UV lamp for my bird

[Morty]

FWIW, UVA/UVB lights are beneficial to many animals-- I use them with almost every single reptile I own (which is a lot)-- as it prevents Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) when utilized-- for some reptiles, it is a MUST. Therefore I don't see why one WOULDN'T use one for a parrot.

Reptile lamps are generally not advisable to use for parrots because of the heat they generate (I too have had reptiles for decades and use these kind of bulbs). Every reptile bulb that I've ever used generates both light and heat as most reptiles require far higher heat in their enclosures than parrots. They make specific sun lamps for birds that generate less heat, on par with a normal bulb, though the bird-specific bulbs cost as much if not a little more than a good quality reptile bulb.

Oh, no, I don't mean using heat generating bulbs for parrots-- I just meant, the spectrum benefits. There are really awesome UVB tubes that generate next to no heat-- Arcadia makes them, I use them in my big display vivs in conjunction with Radiant Heat Panels. But yes the combo heat/UVB spot bulbs are cool too, I use those for my basking lizards like my Beardie, Iguana and Tegus.

 

[LordTriggs]

if there's no natural light coming in at all a UV lamp can't hurt, (maybe the wallet) and I find the light from the one I own myself to be quite nice. Like any living thing light is required in some form. Remember even us humans are essentially just highly evolved plants

 

[LeslieA]

I know there are mixed opinions on the subject, but birds DO need sun and light. The glass on a window absorbs some of the rays, so whenever possible, open the window (SCREENED AND SUPERVIZED) and let them sit by it (assuming drafts are minimal and it is secure). I also use a full-spectrum light for mine. Some sources indicate that this makes no difference, but I have known too many birds who shown improvements in mood and feather conditios with the addition of synthetic lighting....of course, placement must be appropriate and precautions taken to avoid chewing cords/burns etc

Basically, sunlight through glass does not provide the needed vitamin D3. Putting your bird near an unopened window doesn't give him D3 but he might get a good tan. Pelleted foods and colorful produce generally provide the necessary D3 for calcium absorption which affects alot including but not exclusively bones, feathers and certain organs.

 

[Sandy19]

I googled Pulaski County, Arkansas. I don't think this is the only county in central Arkansas... Okay, I lied. I know exactly where Pulaski County is.

I'm a SOUTHERNER, too, so couldn't be sure. I'm a partner in a cattle ranch in Texas, have a farm in Arkansas and own land and cattle in Texas, Arkansas and Colorado. We're not the poor, stupid hicks many imagine.

I honestly thought Farlie was just being a troll when he so nonchalantly said that his bird never saw sunlight for five years and he found him dead on the bottom of the cage one day. After seeing his location I made the joke about Arkansas, but it was just a joke. I know everyone in Arkansas aren't rednecks that sit around drinking moonshine all day and shooting squirrels for dinner lol.

 

[Scott]

A worthy discussion, please focus on facts and opinions! Disputes may be carried on via Private Messaging if desired!

 

[EllenD]

Okay, this one is for Sailboat!!!

Whether I'm popular or not for constantly posting this, the fact is that it's true, scientifically, and the truth is that if you buy an artificial "bird light" you can actually do more harm to your bird than any little bit of good that it will do. Why? Because people don't understand how these artificial lights work, or more importantly the differences between the different types of bulbs, what they are meant for or what they "provide" as far as any health benefits, as well as the type/shape of the light that you buy, which is the #1 reason that people accidentally cause their birds/reptiles/amphibians eye damage/blindness, skin damage, cancer, etc. It's because 99% of people who buy some type of artificial light for their pet buy the cheapest bulb that will fit into a "regular" fixture, and unfortunately these are the exact types of bulbs that either do no good at all because they are so weak in the light-rays they provide that your bird would be much better off sitting inside of a slightly opened window, or because they emit terribly harmful light-rays as a by-product of the manufacturing process, and these are the rays that cause blindness and skin cancer...

So why do we think that our birds need a special, artificial light over them inside of the house in the first place? The fact of the matter is that the average person who owns a pet bird/parrot never takes their bird outside at all, simply because it's not practical for most owners. They aren't harness-trained, and so they only time they get outside is maybe inside of a carrier to the vet and back. That's it. So why are these pet/captive parrots that make-up the majority of the pet parrots in the world, who never go outside or get direct sunlight not suffering from all kinds of health issues? Because if we are feeding our pet birds a proper diet, then our birds don't need any artificial light over them inside the house. Period. And part of understanding this statement that I just made is understanding the science behind these light bulbs.

