lighting

[Herc]

Well, winter is just around the corner here on the west coast, and with it comes the dark, gloomy, rainy days and nights...

We live in a basement suite which is half submerged so getting any type of natural light from the bedroom window (the room we all live in most of the time, esp. since it is warmest and I can easy control drafts) is difficult, esp. in the winter months...

Tiko and Hercules are on opposite walls of the bedroom... Tiko has a fluorescent light fixture above her cage so she gets plenty of light, but the light doesn't reach as bright as I'd like it for Hercules' cage now that the days are getting darker... on his side of the room the plug is about 2 metres away from his cage, and I'm finding that all the fixtures I looked at today have only a 1.something metre long cord... :mad: Isn't that always the way. I guess I will have to look at Home Depot tomorrow to see if they have anything better than the places I checked today...

Is anybody else in my situation? How do you all handle lighting, when there isn't much sun to go around even in the best of times during winter? And how much light does he need to stay healthy? In his previous home he was under a natural sky light so got plenty of natural light and I feel badly that even tho I give him so much in so many other ways, just I can't give him that...

Any suggestions?

[shylevon]

Extension cords.

I have my birds light on a timer, so it goes on at the same time every day and it goes out at the same time. This keeps them on a good schedule, even when I am staying awake in the same room as them. They know that when the light goes out, it is time to calm down for the night.

[michael]

There are many opinions surrounding issues in regards to proper lighting for our birds. Besides safety from chewing through cords and getting burned by hot surfaces its felt that the full spectrum lighting can indeed be beneficial in helping to create whats natural in an unatural environment. One thing to note is your birds will not benefit the vitamin synthesis proponent offered by direct sunlight once it has passed through a window. So although they benefit psychologically, an important spectrum of lighting is lost unless its mostly uninhibited. Some breeders have also used lighting to increase their prospects on occasion, so duration is another factor to think about as it can effect certain hormone levels. Because most wide spectrum bulbs generally give off more UVA byproduct than the much needed UVB rays, usually supplimental lighting of this form is whats recommended most. An example would be 2 (two) 2 foot flourescent bulbs between 1-2 foot above the cage for 3 (three) hours a day. Because there are concerns about some dietary deficiencies in captive birds either from poor diet or otherwise, instead of all day exposure its thought that supplimenting is safer. I too am working on methods of providing safe/supplimental lighting for captive birds, most of which is yet beyond a general scope usable by everyone. Best I can tell you is keep it simple and keep it safe. Also, plastic PVC can be used to cover some cords if necessary. There is a section on lighting in the "lovebird resource library" forum under "care and safety" lighting for birds. Reading it may help to put things into perspective. Good luck finding what you need :) .............Michael and Goofy

[Herc]

thanks :)