How do you keep your birds warm in the winter?

[lexx510]

This will be our first winter with Guava. I am worried that we are not prepared for the winter cold. It was 44 degrees last night (around 55 or so inside of our apartment). Is this too cold for GCC? We only have a gas wall heater, which can be toxic (and pricey is ran all night). What can we do to help keep our little one warm at night?

 

[suncon97]

I use an Eden Pure space heater. Pricey but safe for birds. Although we don't use it in the same room as the bird except when she gets her bath because we have our furnace keep the house about 72-75 degrees. I know how you feel the other night it got below freezing here. The bird baths froze. There is another type of safe heater that people suggest and I think it is oil filled? I might be wrong so somebody correct me if so.But as for the Eden Pure, it heats really well and is energy efficient. Although it is about $300 it was well worth it.

Edit: I just saw that you were in California. Scratch that about me saying I know how you feel. It gets much colder here

 

[Auggie's Dad]

AH HA HA HA HA HA HA ... AH HA HA...

Sorry. You Californians.

From the title I was thinking this would be a northerner preparing for the MINUS 40 nights - in which case there are various space heaters that can be good (and many others that can be dangerous).

But for these temperatures a bird is *fine*. Make sure there is no draft. Do you cover his cage? Does he have a happy hut, cozy corner, or any other sleeping area?

 

[osnyder]

well, I was very worried about the cold the first winter we had the keets; our house is very cold. but they got through it with being covered by a good blanket at night with no signs of suffering. I was worried about Geordi when the weather turned recently (we've only had him 6 weeks) and so I bought him a heated perch and have been covering his cage. meanwhile he doesnt really use the perch. I figure if he gets really cold, it's available. I put him on it from time to time so he knows it's toasty

 

[Auggie's Dad]

I have an oil filled space heater. They're cheap ($20-30), safe, and work wonderfully.

 

[osnyder]

ditto the oil filled electric heaters. very safe, can be left on if you're not home. we use one in out shed/laundry room to keep the pipes from freezing when it gets to that point.

 

[Lonnie]

Oil filled heaters here too...they work great

 

[Mare Miller]

does anyone know, if birds grow more or thicker down when the weather gets colder? I believe my Amigo is getting more fluffy with down, not sure, just hoping! Getting cold here in the California foothills!

 

[Mare Miller]

we also use the oil filled heaters, just be sure you know how to set it. My husband bought a digital read one two years ago and I almost cooked my bird to medium-rare! I felt sooo bad! He lived through it and is still raining havoc to prove it!

 

[lexx510]

AH HA HA HA HA HA HA ... AH HA HA...

Sorry. You Californians.

From the title I was thinking this would be a northerner preparing for the MINUS 40 nights - in which case there are various space heaters that can be good (and many others that can be dangerous).

But for these temperatures a bird is *fine*. Make sure there is no draft. Do you cover his cage? Does he have a happy hut, cozy corner, or any other sleeping area?

LOL! Us spoiled Californians, right?

I suppose better safe than sorry, though. I want to make sure our little one won't freeze or catch an illness. For now, we will keep his cage in our bedroom overnight. It is a tad warmer in here (smaller room + body heat) than in the living room where we usually keep her cage. I also hung a warm cotton scarf in the cage, right over her usual sleeping place. I'll also look into getting an oil filled heater in the future.

 

[Auggie's Dad]

Some of those heaters can get expensive - but I haven't noticed any difference in quality or features from the cheap ones. The more expensive ones tend to have digital controls and all sorts of odd bells and whistles and need a big instruction manual to do the same thing as a cheap one with one or two dials.

 

[Spiritbird]

Any one using a heater please be aware that our birds need humidity in the winter. Heaters dry out the air significantly. What I worry about is a storm in the winter that knocks out the power. What do you heat with then?

 

[suncon97]

I don't know in that case. Probably everybody go into a room and shut the door to try to conserve the heat.

 

[JamesC]

I lost power a couple of times in the winter when I was living in Duluth, MN. Fortunately not for very long. But Tootsie kept warm by snuggling with me under a blanket. I had plans for various situations that could occur to keep her warm but never had to try them. Mostly involved heaps of blankets and body heat, keeping warm in the car or getting to a hotel among other things.

And I strongly concur for the reminder about humidity and suggest getting a humidifier. Helps with the bird's respiratory and skin health. Just make sure you keep it clean. They can get moldy/slimy fast.

Both Tootsie and Rosa must have decided to agree with the humidity suggestion while I was typing cause they just made good use of the bath water I gave them and soaked the surrounding area (and me) pretty good.

 

[Abzeez]

This makes me giggle. Here in WI 44 degrees would be welcome in the cold, cold winter months.

 

[Amber]

I keep my bird warm in winter the same way I keep myself warm. My current place is central heated, but in the previous place I had a glass panel heater I used in my bedroom (where the cage is) that kept us nice and toasty through the nights. During the day I was out, and I would turn it off. The room would drop to 10*C (50 °F?) but he seemed more then ok with that temperature. Considering the nights could get -5*C at times and people here keep and breed birds outside with no issues, I think he was more then ok cozyed up inside.

I don't know in that case. Probably everybody go into a room and shut the door to try to conserve the heat.

Or let your bird snuggle down your shirt for warmth!

 

[MikeyTN]

I had to use kerosene heater one winter up in South Dakota when we lost power and I covered all my birds with blankets. I was living out in the country side in the middle of no where. No way to get to the store when it's blizzard outside, people die in that condition cause you can't see where your going. So kerosene heater saved me even though it wasn't a very good option but it saved all my birds and me of course....

 

[lene1949]

I think that birds adjust to heat or cold just like any other wild animal... Aviary or wild birds don't have heaters or airconditioning, and will need other ways to adapt..

 

[MikeyTN]

The problem with that lene is most of these parrots did not come from cold areas! Most can not adapt to the cold weather when they weren't born in it or raised in it. Most of those aviaries should have a indoor part where it's kept warm so the birds can go in to roost. At least the ones I've seen!

 

[lene1949]

The problem with that lene is most of these parrots did not come from cold areas! Most can not adapt to the cold weather when they weren't born in it or raised in it. Most of those aviaries should have a indoor part where it's kept warm so the birds can go in to roost. At least the ones I've seen!

Have a look at the quakers... They are from South America, and now they're thriving in even the coldest part of the world...