****First of all, and I'll get this out of the way up front because most people who have it in their minds that their birds NEED an artificial light bulb over them are going to go buy one. So I'd much rather that people NOT BUY THE HARMFUL BULBS!! The most harmful light bulbs, whether we're talking UVB bulbs, UVA (heat) bulbs, UVD bulbs, etc., doesn't matter, and whether we're talking for a bird or a reptile, doesn't matter, are the Coil or Spiral light bulbs. No matter the type of light being emitted by the bulb, the wattage, or the manufacture of the bulb, Coil/Spiral light-bulbs, specifically UVB Coil/Spiral bulbs ALL emit extremely harmful light-rays that are a by-product of the manufacturing-process used to make them. Period. These are pretty-much ALWAYS the types of UVB and UVA bulbs that cause reptiles and amphibians to become permanently blind, develop skin diseases, including squamous-cell, basal-cell, and melanomas, as well as the fact that they are extremely weak in the amount of UVB light they actually emit in the first place. So please, do not put ANY pet under ANY type or brand of Spiral/Coil bulbs, as #1) They don't emit a strong enough UVB light to be beneficial in the first place, and #2) They are extremely dangerous and harmful to your bird, reptile,
etc.

The next type of bulb is a Compact bulb, which is just a fancy way of saying a "regular light bulb"...Compact bulbs look exactly like a regular old light bulb, and are generally the most commonly available type of bulbs, especially if we're talking about UVA/heat bulbs, as well as UVB bulbs. They are also the cheapest of all types of "pet" light bulbs by-far...And if you ask yourself why this is, it's simple: Compact UVB bulbs are ALL extremely weak, and typically emit a fraction of the UVB light needed by most reptiles/amphibians to even survive, such as Bearded Dragons. From my long-time experience with Bearded Dragons, I can tell you for certain, without any doubt, that the main reason that captive/pet Bearded Dragons develop Metabolic Bone Disease is not because people don't buy any type of UVB bulb for them, it's because most people buy Compact UVB bulbs that emit little to no UVB light. And this is regardless of the strength/wattage/brand of the Compact bulb. The most commonly purchased UVB bulb for reptiles in-general is the ZooMed Compact 10.0 T8 UVB bulb...Why? #1) It's extremely cheap, costing around $10, and #2) Because Compact bulbs fit into any normal/regular lamp or light bulb socket, so they don't have to buy a separate light fixture/lamp to use either a Compact or a Coil/Spiral UVB bulb. Unfortunately, the ZooMed Compact and/or Coil versions of their 10.0 T8 UVB bulb are directly responsible for many, many Bearded Dragons with severe MBD, as well as the other nutritional and health issues that go along with it.

So the bottom-line is that if you just must buy a UVB light bulb to put over your bird, please do not EVER use any brand/strength of Coil/Spiral bulb, as they are very harmful to your bird's or your reptile's health, and besides the fact that they're extremely harmful, they are also extremely weak and present no benefit to any pet at all...And then you have the Compact UVB bulbs, or the regular light-bulb shaped bulbs, which are not harmful to your bird or reptile, but just like the coil/spiral UVB bulbs are extremely weak and offer little to no benefit....So what type of UVB bulb/light is both safe and beneficial?

In my opinion, when it comes to birds, NO UVB BULB IS BENEFICIAL. However, I'll address this opinion and why I believe that in a minute...Right now I'm assuming that people are going to buy UVB bulbs for their birds anyway if they want to, so I'd rather at least educate people on what UVB bulb is safe and will at the very least provide a strong enough UVB to their birds that it will provide them with any benefit at all, as neither Compact nor Coil/Spiral UVB bulbs offer any benefit AT ALL...

****If you just have to put an artificial UVB light over your bird inside the house, please be sure to buy a long T8 or better yet a T5 strength, 10.0 Strip Light, at least an 18"
long or longer, and a matching length tube fixture for it. And here's the issue: most people don't want to spend the money on both a UVB tube AND a matching length fixture for it, even though they are the safest and really the ONLY EFFECTIVE UVB lights sold...But they can actually be purchased for fairly cheap prices. BUT UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPE OF UVB LIGHT YOU ARE BUYING!

