Heat Lamp, Yes or no ?

[EricaLynn]

Hey Everyone
My new little one will be coming home in a few weeks and I was making a list of everything I needed to buy so the cage will be ready. I was reading some articles saying that full spectrum heat lights can be beneficial for some birds, does this apply to lovebirds? And if so what wattage do you use 60,100,150 or 200, if this helps I'm getting a Masked lovebird. Does anyone recommend any brands if needed?

Oh and on a completely unrelated matter when I go visit my little lovie I notice sometimes he fluffs the feathers on his head up. He does if when I scratch him and seems to be happy but it also happens randomly could this mean hes mad or happy or just adjusting?

[Brian1]

I'm confused by your question? I'll try to help though.

If you are bringing home a fully weaned, fully feathered lovebird you don't need any external supplemental heating. If you are bringing home a chick to finish handfeeding you may need supplemental heating and ask Linda and the others as I can't help.

Full spectrum lighting doesn't provide heat. Full spectrum lighting is beneficial to birds and humans in many ways of which one is enhanced absorption of nutrients and in particular vitamin D.

[EricaLynn]

Oh Sorry I meant both forgot a sentence in there :whistle: ...let me clarify, the full spectrum is good as you said but the heat lamp will be because winters get cold here and i live in an old farm house, i know lovebirds come from warm climates and was worried of the cold. Would it be ok to use a heat lamp to keep the bird warm when hes not downstairs with me or will i need to buy a space warmer...like i said old farm house and its heated by fireplace which doesn't really reach the upstairs

[linda040899]

Lovebirds are amazingly cold tolerant but only to about 55F. I, personally, turn heat on in my aviary when the outside temperature goes below 70F. My lovebirds seem to be most comfortable between 73F - 75F but that could be more me than them..... :whistle: The one thing you want to protect against is drafts.

As far as heat source, you can get a ceramic heating element and set it up over his cage or you could get a heat panel (Avi-Tec has a nice one, even though it's a bit pricey) and set that up near his cage. If you choose to heat the entire room, an oil filled radiant heater is your best option. All brands are safe so it's just a matter of finding one that suits your own needs.

One thing I want to share with you is that I always have an extra heater or heat source in case the one I'm using fails. Heaters are known for doing this, at least at my house, and it's much easier for me to simply use my back up if my heater fails in the middle of the night than have to wait until morning to get a replacement! I've had this happen a couple of times, so I'm speaking from first hand experience. It's one of those Murphy's Law things!

[EricaLynn]

Yes drafts are defiantly a problem in a 140 year old farm house... I'll defiantly be getting heaters and a full spectrum light (not much sunlight comes in that room during the winter months)
Thanks For the advice !

[linda040899]

For full spectrum lighting, check out this link:L http://www.avitec.com/Full-Spectrum-Lighting-for-Birds-s/2.htm Avi-Tec has the electronic ballasts which are far better than the magnetic ones, as they eliminate the electronic flickering produced by the magnetic ones. They also have heat panels and ceramic heating elements. :) Gotta have a happy lovie!

[Z28Taxman]

For full spectrum lighting, check out this link:L http://www.avitec.com/Full-Spectrum-Lighting-for-Birds-s/2.htm Avi-Tec has the electronic ballasts which are far better than the magnetic ones, as they eliminate the electronic flickering produced by the magnetic ones. They also have heat panels and ceramic heating elements. :) Gotta have a happy lovie!

I got one of those avi-tech lights for Ditto a few months ago and he loves it. I got the 18 inch one to replace the old 18 inch FS light he had before. the old one had the magnetic ballast and the flickering was drivin me nuts.

As soon as I turned on the new one he perked up like crazy and has been acting like a 2 year old ever since (he's almost 10 but you'd never know it). :happy: