FINCHforum

I have tried reading through a LOT of past posts on here about lighting before I ask, but I am not finding the right answer for me. I need to move my cage to a spot where it will not get much natural lighting. I have the round lights that you typically use for heating reptile tanks. Will those work if I position them above the cage and will I be able to find the right type of full spectrum bulb for them? The bulbs look like typical light bulbs. Not long fluorescent bulbs. Thanks!

Absolutely, those will work fine. For a standard type flight cage in a room with no ambient light I would use two if possible. I have had great luck with the bulbs from these guys.

http://www.fullspectrumsolutions.com/fu ... 30_ctg.htm

I decided on the GE 48" T8 5000k, 2600 lumins.. Hope that's okay.

They must have CRI 96 ? Then should be ok !! I use 15w t8 5000k CRI 96. For bird, 5500k, CRI 98 is the best, but hard to find..

These bulbs I bought do not indicate CRI. How would I determine this with the bulbs I bought? I bought these bulbs at Lowes and they are the T8 ( 1") bulbs. I have having a difficult time finding any with the CRI where it should be.

I googled, the bulbs I purchased for a CRI, it " says" 85. But I also googled the T8 bulbs at Lowes and Home Depot both and cannot see that they have any higher CRI than this. Or the Kelvin is out of sight! There is no happy medium. Right now, I am looking for an easy way out until I start work and start acquiring those pay checks. I am a teacher, so no pay in summer months, but hoping this will get me by for a bit. If anyone can tell me of a T8 bulb at lowes or. Home Depot that is better than what I have, please...... I stared, and stared, at the bulbs along with everyone else yesterday. I don't know why they have to make it so difficult finding lightbulbs for any occasion these days. There must have been 20 people right along with me staring at the lightbulbs as well, for what ever their purpose was. Hahaha!

I don't think they have that kind of bulbs bird need....check on line( I forgot which site I got for mine....). Or Zoomed "Tropical sun" is good too. Sell at petsmart, Petco...

I would concentrate on the 5000k but not more then 5700k and not worry about anything else. Chances are slim that your birds would get the needed Vitamin D from the bulbs anyway so supplement with hard boiled eggs or a calcium supplement that has both calcium and vitamin D.

Here's a link to nutrient sources
http://www.finchinfo.com/diet/nutrients_and_sources.php

Lighting articles
https://mickaboo.org/confluence/downloa ... ummary.pdf
http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56