Crash-course in UVB light terminology: If we're talking UVB tube/strip lights, they come in two different "Strengths", either the weaker T8 or the stronger T5. (Yes, the T8 is weaker than the T5, common mistake). For a reptile that really does need/require a proper UVB strip-light to survive, you should ALWAYS only use the strong T5-strength UVB tube (and a T5-rated tube fixture will also be needed)...For a bird/parrot who doesn't need/require an artificial UVB light, a T8-strength UVB tube is more than strong enough. Fortunately, most common strip/tube light fixtures you find cheaply in Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, etc. are T8-rated. ****T5-strength UVB bulbs continue to emit UVB light for right around 12-months, so they need to be replaced roughly once a year. The weaker T8 UVB lights only emit UVB light for around 6 months maximum, and as such you must replace all T8-strength UVB lights at least once every 6 months. If you don't replace a UVB bulb/tube at the max age, you are simply turning on a regular ligh bulb over your bird/reptile, and it's emitting ZERO UVB LIGHT.

Next you have the UVB "output", which is indicated by a number followed by a period and a zero. The common UVB light outputs are 10.0, 5.0, 3.0, and 2.0...These numbers indicate the percent-output of UVB that the light bulb/tube puts out. For example, a 10.0 UVB bulb puts-out 10% UVB light...For reptiles/amphibians who need/require a UVB light to live/survive, you must always use a 10.0 UVB light, as anything with a lower UVB output is not adequate, and will result in MBD. I've seen literally, no exaggeration, hundreds of Bearded Dragons with MBD because they were under a ZooMed Compact UVB bulb, and to-boot it was a 5.0 T8 Compact UVB bulb. So the Dragon got essentially zero UVB light...For a bird/parrot, once again, if you want the UVB light to provide any benefit to your bird at all, I'd the the very least use a 5.0, but a 10.0 would be much better.

More to follow...

 

[Sandy19]

I have a leopard gecko that my son found so I asked the guy at the pet store about lighting and he said leopard geckos are different from other reptiles and they dont need a light, the light can actually annoy them. But then I read conflicting information saying they indeed do need a uvb light. All I know is I've had this gecko for years now without ever using a light and she is very healthy. If she would enjoy a light I would get one, but I dont want to harm or annoy her with it either.

 

[Morty]

I have a leopard gecko that my son found so I asked the guy at the pet store about lighting and he said leopard geckos are different from other reptiles and they dont need a light, the light can actually annoy them. But then I read conflicting information saying they indeed do need a uvb light. All I know is I've had this gecko for years now without ever using a light and she is very healthy. If she would enjoy a light I would get one, but I dont want to harm or annoy her with it either.

Leopard Geckos are nocturnal (have also seen them described as crepuscular, which is Dawn/Dusk), so no they don't necessarily need one. However, I have seen photographs in advanced herp keeping groups of Leopards basking in provided UVB, so take that for what it's worth. I do like to push UVB for every reptile if you can manage it, at least to give them the -option- to use it. It's not always feasible nor necessary but I believe that's what separates casual keeping from advancing and expanding husbandry across the board-- but really, it's down to the keepers' preference and ability. I have Crested Geckos and I do not provide them with UVB, and some of my snakes also do not have it (prohibited by the caging they're in), but I have seen the benefits of using it where I can.

 

[Kiwibird]

My leopard gecko recently passed away at over 20 years old (I got him as a juvenile). He always had a UVA/UVB heat lamp during the day and no additional heat at night (their natural environment gets quite chilly at nighttime actually, and every year he'd go into a semi-hibernative state as well in the winter). I always figured, the sun would be available to them most days in nature with natural temperature shifts between day/night, so why not in captivity? He didn't spend nearly as much time basking as my bearded dragon would, but he did come out almost everyday and sunned himself for a while before going back to hide until after dark. Obviously it wasn't harmful, as he lived a full lifespan for his species.

Also, regarding the UVA/UVB bulbs that don't produce heat- it would be helpful to post links so anyone interested knows which specific ones you're referencing

 

[Sandy19]

The room I have her in is the warmest room in the house and gets quite a bit of sun during the day and then it's the coldest room in the house at night. Sometimes when I open the blinds she comes out during the day, so I don't know if she's craving the light or it's bothering her. I just followed the instructions from the guy at the pet store that handles them.

This wasn't a pet that I intentionally went out and bought, my son found her at my husband's warehouse and after asking around if anyone lost a pet lizard he brought it home to me. I was like what the heck is this thing and what do I do with it.

