FINCHforum

I was just wondering how may other people use infrared heat lamps for their birds?

I put up a 150watt bulb in my aviary 3 weeks ago now and I am amazed at the different uses the birds are using it for. I have it mounted from the roof (in a wire cage), with perching areas starting from 30cm directly beneath the lamp and moving down and outwards for different degrees of warmth. The birds all love roosting around it during the night but I have noticed they use it for different reasons during the day.

1. The birds are using it as a 'dryer' after bathing. It's too cute. They go sit directly under the lamp, shake and preen for a minute or two to get the damp off and then move on.

2. I have seen a few birds, especially the canaries, going directly under the lamp and taking turns stretching their wings and legs out under the lamp and holding that stretch for a while. Then swopping to the other side for a good stretch and warm up.

I just think they are so clever using the lamp for these different reasons! And the benefits of infrared could only be good

Sounds like your birds are enjoying time at a spa

150w is too much for my small cages, so I make do with 30-60w flood lamps (depending on the cage).
Here is a pix of 2 gouldian under an overhead 60w flood lamp.
I find it interesting how they bend their neck.

I use a reptile heat lamp up in the corner of my flight and the birds love it. Its on 24 hours a day .

As long as the birds are able to get away from the heat if they wish, heat lamps can be very useful, particularly in aviaries and large flights. And of course, a heat lamp of some sort is a necessity for sick birds. I personally like the ceramic heat lamps, because they don't emit any light, and so they don't affect the sleep cycle of my birds.

I find it interesting how they bend their neck.

It may be there way of getting the heat between feathers

I find it interesting how they bend their neck.

My birds do the same thing. They bend all around to have the heat directed at all different angles. Clever little birds

@finchandlovebird
Dolly, I love that! It is like the spa for them

@Sally
I've been looking at the ceramic lights but they are just ridiculously expensive here in SA. So far the infrared light doesn't seem to be affecting any sleep patterns. Well except perhaps my male parrot finch. But then he has always been the very last to go to bed (crazy bird that, lol)