FINCHforum

Hi everyone, I wasn't sure which forum this question would apply to so hopefully I got it right.......

I have Gouldian finches indoors in two cages. There is only only adult pair now in one of the cages with 6 babies just in the process of fledging. The other cage has 3 juveniles also from the adult pair (1st clutch). The juvies are just starting their moult.
I use full spectrum lighting in both cages. I have read that it si beneficial to the birds to use the artificial lighting to reflect the natural light outdoors. In the UK we aer just moving into Autumn so the days are getting shorter however my artificial lighting is still on the same number of hours (using timers). With the juvies just starting their moult and the adults I assume about start, plus babies just starting to fledge is now the time to start reducing the light hours indoors or should I wait till they have finished moulting/fledging???
I also want to start moving to an austere diet but not sure when to start this.

Cheers

When I had my gouldians in the basement I changed the lighting to match the daylight hours in my area. I never did the austere diet so can't help you there, it never seemed to fit into their cycle. Mine molt in the spring then breed till the end of December then rest till the heat of spring to molt again.
good luck

I would also set the lights to correspond with what's actually going on outside. They would come on about an hour after sunrise and shut off about an hour before sunset. Obviously you can't reset them every day, so I would make about a half hour adjustment once a month. Bob

Thanks guys! I will reset the timer soon!

Cheers