Lighting for Parrots

[DonnaBudgie]

I'm wondering whether it's important to provide any special artificial lighting for parrots that live indoors, similar to the special lighting some reptiles need to allow them to convert vitamin D3, something to that effect. I heard that glass doesn't allow all the rays of sunlight through. Perhaps lack of proper lighting may cause skin and feathers problems including feather plucking. Has anyone heard anything reliable on this issue? Are there any special bulbs that can provide the correct light wavelengths for parrots?

 

[StormyPica]

I'm wondering whether it's important to provide any special artificial lighting for parrots that live indoors, similar to the special lighting some reptiles need to allow them to convert vitamin D3, something to that effect. I heard that glass doesn't allow all the rays of sunlight through. Perhaps lack of proper lighting may cause skin and feathers problems including feather plucking. Has anyone heard anything reliable on this issue? Are there any special bulbs that can provide the correct light wavelengths for parrots?

I've heard that they're pretty dangerous. In order to get benefits, parrots need to be really close to the light. Parrots have been severely burned from these lights (even when they were a couple feet away), so I don't use them. Of course, this is a personal decision, but maybe check out this place, it doesn't have UVB but the lights are full spectrum.

Full Spectrum Led Lights for Birds | (2021 Engineering)

High-quality LED Lights with an Abundance of Wavelengths to Keep Your Bird Happy and Healthy. Shop M&M Cage Company Full Spectrum Lights.

www.breedingcage.com

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I've heard that they're pretty dangerous. In order to get benefits, parrots need to be really close to the light. Parrots have been severely burned from these lights (even when they were a couple feet away), so I don't use them. Of course, this is a personal decision, but maybe check out this place, it doesn't have UVB but the lights are full spectrum.

Full Spectrum Led Lights for Birds | (2021 Engineering)

High-quality LED Lights with an Abundance of Wavelengths to Keep Your Bird Happy and Healthy. Shop M&M Cage Company Full Spectrum Lights.

www.breedingcage.com

I did some reading about parrot lights and it did seem a bit scary to put them so close because they can burn them, like a sunburn and harm their eyes. I wonder if there would be any benefit putting one directly overhead about four feet.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I've heard that they're pretty dangerous. In order to get benefits, parrots need to be really close to the light. Parrots have been severely burned from these lights (even when they were a couple feet away), so I don't use them. Of course, this is a personal decision, but maybe check out this place, it doesn't have UVB but the lights are full spectrum.

Full Spectrum Led Lights for Birds | (2021 Engineering)

High-quality LED Lights with an Abundance of Wavelengths to Keep Your Bird Happy and Healthy. Shop M&M Cage Company Full Spectrum Lights.

www.breedingcage.com

The lights in the link provided above say they are for "soft billed" birds and a graphic indicated they are not for parrots- just finch type birds. I wonder why.

 

[Keet_Krazy]

Not something I've bothered researching much, but there seems to be a lot of (sometimes conflicting) information out there.

Vitamin D3 for Our Birds

Please note that I'm not an expert. I have no official qualifications, certifications, etc. What we know about parrot nutrition can and does change often. Your veterinarian or a nutrition expert will be better suited to answering questions about this topic. Vitamin D3 is one of those things...

lilmonstersbirdtoys.com

 

[StormyPica]

The lights in the link provided above say they are for "soft billed" birds and a graphic indicated they are not for parrots- just finch type birds. I wonder why.

Because they don't have a cage over them. It's the same light as for the parrots, but with the parrot one there's a cage to keep the birds from biting the light.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Because they don't have a cage over them. It's the same light as for the parrots, but with the parrot one there's a cage to keep the birds from biting the light.

Oh! That makes sense. I thought there was some mysterious medical/scientific reason. I wonder why they don't just put a protective grid over the bulbs. I wouldn't have had any idea why if you hadn't told me. Thanks!

 

[DonnaBudgie]

Not something I've bothered researching much, but there seems to be a lot of (sometimes conflicting) information out there.

