Heat Source Required?

[vokeeca]

Hello Afinchionados!

I'm a new zebra finch owner and am heading into my first winter with my sweet 7 finches. My apartment is dropping in temperature and while I like to keep my apartment cool, I understand that finches need a warm environment. Do I need to provide a heat source? Is there an ideal indoor temperature for them? I'm worried that they're cold and uncomfortable. ...and it's only September in Boston, MA.

Any help would be great!

Cathy, Atticus, Scout, Jem, Whitey Bulger, Nelson, Maya and Big Agnes.

[Sally]

As long as the temperature doesn't dip below 50 degrees, I would think you would be OK. I have mostly waxbills, which are a bit more delicate than Zebras, and they need to be kept above 50 degrees, but I think Zebras would be fine even cooler. Some keep their finches in outside aviaries, and as long as they have time to acclimate to lower temperatures gradually, they adjust quite well. Wind and damp are much more of a problem than the actual temperature.

A belated welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on diet, housing, and the Zebra finch. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier when answering locale-specific questions later on.

[vokeeca]

Terrific! Thanks so much for your insight.