 

[Sandy19]

Sorry for going off topic, but since we were already talking about lights and lizards anyway I figured I'd mention it.

 

[EllenD]

No KiwiBird, Leopard Geckos specifically do not need any type of UVB light, only a heat source, either a UVA/heat bulb/light, or a heat-mat underneath their substrate, such as carpeting...I don't like using heat-rocks, a lot of people do, but a lot of reptiles require that their heat comes from above them, and they end-up with thermal burns on their bellies from laying on heat rocks.

***Let me explain why captive, pet birds do not NEED or REQUIRE any artificial UVB lighting...Just keep in-mind that there are many reptiles and amphibians that will not survive without a proper-strength UVB light on every day, for hours and hours a day; You above got lucky as you got a Leopard Gecko, and they are one of the reptile species that don't need a UVB light to survive, however, had you gotten a reptile that does need a UVB light to survive, such as a Bearded Dragon, he would have quickly developed Metabolic Bone Disease, and died a slow, agonizing death after suffering for months to years first...So it's extremely important that you absolutely make sure that whatever reptile/amphibian that you are deciding to buy/bring home as a pet doesn't need a UVB light to simply survive, and if they do then you absolutely must not only buy a UVB bulb and a fixture for it, but you must make sure that you're buying the correct type/strength/UVB output for that particular creature that you're buying...

***Now, back to birds...I didn't get to post this yesterday as I got busy...However, I believe it's important to not only know what type of UVB light you should and shouldn't buy for whatever type of pet you have, but I also believe that it's extremely important that you understand WHY OR WHY NOT your specific pet needs or does not need any type of artificial lighting. In addition, you need to know that if you make the decision to put your pet under an artificial light of some kind, even if they don't need/require one, that you make sure that an artificial light isn't going to do any harm to your pet...For example, buying a Coil/Spiral UVB bulb and putting it over ANY SPECIES OF PET, whether they need and UVB light to live or not, will eventually result in chronic eye infections (Photoconjunctivitis), eye damage, blindness, skin damage/burns, skin cancer, etc. The fact that any brand/strength of Coil/Spiral UVB bulb emits harmful light rays as a by-product of the manufacturing process used to make them is very widely known in the Reptile/Amphibian Community, but unfortunately is not at all known in the Avian community; the same goes for the fact that any brand/strength of Compact UVB bulb (regular light bulb shape) emits extremely weak and non-beneficial/non-adequate UVB light is also widely known in the Reptile and Amphibian Community, but again, not at all known in the Avian Community. With more and more bird owners insisting on putting their birds/parrots under artificial UVB lights, regardless of whether it's beneficial for them or not, or harmful to them or not, I believe the Avian Community needs to start being made aware of these facts as well...

***Something I forgot to mention in my post yesterday: If you want to use a UVB bulb that fits into regular light bulb shape lamp/fixture instead of buying UVB tubes and tube fixtures, you'll find if you do any research in the Reptile Community that they use Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MBV), which are combination-bulbs that fit into regular light bulb sockets. MVB's are combination bulbs that emit both UVB light AND UVA light/heat. So if you are someone who has your bird under some kind of artificial heating as well as a UVB light, then buying a high-quality MVB is the best and safest option you can buy. The best brands of MVB are MegaRay and Arcadia; PowerSun's (ZooMed brand of MVB's) are also decent; Please stay away from Sun-Glo MVB's (Exo-Terra's MVB brand), especially if you have a Bearded Dragon, as they are a beautiful MVB, however the amount of UVB light they emit is extremely weak, and Dragons who are under Sun-Glo MVB's regularly develop Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).

Now, back to birds and why they don't need nor require any type of artificial lighting, specifically UVB lighting. (There are several different types of "bird lights" sold on the market, the most common "bird lights" are UVB lights; any other type of "bird light", such as a UVA/heat "light" is completely unnecessary and harmful to your bird, if your bird is in a room that is cold, and you want to use a "bulb" type of extra heating, then please just buy a Ceramic Heat Emitting Bulb (CHE), which screws into any regular light bulb socket or lamp, but only emits heat and no light rays)...Some of the "bird lights" are also UVD lights, which is ridiculously unnecessary for most living creatures; since UVB lights are the ones that are most-commonly purchased as "bird-lights", I'll stick to talking about them...

