Cage artificial lighting

[Stuart whiting]

"If the full spectrum bulbs are too close to the birds, they can eventually get eye problems. However, if they are too far from the birds, the UV is very weak. "

Can you advise what the correct distance may be, and also, should it be on a timer? How many hours a day? I live in Canada and with winter coming, the days are getting much shorter and the sun weak.

I'm in the procedure of actually fitting a new spectrum lighting system in me birdroom,

I suppose at an average the distance that any bulb will be from the front of me indoor flight and cages will approximately be about 4 ft away

[justread]

A different question about lighting.

My society finches are along one side of my home office wall. They get good lighting, but no direct sun, from a window behind them and beside the other edge of the cage.

However, after it's dark I am frequently in an out of my office...I'm not a finch, I'm a night owl. The position and design of cage make it almost impossible to cover completely to block out all or the majority of light.

So, I've just been leaving the lights on until I finally go to bed, often after midnight. But it can be light as early as 4:30 in parts of the year.

What does that do to their circadian rhythm?

Would it be better to keep turning the lights off and on when I go in and out? I'm feeling not. Opinions?

[Sally]

justread I have cages in my living room, and I am also a night owl. The TV is blaring (I'm a bit hard of hearing these days), lights are on, I'm up and down. The birds in those cages seem to do OK, though I will say that sometimes after being quiet for hours, they will wake up and start singing late at night.

I also have cages in my dining room, where my computer is, but those cages are exposed to much less light and activity than the ones in the living room. I don't cover any of my cages.

None of these birds are breeding, so I don't know if that would affect their breeding or not. My breeding room is on timed lights, so they go out the same time every might.

[justread]

OK. So, turning the lights off and on would bug them if they were trying to breed. I've been in there when it's late and they seem to be just cuddled up in their nest. One of those conical rattan types from the pet store that they stuffed with whatever variety of bits I've tried leaving for them. Just their heads seem visible, eyes shut if I'm quiet.

Does this mean that the old adage "Early to bed and early to rise, makes one happy, healthy and wise." might mean, "Early to bed, early to rise makes one the owner of chicks?" I'm not worried too much whether or not they breed, as long as they are happy. I'm delighted with them. And probably I should go to bed earlier. Hard to change that habit at this point. And yes, it'd be lovely to have more than one room for them. Geepers, you Are a night owl. You are in Texas? I'm in PTS.

[Sally]

You are in Texas? I'm in PTS.

Where is PTS?

[StodOne]

All that is awesome , but I dont get how when I try to catch my birds , when I roll the curtains and make the room pitch black and I can barely see the birds , birds can still see me , if it needs that much of light how can they see my hand getting closer or is it just me and I am unskilled at catching them xD

[GouldianGuy]

This is amazing, I was just reading about this last night! Although the research applies to quail, I'm sure there is some crossover.

http://circadiana.blogspot.ca/2006/03/d ... lutch.html