Vitamin D3 for Our Birds

Please note that I'm not an expert. I have no official qualifications, certifications, etc. What we know about parrot nutrition can and does change often. Your veterinarian or a nutrition expert will be better suited to answering questions about this topic. Vitamin D3 is one of those things...

lilmonstersbirdtoys.com

I've been reading some of this information and it's interesting but confusing. I just wonder if lack of proper lighting rays has some big, bad effect on captive parrots that scientists and avian vets are not aware of yet. Like the horrors of feather plucking that seems to only happen (or begin at least) to captive parrots kept indoors, even with lots of stimulation and large cages. Maybe it's a skin/feather disorder caused by lack of important light rays. I'm totally just throwing this out there as a scientific curiosity, probably because I am a scientist by education training and experience and can't seem to turn this part of my brain off in my retirement.

 

[StormyPica]

Like the horrors of feather plucking that seems to only happen (or begin at least) to captive parrots kept indoors, even with lots of stimulation and large cages

But this can be for multiple reasons. If a bird is hand-raised it is much more likely to pluck. If a bird is hormonal it can pluck. Plucking can happen to parrots outdoors too, but being outdoors can significantly decrease plucking. Still, I do not trust those lights. I have heard stories and seen pictures of them severely burning parrots.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

But this can be for multiple reasons. If a bird is hand-raised it is much more likely to pluck. If a bird is hormonal it can pluck. Plucking can happen to parrots outdoors too, but being outdoors can significantly decrease plucking. Still, I do not trust those lights. I have heard stories and seen pictures of them severely burning parrots.

I'm not saying plucking has anything to do with lighting or being indoors. I'm also not saying I trust those lights either. I just wonder from a scientific standpoint what effect it may have. I certainly think natural sunlight is safer but I don't live in a place where I can put my birds outdoors. Summer would be the only time I could but I live in a woodland area and we have lots of predators that could kill them or at least scare them. Dragging five big heavy cages outside and back in at night would be way to hard for us and I'm not about to manhandle my untamed budgies into other cages. Way too stressful on them. Rocky on the other hand is up for anything- as long as she's with us she's happy. It really is wonderful having a 100% tame budgie like Rocky.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

But this can be for multiple reasons. If a bird is hand-raised it is much more likely to pluck. If a bird is hormonal it can pluck. Plucking can happen to parrots outdoors too, but being outdoors can significantly decrease plucking. Still, I do not trust those lights. I have heard stories and seen pictures of them severely burning parrots.

How do reptiles not get burned by those lights people put over their enclosures? They don't have feathers to protect their skin and their eyes look vulnerable, too. Reptile people, do you know?
They say birds are closely related to reptiles. Perhaps they have similar needs we aren't aware of?

 

[StormyPica]

How do reptiles not get burned by those lights people put over their enclosures? They don't have feathers to protect their skin and their eyes look vulnerable, too. Reptile people, do you know?
They say birds are closely related to reptiles. Perhaps they have similar needs we aren't aware of?

As a reptile person, I can say that most reptiles have pretty tough skin, and also scales to protect their skin. Birds have very, very delicate skin, and pretty delicate feathers too. Yes, birds do need sunlight, and they do need direct sunlight exposure. But as I said, I believe the lamps are too risky.

 

[DonnaBudgie]

As a reptile person, I can say that most reptiles have pretty tough skin, and also scales to protect their skin. Birds have very, very delicate skin, and pretty delicate feathers too. Yes, birds do need sunlight, and they do need direct sunlight exposure. But as I said, I believe the lamps are too risky.

I think so too. I certainly agree about birds skin being delicate! It was almost shocking how thin Rocky's skin was before she got feathers! I could literally see right through it. Scary in a way. It must be a bit thicker in adult birds but I can see how it could easily get burned. I can also see how it could get torn if a bird plucks it's feathers.
So if lights are too dangerous and outdoors isn't an option, how do I ensure my birds get the right lighting? I have about 10 ceiling fixture in my living room where my birds are. I wonder if I could put special bulbs in all the fixtures to give the whole room better lighting for them that's not too close to their cages.

