opinions on Artificial Lighting

[Mynard]

Hi Guy`s
I have a question about birds and artificial lighting.I was contamplating starting a bird room in my basement but the one reason i havent yet is the absence of windows...there arent any
so i wanted to ask if i did decide to set up down their what amount of artificial light would benifit my birds? i dont plan on keeping more then 6 birds (3 pairs) except for eggs/hatchlings.
What do you think,is it worth it to try to make a room down their or should i cut my losses and find a new space??

[L in Ontario]

I would go for it. I have lights on all my cages and they are on timers. They come on at 5:10am and go off at 7:20pm. I also have christmas/halloween lights on timers to come on just before the daytime lights go off and to turn off just after the daytime lights come on.

Do keep us posted on whether you set them up in your basement and the progress! It's probably warmer down there in the winter and cooler in the summer - a bonus already!

[Mynard]

Thanks Liz!
i think i will go for it i have some empty cages set up down there occupying a space of 5x10-ish what watt of light would be sufficient for them and is it good enough for them to breed if they wish?
Also do you think i could get away with using a reptile uv light and last but not least is it better to have tube bulb or regular? thanks for any help and i forsure will post pics although im sure its probally gonna be pretty modest atleast till i get more into it

[L in Ontario]

I use the compact CF (twirly lights) "daylight" lights for each cage or the 4' fluorescent lights overhead.

Everyone starts out modestly with one finch or one pair and it just builds from there...

[6finchfriends]

That's so strange Tania, I was going to ask the same question so I hope you don't mind me elbowing my way in here. I have checked out the reptile lights at the chain pet store and they are freakishly expensive. I'm having a terrible time finding any full spectrum lights. Lowes doesn't carry them, Home Depot, nobody around here. Does it have to be full spectrum lights? I'm putting my Societies and Zebras in a bird room I'm making in our basement. There are two tiny windows but that's all. Thanks for letting me jump in Tania!

[Mynard]

No problem Trish i went to petsmart to day and the prices werent to bad,about 50.00 cdn for the uv `daylight bulb`and 30.00 for the tube 1`s so not to bad (if you dont need to many) but i dont know how they`d be for birds,should be safe?
My hubby just finished mounting floresent casing to the ceiling down their so i think ill get uv tubes to replace the floresents.is there any amount thats to much for the birds? i have (1) 24`` and (2) 17`` so would replacing all those with uv be over doing it or should i just do 2 and leave 1?

[6finchfriends]

Thanks Liz,
I'm using the twirly daylight bulbs too but I was worried they weren't 'full spectrum'. They say full spectrum but it doesn't post a uv measurment. It's really confusing to me. Are your floresent lights 'full spectrum' ? There's got to be something else people use besides the lights you can get from Petsmart. If you had a lot of birds you'd go broke.

Tania, that's a good price. I'll have to go to Petsmart and see what they have. I'm excited that you're going to make a room for your birds! Will you let them fly loose in the room or will you have your cages down there or make one of those aviaries out of screen doors? I'm putting my cages down there along with an easy chair, reading light, radio The new flight cage should be done about the time the Society chicks fledge. I can't wait to move the whole family --and take the nest away after they are independant. That's enough Society babies for this year.

[Mynard]

i think for now im just gonna move the cages down,then after hopefully ill upgrade to a flight for them i have to go slow lol i have to birds coming in that'll have to be quarentined then hopefully my Shaft tails at the and of May and im looking to house a set of love birds as well so it'll eventually be full of birds down their (minus space from my 2 toddlers play area) but yay i cant wait.I think a reading/relaxing room for you and your birdies will be nice,theres nothing more soothing then the soft cheeps of feathery friends x
PS
i found a reptile uv light (tube) 5.0 that im goons put in (im only gonna change out 1 fluresent the 24'') and leave the other 2 alone so heres hoping it'll be adiqutie enough

[Sally]

There has been some discussion on full-spectrum lights, and whether they do much good unless they are very close to the birds. My birds are in a spare bedroom, so there are windows, but I still use lights. I have lots of cages, so I use mostly fluorescent tube lights, and I buy the ones that say sunshine or daylight. I have 4' shop lights over banks of two 34" long cages, or 18" or 24" for single cages. If you are using a vitamin supplement, the birds should be getting enough D from that.

I so envy those of you who have basements, as that is a great place to set up cages and/or flights. You can always put plenty of light in the basement.

[Mynard]

Hi Sally
im glad you replied,i was reading on the net about the reptial lighting and i have decided AGAINST it there are to may ìf`s about if there safe for birds or not and so to ensure my babies will be safe im taking it back
i havent been giving them vit d as their in my living room which had a window so i never thought to.
to make sure that they have enough `sun` from a bulb what do you recommend? staying with daytime bulbs for floresents or full spectrum (not reptilian) pls let me know i want everyone 1 to keep/stay healthy
thanks

[ac12]

I use "daylight" bulbs, not so much for the full spectrum but for the color. If you compare a daylight and the normal cool white, you will see the color difference in the birds.

[6finchfriends]

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused. I read all the articles I could find on avian lighting, full spectrum lighting and whether it does much good and for how long. For me it's like stumbling around in the dark. Being new at raising finches, That said, the basement room I'm converting was my daylily hybridizing room. I no longer hybridize daylilies because I have no more room to plant any. My yard probably already has over 500 daylilies. anyhow, it's all set up with plant grow lights and tables. Now, I've heard you should not use the grow lights on birds. Is this right?

[Mynard]

im uber confused 2 Trish lol
im waiting for someong to jump in and say use _ lighting and you`ll be fine
ill take any advise

[gina]

Has anyone checked out Featherbrite? All they do is avian lighting. I have 2 of their products. The Black Capitol Daylight/moonlight fixture and a standing floor lamp for my pair of owls. They seem knowledgable and provided good customer service. http://www.featherbrite.com

[6finchfriends]

Okay, after reading everyone's reply I've made a choice and I'm running with it. I'm going to set up my floresents with natural or daylight lighting. That's what I have on the finches now only the screw in bulbs. And I'll purchase a good Vit. D supplement. I can also get help to carry the cages outside in the summer on nice days. My parrots have been under the Daylight type bulbs for 2 years now and they are in good health and good feather even in the winter so I think the finches will do well with them too.
Thanks everyone for helping me! Lighting is something I was unable to figure out on my own. So much conflicting information. I'd rather find out from everyone on here that actually use lighting and what kind you use.

Thanks Gina, I have seen the featherbright but that wouldn't work for what I'm setting up.

Tania~ when did you order shaft tails??? I must have missed a topic thread! congrats! I think they are soooo pretty. which kind did you get?