine at night. I do keep the warmer cover over him on extra chilly nights, but this past week, the south has decided to think it is summer time again and get close to 80 again, so it has not been an issue. I appreciate all the feed back and ideas.