As pointed-out above by KiwiBird, there are some reptiles and amphibians who do not require/need a UVB light in order to survive, they only need an extra heat-source. However, there are MANY different species of both Reptiles and Amphibians cannot survive without getting adequate UVB light every single day, and who will quickly develop deficiency-diseases from not being under an adequate UVB light every day, and eventually they will die...The most common pet Reptile that absolutely must be under a proper, safe, adequate UVB light every single day for at least 11-12 hours a day is the Bearded Dragon...But why do certain reptiles and amphibians require an added UVB light to survive?

****Certain species of reptiles and amphibians (and other creatures/living organisms) require getting at least 2-3 hours each and every day of natural, direct sunlight (outside, not through a window, as glass and clear plastic block ALL UVB rays!!!) in order for their bodies to be able to manufacture Vitamin D3. Certain living creatures, such as Bearded Dragons, must either ingest/eat or have their bodies manufacture ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF VITAMIN D3 each and every day, as their bodies cannot absorb, process, nor use ANY of the Calcium that they take-in from their food or from an extra Calcium supplement/powder without these enormous amounts of Vitamin D3. It's impossible for these living creatures, such as Bearded Dragons, to simply ingest/eat the extremely high amount of Vitamin D3 in their food each day that their bodies require in order to properly absorb/process/use any of the Calcium that they get from their food and Calcium supplements. So, because their bodies require a very large amount of Vitamin D3 in order to absorb and process the amount of Calcium that their bodies require, and it's impossible for them to eat/take-in that amount of Vitamin D3 from their diets/vitamin supplements, their bodies are designed/created to be able to directly manufacture large amounts of Vitamin D3 from absorbing adequate amounts of UVB light. Without these living creatures getting absorbing enough UVB light each day, they cannot and will not manufacture near enough Vitamin D3 to allow their bodies to absorb/use Calcium that they are ingesting from their food and any Calcium supplements, and any and all Calcium that they do take-in from their food or Calcium supplements is simply excreted from their bodies in the urates that are excreted in their feces. So what happens with these creatures if they don't absorb adequate UVB light each and every day is that they make no Vitamin D3, therefore they cannot absorb any of the Calcium that they eat in their food and supplements, their bodies simply excrete all of the Calcium that they take-in in their food and Calcium supplements in their feces (in the urates), and as a result their bodies start leeching all of the Calcium that they need out of their bones, ligaments, tendons, etc. This quickly results in them developing Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), a serious, debilitating, and eventually fatal disease that turns their bones to rubber...And eventually there is no more Calcium stored in their bones for their bodies to leech away, so any of the bodily processes which require Calcium to happen cease to happen...And in pretty much all living creatures, Calcium is required to perform the bulk of ALL bodily functions, such as nerve impulses, muscle contractions, etc. This means that eventually Metabolic Bone Disease causes paralysis, an inability to breathe, and an inability for the heart to beat. So in-general, these creatures, such as the Bearded Dragon, require at least 2-3 hours under direct, natural sunlight each day or 11-12 hours under an adequate, unobstructed UVB light each day, simply for their bodies to function correctly and ultimately for them to survive...

***Now onto birds...and humans for that matter. Birds, humans, and in-fact most mammals, primates, marsupials, and rodents do not require anywhere near the amount of Vitamin D3 to absorb adequate amounts of Calcium (and Phosphorous for that matter) for their bodies to perform all of the daily, necessary bodily functions. The fact of the matter is that most living creatures, including birds, rodents, and primates, get all of the Vitamin D3 that they need in their daily diets. Imagine for a second if we as human beings would require to be out in direct sunlight for at least 2-3 hours per day, every single day of our lives, just for our bodies to perform all of the intricate processes that our cells require Calcium to perform...That would be a problem...same thing for our dogs, cats, and yes, our pet birds.

TO BE CONTINUED BELOW...

 

[EllenD]

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE...

