Who uses Night Lights

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 10:18 am

I was awaken yesterday at 5am with my finch flying franticlly all over the cage. I guess he had fallen off the purch and was scared. I turned on the desk light so he could get oriented and than he settled down on a perch. Interestingly the hen was in the nest box and didn't get scared off the nest. If she did get spooked perhaps the 2 day old chicks would have died.

I had a night light that pluges into the wall socket but guess it wasn't bright enough for them so I now brought in a lamp into the room with a dimer switch to it to dim the light a bit. Hope this helps incase they fall of the pearch again at night.

Chris

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:20 am

Hi Chris, There can be so many reasons for birds to fall off their perches during the night. Strangley enough I too was awakened by my new Society Finch who fell off his perch at 5am this morning. But the new pair of male goulds across the room (about 20' away) didn't move at all.

I always keep a nightlight nearby and on for all my finches and parrots since I and my daughter lost a gouldian in the aviary one night due to "nightfright" about a year ago.

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:31 am

When you say lost a gouldian what happened I would expect them to just fly around and settle down after a while unless it got traped?

As for your night light is it a lamp or a wall plug in? How bright is your light and distance from the cage?

Chris

L in Ontario wrote:Hi Chris, There can be so many reasons for birds to fall off their perches during the night. Strangley enough I too was awakened by my new Society Finch who fell off his perch at 5am this morning. But the new pair of male goulds across the room (about 20' away) didn't move at all.

I always keep a nightlight nearby and on for all my finches and parrots since I and my daughter lost a gouldian in the aviary one night due to "nightfright" about a year ago.

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 11:42 am

I have been using a set of xmas lights the real small ones seems to work for me. I put mine around the bottom back of cage

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:26 pm

chrischris wrote:When you say lost a gouldian what happened I would expect them to just fly around and settle down after a while unless it got traped?

As for your night light is it a lamp or a wall plug in? How bright is your light and distance from the cage?

Chris

"Nightfright" is an awful thing to witness (I've seen it happen to finches and on another occasion to one of my parrots). Basically it happens at night (obviously) when a bird literally gets scared, panics and tries to fly as far and as fast as possible. It doesn't realize the boundaries of the cage when it is suddenly frightened during the night. It flies into the ends/side of the cage and when it hits - it is still in a panic and tries to go the another way only to hit another end / side of the cage. This goes on and on until a light comes on or until it is exhausted and or possibly injured. When you find the bird(s) in the morning lying dead on the bottom of the cage, you may never know what has caused its demise. If you get a Necropsy and nothing shows up - consider whether you have any nightlights. I'm not saying it will happen without a nightlight, but the possibility is there and why risk it when a nightlight is an easy alternative. JMHO

Nightlights can be pretty well any source of low light at night - not enough to keep the birds or you awake but just enough that you can find your way across the room. Mine are light sensitive, wall plug ins (with a single small light) that turn on automatically when the room darkens and are situated so all the birds have a little amount of light "just in case".

PS - I like BCamps idea of using the real small xmas lights! Serving a purpose and pretty too!

B CAMP · Post by **B CAMP** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 12:47 pm

I got the idea from another post,but I dont know where but it dont seem to bother the birds

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:32 pm

I'm always afraid that the goulds would fing it difficult to sleep with the lights on.

Chris

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:56 pm

chrischris wrote:I'm always afraid that the goulds would fing it difficult to sleep with the lights on.

Chris

No problem at all with the birds sleeping as these nightlights are dim and mostly used in children or babies rooms or even hallways for people to simply find their way around at night without having to turn on the lights overhead. They are energy efficient now (being light sensitive). They are not glaring nor overly bright. They don't have to be right beside the cage but I'd say within 10' of the cage and it will just throw a soft low glow across the room.

To me - it's just a little added insurance for my birds during the night. I wonder how many others have nightlights for their birds...?

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 1:58 pm

I learned to use nightlights when I first got Cockatiels as they are especially prone to night frights. I had parakeets too but never had a problem with them at all.

But now I just use a night light all the time....I think it is just good inexpensive injury prevention. AND...it helps me find my way to the bathroom during the night....which saves on bodily injury to myself as well....so Night Lights are an all around good thing!

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 4:37 pm

many birds will slam the side of the cage hard enough to break there own necks a LIGJHT source at night is a must .. I use red heat lamp bulbs so they double as night lights.

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Mon Feb 25, 2008 4:59 pm

Fancie Flight,

How much light do those red heat lamps provide? Is it equivalent to a light over the range hood in the kitchen? and I guess you have it up to the cage so it could be quite bright.

Chris

williep · Post by **williep** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 3:30 am

I use a LED battery operated light in my breeding room during the summer and the Red spot lights in winter.

The LED light is very soft, almost like the full moonlight. So my birds have no problem sleeping with it on

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 8:33 pm

I used the led night light but think it was too far from the cage. I now use a lamp with a dimer on it and dim the light so it's a soft glow.

chris

dh · Post by dh » Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:57 pm

Nightlights are important especially if a sitting hen as been spooked during the night, as eggs and young get chilled very easy I have just enough light for my hens to get back on the nest for such eventualities.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:00 pm

You make a very good point dh!

By the way...welcome to the Forum!

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Who uses Night Lights

Do you uses a night light or a light sourch in your bird room

Who uses Night Lights