Cage artificial lighting

[Stacey2319]

Hello

I have a fairly large cage with a zebra finch, unfortunately his partner recently died so I'm looking at getting another hen. Where the cage is, now he's alone, seems to be too dark as he goes straight into
The corner for most of the day. I don't have anywhere else to place the cage.
In the evening when the lights are on he's on his perch quite happy. I have tested by putting the cage on the dining table in direct sunlight and he's on the perch all day. As you can imagine I can't leave the cage on the dining table so I wondered if anyone had any suggestions on any articificial lighting I could perhaps use during the day when the sunlight doesn't reach the cage? Thanks

[Stuart whiting]

Stacey2319

Hi there,

Ideally you need a small full spectrum day glow fluorescent light,

These are what I'll be using in me newly constructed birdroom once I've fitted all the electrics,

The places to get these are any decent bird accessorie dealer or a reptile / aquatic specialist type of place,

Birds need vitamin d3 this is produced via sunlight, however most Windows are uv protected and the birds wil not receive d3 from sunlight no mater how big any Windows maybe,

This is where the full spectrum lighting comes into play because these special type of bulbs actually throw out the correct light that the birds will benefit from

These bulbs also enhance certain bird colours IE blues and purples,

These colours are actually highlighted to the birds and stand out vividly when the birds are coming into breeding condition which they wouldn't necessarily see if the bulbs where not fitted,

It's proven that many specialist and professional bird keepers have had much better breeding results through having this lightning system fitted

[Stacey2319]

That's really helpful Stuart, and thanks for a quick reply! I'll start having a look, thanks Stacey

[Sally]

I agree with Stuart, a full-spectrum daylight bulb will help. I use these in my birdroom, but I don't rely on them to provide the birds with enough D3, so I make sure that they get D3 through a vitamin supplement. I also feed homemade egg food and a lot of veggies, so my birds are getting D3 through their diet as well. So sorry you lost your hen, your male will appreciate a new mate.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at http://www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care. If you put your general location in your profile, it will make it easier for members to suggest where you can find supplies, etc.

[Stacey2319]

Thanks Sally! I'll certainly have a read, and update the location.

Thanks

Stacey

[lem2bert]

Stacey2319

Hi and welcome from Massachusetts. I also use full spectrum lighting as there is only one window in my birdroom. I have one on each cage. Birds love the light and perk right up every time they go on. I hope you enjoy your visits.

[Barbara]

Stacey2319 same here for me but now I am puting flouresent lights on my flights,if you shop at Amazon you can get full spectrum lighting they sell reg.bulbs also that I have on some of my cages in a clip desk light that works good too

[Stuart whiting]

I agree with Stuart, a full-spectrum daylight bulb will help. I use these in my birdroom, but I don't rely on them to provide the birds with enough D3, so I make sure that they get D3 through a vitamin supplement. I also feed homemade egg food and a lot of veggies, so my birds are getting D3 through their diet as well. So sorry you lost your hen, your male will appreciate a new mate.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at http://www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care. If you put your general location in your profile, it will make it easier for members to suggest where you can find supplies, etc.

Yep totally agree Sally,

Forgot to mention that I also do use a vitamin supplement to counteract for vitamin D3 and especially prior to the breeding season

[Dave]

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.

The eye problems are infrequent, though, as the UV portion of the wavelength fades away fairly quickly from these bulbs and they need to be replaced quite often. IF you are using them mostly for the UV spectrum.

Many breeders are successful without full spectrum lights. They just use regular fluorescent or LED bulbs. I think using full spectrum as Stuart whiting does is terrific, though, as the colors really stand out in that light.

And, as Sally says, supplement so your birds get vitamin D3.

[Stuart whiting]

Dave

Absolutely agree Dave

The use of normal fluorescent bulbs are also good aswell, I just like the full spectrum because of the colour enhancement of the birds, I've known breeding results on a world wide basis to be a little better.

Over in Holland a lot of the cage manafactures automatically have spectrum bulbs fitted to all of there cages, this is std practice,

I personally think that this on its own must surely tell us something

[kiti63]

"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.

[debbie276]

Here are 2 very good articles explaining all about lighting

https://mickaboo.org/confluence/downloa ... ummary.pdf

http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56

[Dave]

kiti63, I read that article some years ago. I don't remember the distances or if they even talked about them. The point they were making is that using ultra violet bulbs for vitamin D3 isn't going to work. There are too many factors working against you to use them so the birds can make their own vitamin D3.

Using specific bulbs so the colors are brighter or so that birds can see a larger spectrum of light does make sense. I'm not sure we're very capable of fully duplicating natural sunlight, though.

Wild birds don't experience one level or spectrum of light, anyway. They flit about from full sun through various layers of foliage. Each layer of foliage changes the light spectrum.

The two articles that debbie276 posted here are interesting reading.

[Stuart whiting]

Dave

To be onest mate I myself and neither anybody else has stated that the bulbs are a sure way of obtaining a full amount of vitamin D3, it was mentioned and meant that the bulbs perhaps throw out a small percentage,

A light bulb no way on earth can match the same percentage as the sun as regards to D3.

As mentioned that I personally and mainly use the bulbs for the colour enhancement of the birds that can be gained from the spectrum lighting.

[Stuart whiting]

debbie276

2 very good and interesting articles there Debbie, thank you for sharing