Now, there are other physiological reasons that our bodies, as well as bird's bodies, require Vitamin D (all types of Vitamin D), and for that matter Vitamin A (also provided/manufactured by the absorption of UVB light), and other conditions/deficiency diseases that their bodies can develop without having adequate Vitamin D and Vitamin A...However, people, as well as our pet birds, get more than enough of these vitamins from their daily diets,
as the amounts of these vitamins needed by their bodies is minute compared to that of reptiles like the Bearded Dragon. So the entire point to this entire topic is that As long as your pet birds are eating a healthy, well-rounded, varied diet each and every day, they require absolutely NO ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING AT ALL!!! This is exactly the same reason that most experienced bird/parrot owners do not give their birds any type of Multi-Vitamin supplement every day, because they simply don't need it if their daily diet is adequate. The fact of the matter is that most Vitamin supplements that birds, dogs, and humans for that matter take every day are either excreted in their urine or urates and never absorbed by their bodies in the first-place, OR, in the case of the fat-soluble vitamins as well as most minerals included in these supplements, they are stored-up in the body, either in the fat-cells or in certain organs/tissues, and can eventually result in Vitamin/Mineral Toxicity Disease; This happens most-commonly in captive, pet birds in the form of IRON STORAGE SYNDROME/DISEASE. This is exactly the reason that we should not feed our pet birds any supplements or foods that contain added Iron or are naturally high in Iron, or feed our birds any foods that enhance the absorption of Iron by their bodies, such as the Citric Acid found in Citrus Fruit. This is why you should never feed your pet bird any Citrus Fruit, such as oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangerines, etc., because they enhance/increase the absorption of any Iron that is contained in the food that regularly eat, and this can easily and quickly cause Iron Storage Syndrome/Disease, which is fatal if not caught and treated immediately.

***So the bottom-line to putting any type of artificial lighting on your pet birds is that it is physiologically unnecessary, however, the more important factor is that most people don't have any idea what types of artificial "bird lights", UVB lights, UVA lights, UVD lights, etc. are HARMFUL TO THEIR BIRDS. So will putting your bird under an artificial light, which is unnecessary provide them any benefit at all? It's possible, but any benefits that they do provide are extremely minimal, and again, definitely not necessary as long as you are feeding your birds a healthy, adequate daily diet. (If you're not, then that's another issue all together that you need to address) However, can putting your bird under any type of artificial lighting be harmful to them? Absolutely, and often is....So if we weigh the benefits of putting your bird under any type of artificial lighting against the potential harm they can cause, is it worth it? Nope, not in any way at all. And remember the list of possible harm that artificial bird lights can cause, which includes eye damage, blindness, skin damage, skin cancers including basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma, feather damage, feather-follicle damage,
among many others. (We need to always remember that all of these lights, regardless of what type they are, what type of light-rays they are providing, what brand they are,
what strength/wattage/output they are, etc. ARE NOT NATURAL SUNLIGHT, WHICH IN AND OF ITSELF CAN BE HARMFUL; They are made in factories, by machines, and they are producing light rays that are artificial...So we have absolutely no idea what the long-term effects of these lights on our birds are. Think about natural sunlight and the damage it can do, then think about tanning beds. The only thing that has been documented as far as harmful side-effects of artificial lighting on pets are the direct, harmful effects caused by Coil/Spiral shaped bulbs, regardless of what type of light they are made to emit, because they also emit harmful light-rays as a by-product of the manufacturing process used to make them. That's it. So who knows what other long-term effects these lights may cause...

***In the case of reptiles and amphibians who will definitely and without a doubt suffer and die without them being under an artificial UVB light every day, the benefit far outweighs the risk, as we have no choice but to keep them under an artificial UVB light if we want to keep them as indoor house pets. But in the case of our pet birds, they do not in any way require or need any type of artificial lighting...So why take the risk in the first place?

 

[Spirbuaw1]

Now, this is just me, I live in the inland northwest which is very wintery, having stated that when I rescued my male Buffon I took him to WSU and had blood work done on him,,,he came back sun light deficient so I had no choice but to let go of my artificial light reservations and get him what he needed,,,,
1. During peek daylight hours in the summer all three of my birds have an outside cage on my deck and I stick out there because it south facing where the good light is
2. I did extensive research on light sprectrum including the physics of light sprectrum in order to choose the right full spec bulb meeting my kelvin and lum needs,,,,I mounted the bulb above their cage on a wire in a rough natural sun position above the cage that is still close enough to be effective,,,I do this so it shines on their third eye,,,,,and I give them 4 hrs a day,
3. I also run rainbow blue tooth controlled bulbs in my home to encourage natural signaling ie red signals mating, although these bulbs are only a visual stimuli there is something in me that thinks birds have visual interpretations of environmental stimuli like humans and the colors are pretty
4. I feed the best along with fresh and provide yummy healthy oils ie red palm in soak and serve snacks
Doing this my Stan boy is no longer sun light deficient, hopefully his past neglecte has not left him infertile

 

[Laurasea]