 

[zERo]

I’m not sure why UVA/UVB lights don’t burn reptiles actually. I do own a few species that require it or they’d develop issues like MBD (metabolic bone disease)
They must be swapped with a new bulb every 6-12 months.
Usually when setting up a reptiles enclosure you want to put the UVB right next to the heat source so that anytime they’re warming up they’re also getting ‘sun’
Most reptiles leave the hotspot in the enclosure often so they can get out of the immediate exposure of the light.
From what I understand, the light has to be within 6-18in. Of the reptile depending on the species and intensity of the light.
Here’s some excellent information:

https://www.zillarules.com/articles/understanding-uva-uvb-uvc-reptile-lighting

 

[DonnaBudgie]

I’m not sure why UVA/UVB lights don’t burn reptiles actually. I do own a few species that require it or they’d develop issues like MBD (metabolic bone disease)
They must be swapped with a new bulb every 6-12 months.
Usually when setting up a reptiles enclosure you want to put the UVB right next to the heat source so that anytime they’re warming up they’re also getting ‘sun’
Most reptiles leave the hotspot in the enclosure often so they can get out of the immediate exposure of the light.
From what I understand, the light has to be within 6-18in. Of the reptile depending on the species and intensity of the light.
Here’s some excellent information:

https://www.zillarules.com/articles/understanding-uva-uvb-uvc-reptile-lighting

Thanks. I'd love to learn more about this and want to hear feedback from reptile owners. I had a baby snapping turtle I found trapped in a storage tent on my property a few years ago. I found him (her it turned out) in October and I (foolishly) kept him for about 18 months with a plan to let him go in a shallow swampy area of the lake after she had gotten big enough to not get eaten my a loon or a big bass. I kept Snappy (original I know- actually Snappiosa because she was a Teenage Mutant Ninja snapper) in a large clear plastic bin with clean fresh lake water that I changed daily, lake sand, some rocks and a reptile cave for her to hide in. I didn't feed her pellets or any other prepared food because I wanted her to eat things she could find in the lake when I released her and pellets seemed too artificial. I fed her fresh fish and lean raw pork and beef but no poultry because I didn't want to risk a salmonella infection. She was very a fussy eater and refused to eat any vegetables though I knew they were important for her diet. I felt lucky she ate at all because at first she didn't. I got her the correct lighting bulbs and kept her water at about 78 degrees. I did not handle her unnecessarily because I did not think of her as a pet- I was her caretaker until she got bigger. I wanted her to grow up to be a big snapper in the lake where she belonged. I weighed Snappy once a week and she went from about 10 grams to over 60 grams while I had her and was quite plump. Unfortunately she stopped eating when she was about 18 months old and I took her to a vet that sees reptiles (hard to find in Maine) and was told that Snappy was very weak with a vitamin deficiently and that I should euthanize her! I did, but I was VERY upset. I was absolutely crazy about Snappy, and cried for days, mostly because I felt I had let her down. I felt responsible for her well-being and had failed her. I was so close to letting her go. I should never have tried to keep her for that long but she had been doing so well gaining weight and growing and I was just waiting for spring and the lake to warm up so I could let her go. I gained a new appreciation for keeping wild animals in the wild where they belong. I was not equipped, apparently, to satisfy all her nutritional needs. If I had know how vitamin rich liver was I would have fed it to her because she loved raw meat. I still have a big soft spot for snapping turtles (all turtles, actually) but I will keep reptile husbandry to the experts from now on. Turtles are NOT easy to keep, at least not snapping turtles. I know we have several reptile lovers on this forum. Anyone ever tried to keep a snapper? Any success?

 

[Keet_Krazy]

I have actually read lighting can help some plucking birds. But I agree that plucking is caused by many different thing.

There's a good thread on another forum, but I am not allow to link that?

Again it's not something I've researched much as my two bigger birds are outside full time anyway, and eventually the budgies will be too.