Broad spectrum UV light

[Elle]

I bought a broad spectrum UV light for my birds yesterday. I was not expecting the change of behavior that occured in the room. Everyone, the lovebirds, the budgies and Max seemed to wake up and come to life. They started looking around the room like they had been kept in the dark all this time and suddently, someone turned on the light on the room. Literally!

Anyone else using these lights?

[bellarains]

Elle,

I do use them, but only a couple hours a day. My birds are near a window, so they do get some sunlight, but not like the natural sunlight they would get outdoors. Just be careful about how direct it is, as they can cause cataracts.

Yep, they do come to like don't they. Makes me want one of those lights too:lol

[bird_luver24]

Where can you get them? :)

[Janie]

Elle, I used one when I had Oliver's cage in the kitchen and he didn't get much light there. (LORI! Once again, we forgot to get that light out of the basement so you could take it home!) My bird room has windows on two sides so I don't use it anymore but I do think it was a good idea before he had the natural light.

Kelly, Lori's and mine came from Doctors Foster & Smith. Here is that link:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/

[Christine9]

I have one in my bird room, because I like that the light that comes from it is so natural looking. But it's on the ceiling and not close enough to their cages for them to get an added benefits from it. But I do have a playgym that is right in front of a window, so they all get a chance to sit in the sun at some point in the day.

[snowboardmandy]

ahh you lucky folks who get sunlight :)

i live in AK and so we don't exactly get a lot of direct sunlight in the winter especially...only a few hours of light a day! i have full spectrum bulbs that fit in a normal lamp that i bought at fred meyers....obie, the fish, and the plants all love them! they were fairly inexpensive....about $5/bulb

[Christine9]

i live in AK and so we don't exactly get a lot of direct sunlight in the winter especially...only a few hours of light a day!

You know, I've heard that Alaska only gets a few hours of daylight in the winter, but I was never sure if it was actually true. Man, that must really stink. I think I would quite literally get depressed from not having sunlight. :(

[Z28Taxman]

You know, I've heard that Alaska only gets a few hours of daylight in the winter, but I was never sure if it was actually true. Man, that must really stink. I think I would quite literally get depressed from not having sunlight. :(

Go above the Arctic Circle and there's no sunlight in the winter. Of cours they get 3 months of sunlight in the summer with no darkness too.

[Christine9]

Of cours they get 3 months of sunlight in the summer with no darkness too.

Gosh, I think that would bother me too. As much as I need sunlight, I need complete darkness to sleep at night!

[bird_luver24]

Same Here Christine!! I dont think I would EVER go to sleep. I have to have total darkness or I wont go to sleep at all and it seems like not to long after the sun comes up, Im up!! lol...I use to sleep in alot but, now Im not having to go to school anymore and Im up at 7-9am every morning. So, ALL that complaining I did, not wanting to get up for school, seems so pointless now lol.. :rolleyes:

[snowboardmandy]

i just moved up here from MT in january, so i'm still getting used to the change in light. it was crazy, when we moved here it would get light at about 10:30 a.m. and dark again at 4:30. We gained daylight at a rate of about 5 minutes a day (it adds up fast!!) until the solstice...at that point it never got really dark, but the sun would go down after midnight and come back up at about 4:00 a.m. we had such a cloudy rainy summer though....i bet we had MAYBE 20 days of sunshine all summer :( now we're losing 5 minutes of daylight/day again and its 8:45 a.m. and still dark....

but AK is an amazing place. it suits me perfectly :) wouldn't trade it for anything...http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2104581762
here's some photos from when my dad came to visit this summer...

the beautiful scenery, the permanent fund dividend, all the outdoor opportunities...soo many perks to living in AK

of course i haven't done a full winter yet, my opinion may change at that point...