I lost a bird :(

[Finch Fry]

I've also researched this and found sunlight ultraviolet rays cannot penetrate glass or plastic. So liquid calcium and finch vitamins are standard in my birds' routine.

You can do google searches for this information and even find a couple of peer reviewed scientific journal articles discussion the mechanism in more detail (boring unless you are a science geek like me). Make sure not to be finch specific when searching, you will find a lot of work related to this topic for parkeets and love birds and the sort. In fact, the discovery of this has lead to the formulation of some intensive D3 vitamin supplements and the repopulation of a lot of dwindling and difficult to breed species.

[CandoAviary]

I agree with Chris and Liz... Birds do not get natural sunlight through glass windows......I just didn't want to be the one to point this out ...this time.

[Domenic]

It does keep them warm though.

[Meagan83]

Well they do get liquid vitamins and dried eggfood, but not all of them will eat the egg food and I have heard many people say that I wasted my money on the liquid vitamins because they are not strong enough and they polute the water? I use dried egg food every day, I buy it at Pet Supermarket. The liquid vitamins, I bought at Walmart, and they get that 2 or 3x a week.
They also get Ornabac about 2 or 3x a week, and I always supply grit, cuttlebone, and ground oyster shell.

[franny]

I recall reading that when you are supplementing their water with calcium & D3 it should only be given for a couple of days a week. NOT every day. There was a good reason for this, to do with how they absorb the calcium, but I can't recall. Maybe someone else does? And I'd be more inclined to give a calcium supplement, rather than just a general mix of vitamins, as I agree that they may not provide enough calcium, and especially D3, IMO.

And if you are giving them dried eggfood and they are actually eating it, they should also be getting a good supply of calcium.

But if they aren't eating enough of it, I'd suggest you try offering a small bit of the dried eggfood mix, moistened a bit with water, and placed in a shallow dish. Just treat that as you would feeding them fresh eggfood - a shallow dish is better than a deep dish, so the mixture won't promote bacteria growth, but rather, dry out if not consumed.

So sorry about your beautiful bird.

[edsbirds]

Was just reading this and wanted to mention you canget a 48" shop light from Lowes , Lowes also carries the Sunstick flourescent tube with a rating of either 90 or 92 cri, could be higher but this is the best buy so far for price. this will substitute well for the sun when placed close to the top of the cage.

ed

[CandoAviary]

[quote="franny"]I recall reading that when you are supplementing their water with calcium & D3 it should only be given for a couple of days a week. NOT every day. There was a good reason for this, to do with how they absorb the calcium, but I can't recall. Maybe someone else does? And I'd be more inclined to give a calcium supplement, rather than just a general mix of vitamins, as I agree that they may not provide enough calcium, and especially D3, IMO.
quote]


I posted 3 different articles on this subject from this earlier post. Maybe this is the one you recalled. I found this to be very helpful information in understanding the way calcium works in the birds body.
Hope this helps with future breeding.
http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... cle#p67623

[Total Finch]

one dies another comes.
but still sad