EllenD you have more knowledge of lighting than anyone I know! I have zero knowledge on artificial light. And I'm thankful you took the time to outline some risks. On the other hand I myself suffer from vit D deficiency confirmed by blood work, my own doctor says this is becoming a problem in the US with people avoiding the the sun. My previous wonderful board certified avain vet recommend sunshine for my feather picking rescue. I believe teal sunshine does have value, as outlined in the link to the avain vet article I shared as well. Sunshine does kill viruses, yeast and bacteria in featheres (at least some of those wrotten buggeres) . It also helps mood and like SAD seasonal defective disorder. As birds have that gland in their eyes that absorb sunlight, and that when the preen the substance changed in sunlight to provide vit D3 for the birds, we can wonder if other changes take place as well...from my own personal experience I have seen a change in feather luster after I started the sunbathing with the birds. Almost all life on this planet evolved under and needing the sun. I can't help but feel it is important and needed. As far as artificial lighting goes I just don't have the knowledge to have that conversation. I do know that when I worked in conservation some birds and mammals were required to be in quarantine for months at ine location then shipped and required to be in quarantine for months again most often without even windows. This caused a huge color change in several animal species fur like golden lion tamarin. We ended up bring in some sort of broad spectrum artificial light for the birds and mammals and the golden lion tamarin and other animals got their beautiful color back, and our birds were healthier. As for the lighting I have know idea what kind it was, sorry all. But I can day I witnessed the difference!! I feel for all of you in the cold and dark north, as a Florida girl I am lucky!

 

[noodles123]

I have read that for birds, the lighting relates more to feather health and mood and less to vitamin D.
I am not sure how a bird "happy light" could hurt- so song as precautions are taken and safety protocol is followed---I suppose one could assert that correlation does not equate causation, but time and again, I have seen instances in which lighting appears to help birds.
AGAIN--- when used carelessly, these powerful lights can cause skin and retinal burns etc etc..and I am not a lighting expert.

That having been said--- I know a GROWN HUMAN MAN (productive, has a job etc) who got Rickets in 2016 (he is a "foodie" BUT...He only goes outside to walk to his car unless temperatures are perfect)...for the most part ...He was taking a multi-vitamin (which included D) AND he was eating well when he got RICKETS, ---Doctor told him he needed to get more sun (in addition to other things)..My point is, as far as humans being okay with their environment alone,this is not always the case. Plus, people with depression have repeatedly shown improved mood etc when exposed to sunlight (even synthetic)...
That is why those human "happy lights" exist.


As I understand it, bird's absorption of D is different than that of humans'...That having been said,I can only speak from experience....
I can't explain why pluckers have stopped plucking etc when new lighting is introduced if it doesn't help and I have seen it make a difference...

 

[LeslieA]

EllenD, as in a previous thread, I disagreed.
Much of what you have said are marketing ploys. Please, this is a controversial topic with no actual answer therefore belongs in a different forum. This is a polite request as before.

 

[jousze]

It is long time we don’t talk in this thread and as I went to the vet the other day I wanted to share some things.

Ellen: I agree with you
All the others who disagree with ellen: I also agree with you.

First of all, my CAV told me that in winter birds should have a lamp on them at least 2 hours a day. The perfect would be 6 hours, but minimum 2. A lamp for birds, not for reptiles because as the birds have a better vision it can hurt their eyes.

And now I want to say my opinion.

I THINK (ME) that the light would be good and not good at the same time. I agree that, in Belgium for example, that in winter we don’t see the sun not even 1 day would be good to set a light for them to see some “sun”.
I’m going to say it again: IN WINTER AND IF THERES NO SUN.
In Spain for example (I’m Spanish by the way) we don’t need that, when I was living there I didn’t even know that existed it.
Well this is the part where I agree with the ones who disagree with Ellen.

Now, in order to agree with Ellen I have to say that, UV light is not good at all, it’s not even good for us. I don’t know if I’m your area have but in Belgium is full of “solariums” (where you go to get tanned), and every year there’s people who dies of skin cancer due to that.
So well, if it’s not good for us, it has to be even worse for them.

This is MY opinion after listening what the vet told me.
So I think that we could sometimes put them the light, but not everyday, definitely not in summer or spring and not if there’s sun (and we can open the windows(with the windows closed the sun doesn’t come in)).

What do you think about what I think?

I hope I kind of agree with everyone

 

[noodles123]

I think that there is truth to both sides, so a middle-ground works for me lol.