FINCHforum

I have seen lots of posts about finches being okay in cooler temperatures, but not much about heat.

Tossed idea of finches for the science classroom to my daughter's teacher. But, the building is underheated on the weekends in the winter, which means it could be as low as 50°F in there. This could probably be solved with a heat lamp or heating pad.

But then, the building is not airconditioned on the weekends in the warmer weather. This means that it could go up to 95°F or sometimes worse. Even weekday evenings it could get into the 80's when we have those early summer heat spells.

And this is Connecticut, so the humidity is usually very high when the temperature is high.

It would not be practical to take/send the birds home every weekend. Summer, of course, would mean someone would have to take them and keep them until fall.

Would finches like zebras and societies, be okay on the weekends under either of these conditions? What do you do, when it's really hot, and/or humid, for your birds?

I have central air at home, which goes on by the time the temp reaches 80°F, or gets too humid, so I haven't had to think about this, yet.

Honestly, I feel that finches can deal with the heat, given that they aren't placed in direct sun (close to the window) and adequate water is provided -- both for drinking and bathing.

However, the only thing that concerns me about keeping finches unattended over the weekend is that possibility the water could run out. Food, not so much, especially if you use one of those nice commercial feeders.

You would also have to think about winter break and spring break. Personally, when people ask me my advice on keeping finches at school, I encourage them to take them home over the weekends. I believe there was a librarian who installed an aviary in her local school library?

Ah, yes, the threads are here:

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=21411
http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=21942

You may want to ask Reebre how the finches did during the hot weekends, as North Carolina is just as a hot and humid (if not more) than Connecticut.

Good luck!

The problem with taking them home over the weekends is also the weather/temperatures. Right now it is 8°F here. Afternoon, around end of school day, it might be16°F. With a wind. Supposed to be that way all week, with possible snow Friday afternoon. Not great conditions to be carrying a bird cage to and from the car, wrapped up or not. Spring/early summer would be worse, probably, in the other direction, suddenly emerging from airconditioned building into 90° very humid air. I would think that that sudden change would be very hard on little birds. Staying in the building, the temp and humidity would rise slowly overnight and weekends. Hmmm....but probably drop & dry out much more quickly in the morning when the ac is turned back on. I wonder, this middle school is the newest school building in town, and has real, full air-conditioning (others have partial & window units), do they turn it all the way off each night?

Thanks for the links to the other threads. So much to think about. At last year's elementary school, we were allowed to leave grow-lights on 24/7, just had to put a note on the racks reminding the janitors not to turn them off. Wonder if that was actually okay, though. Extra feeders, waterers, and water baths should cover the weekends. Spring break the buildings are open (the offices are often open, and the custodians are working to do a full-building clean up), I know this since we went in to water our seedlings last two years, as we grow plants from seed for the school garden. Christmas break and summer they would have to come home. The high school does summer school, which would extend access to the building, but I don't think the middle school does.

Then there's the whole allergy-germs-parasites issues to deal with, can't do anything anymore without a major act of congress. Shame. No more class hamsters and gerbils to watch. Much to work out. But the experience of having, watching, caring for the birds would be so good for the kids. Perhaps even watching nesting and hatching and raising and fledging and all, since Societies and/or Zebras probably wouldn't mind the activity and noise of a classroom at all.

So much to think about and work out.

I have 5 Gouldians in an aviary in my library at an elementary school. The thermostat is turned down to 55 on the weekends during the Winter, and there is no air conditioning on the weekends during the summer. The birds handle both the low and high temperatures very well. I have a heat lamp on from 7am to 5pm. I do have the cage enclosed in plexiglass on all sides except the door, so I think that helps to keep them warm.
Over Christmas break, the custodians let me in when they were at school to take care of the birds. I will do the same over Spring Break. Last summer, when I first got the birds in July, I went to school every other day. I did not feel like I got a summer break at all, so this summer I plan to bring them home with me.
The only problem that I have had with the birds is the health inspector. She sent word that she would write me up if there was even one seed on the floor. The aviary and the birds passed with flying colors.
I have enjoyed having the birds in the library as have the kids, parents and teachers. A new student visited the library today with her Mom and said that she was in Book Heaven and that Heaven even had birds. Good luck with your decision.