FINCHforum

< Wasn't sure to post here or in the "Health" section >

Now that it is winter, my house is kept about 65-68F. Darn utility bill is too high...$$$.
I noticed yesterday and today that the societies were doing the same thing that my zebra hen did last winter. They take a bath and then when they get out of the bath they start to shiver.

I zap the bath water in the microwave just enough to take the chill out of the water. So the water is not COLD, but barely warm. What I think is happening is, when the water starts to evaporate off their skin, it is dropping their outer body temp. Kind of like when you get out of the bath and before you wipe the water off. So even with the slightly nuked water it isn't enough.

I can only think of 2 solutions:
1- I have to nuke the water warmer, to warm their body enough to get past the cool down as they dry off. Problem is sitting water will cool down, so I have to change water about every 3 hrs.
2 - I put a 40w lamp right next to the cage, to give them a warm place to go to as they dry off. But I can't put a lamp on each cage.

How are you guys and the birds handling baths in temp below 65F?
Or do you stop baths till it gets warmer.

ps, the birds are in a combined family room/kitchen w no doors to the hall and stairs, so a space heater won't do any good...too much open space.

I wont let my finch take a bath if the temp is too low. So I say, stop till it get warmer.

I have two small aviary's outside one with zebs,one with societies,they still take baths all winter haven't had a problem yet.
They do have a heat lamp when its real cold

I keep the birdroom at 21C because of all the eggs/chicks. All birds are still jumping in the water with no problems.

So far, only the societies are shivering. And today I noticed all 3 of them had the same shivering. Maybe I can limit the heat lamp to just their cage.

The gouldians have stopped bathing a month ago. I removed the bath for a week, due to cage reconfiguring, and after that they seemed to have forgotten that they used to bath every day.

Zebras seem to be OK. Although I am keeping an eye on the hen that had the shivering problem last year.

As long as you offer baths in the morning so they have plenty of time to dry before the evening I don't think those temps are too low to warrant ceasing bath time

Offering a light source that puts out some heat won't hurt, though, especially for any juvies that might bathe as well
My juvies always totally soak themselves to oblivion, so I'd be most concerned about them..

even now its freezing and having snow all birds ( even firefinches ) do take a bath in the waterfall every morning and they really enjoy it , polishing the feathers , flying around and all is good for the rest of the day . it won't hurt them .... a big killer is fog with a bit wind , be carefull with that

Ray

Well the warm water experiment did not work.
They came out of the bath looking more soaked that normal but maybe it was because they liked the warm water. But they almost immediately started shivering and their balance was off. They would tip on the perch like they had trouble keeping their balance, which I've never seen when they are dry. And they would stand still for a while sometimes shivering.

I have an incandescent lamp set up right on the cage, and why they did not go to the lamp for warmth, I don't know.

Okay, then I would not give them bathing water any more. I don't like the sound of them being tipsy on their perches.

I will remove their bath.
Too bad as they seem to really like to bath.

B CAMP wrote:I have two small aviary's outside one with zebs,one with societies,they still take baths all winter haven't had a problem yet.
They do have a heat lamp when its real cold

Ditto

ac12 wrote:Well the warm water experiment did not work.
They came out of the bath looking more soaked that normal but maybe it was because they liked the warm water. But they almost immediately started shivering and their balance was off. They would tip on the perch like they had trouble keeping their balance, which I've never seen when they are dry. And they would stand still for a while sometimes shivering.

I have an incandescent lamp set up right on the cage, and why they did not go to the lamp for warmth, I don't know.

That does not sound like normal behavior to me. My zebras & societies bath when temps are in the 30's and they don't act any different than they do in temperature in the 90's. Their is a infrared lamp for them to warm up but they just hop to the nearest branch and start preening .

You could try using this Single mercury vapor bulb. Mercury vapor bulbs contain UVB/UVA/heat all in one bulb. They require a 10" dome with a ceramic socket to handle the heat and spread the light out. Currently I use one made by Zoomed called the Powersun. Not reccommended for small enclosures but it provides heat and uvb/uva all in one. I notice my birds love bathing under this in the winter. Also, this link has a lot of useful basking and heat bulbs for a great price. You are sure to find an inexpensive solution to your problem here.

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog/rep ... mic-bulbs/

Good Luck and Take care!!!