ceramic infrared heat lamp...

ladylovesfinch · Post by **ladylovesfinch** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 6:56 pm

Has anyone used a ceramic infrared heat lamp to provide a little extra warmth for Zebra finches & or Gouldians. If so, what type is best and what is a safe distance to mount the heat lamp, also, what wattage?

I currently have two cages.
One HQ single flight cage with 4 Zebras. The room tends to get a little chilly. They've been fine thus far, but I would eventually like to move the Zebras to another cage and move in two male Gouldians to the flight. I feel it is too cool for the Gouldians. They are currently in Q in a warm room in a Prevue breeder cage.
Thanks for any help or ideas!

Post by **Hilary** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:26 pm

I use a ceramic lamp when I have sick birds, but not just for extra warmth. I got mine from one of the online bird places, though I can't remember where. It was expensive, but is supposed to last a LONG time.

Post by **Sally** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 9:08 pm

I love the ceramic heat emitters, but they are expensive. Supposed to last 5 years, and I figure I'm not using them during the summer, so maybe I'll get many more years out of them. Anyway, you can use 60, 100, or 150w. I used the 100 and 150w, but that was because the cages were in an unheated shed, with small space heaters that had a hard time keeping it warm enough, so those heat emitters were providing necessary heat for those birds. In a room that is just cool, probably a 60 or 100w would work. I use those clamp lamps that clamp onto the side of the cage, or sometimes I hung them from the rafters above the cages. For safety's sake, I got the clamp lamps that had ceramic bases and were rated for 300w. Probably overkill, but I didn't want to burn down the shed with my birds in it, plus I used a few lamps that were the 250w red heat lamps sold as brooder lamps. They were usually placed with the wire guard almost touching the cage, but the heat emitters were aimed at one end of a perch, so the birds had the other end of the perch to retreat to if it got too warm. They usually cuddled right up under the heat emitters. The 250w red heat lamps were hung from the rafters and a little further from the cage.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 2:30 am

My birds are in a walled/screened in garden area that is outside of our master bath, so during the cooler wheather I use a 150 watt ceramic heat clamp lamp. I also cover 3/4 of the double flight cage with flame resistant cloth, doubled up, to help keep in the lamps heat. There is a roof on top of the cage that extends well beyond the sides so that the cloth doesn't touch the lamp. When I put my hand inside the cage near the roof I can feel the warmth, so I know it is doing a pretty good job. However, I did not know a 250 watt was available otherwise I would have bought the higher wattage one. I bought mine at PetCo, but I think you can find a better price if you look online. The 150wt ceramic light was $35.00 and the clamp lamp was $25.00 (I think that's right). This is the first year of trying the lamp (we aquired the birds this past summer), and I got to thinking that it's very dark when all the inside/outside lights are off, so what if they want to get away from the heat and can't see to fly elsewhere? So, I added a string of Christmas lights on the arbor located next to the cage and keep it on at night....looks pretty and they have a bit of light to see by.

Post by **Sally** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:43 am

The 250w red heat lamps are much cheaper, but they aren't going to last as long. They are sold primarily for poultry, to keep those chicks warm. They throw quite a red glow--in fact, when I had them in that unheated shed, which has windows, I had a few calls from neighbors who thought I might have a fire in the shed! I just prefer the ceramic heat emitters.

Kathleen · Post by **Kathleen** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 10:12 pm

Sally....that's good to know about the amount of red light the 250 gives off....I'll stick with the 150 ! PS.....us Floridians are bracing for 27 degrees without the windchill factor....got the birds covered well, and the delicate plants too....the wheather man says we might even see snow flurries in Daytona Beach, that's just crazy...

Post by **Sally** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:54 am

I heard that on the news, and thought right away about our forum members from Florida--you aren't used to that kind of weather! They said the citrus crop is in danger. We are supposed to be in the low 20's tonight, but we get that low from time to time throughout the winter in north Texas.

ladylovesfinch · Post by **ladylovesfinch** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:22 pm

Thank you for all the informative responses. I like the idea or Christmas lights used as a night light.