Plant lights for Finches?

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Finchaholic
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Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Finchaholic » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:13 pm

I just purchased some hanging fluorescent shop lights for my bird room. The only type of bulbs that seemed remotely close to "full spectrum" lighting was the Plant and Aquarium bulbs. I have searched the internet to see if these are the right type for the birds but have had no luck. Does anyone know if they are the right spectrum to give my birds their vitamin D?
Finches are like potatoe chips. You can't have just one.

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Sally
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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Sally » Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:51 pm

The bulbs that truly give the best lighting for birds are those that are about 5500K with a CRI of at least 92, according to some articles I have read. I just use the inexpensive 'daylight' or 'sunshine' bulbs that you can find at any big box home improvement store, and depend on egg food and supplementation to provide the D3. I have far too many cages to be able to afford to light them with the avian specialty bulbs. If I had only one or two cages, then I would go for the avian bulbs, I think they would be worth it in that case.
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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by finchmix22 » Mon Jun 23, 2014 4:27 pm

I use the zoomed uva/uvb bulbs. The one that is 5.0 on the box. Sometimes, I buy the generic ones they sell at PetSmart, next to the zoomed bulbs. They don't last as long as zoomed though.
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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Finchaholic » Mon Jun 23, 2014 5:09 pm

Thanks for the info! I just looked up "sunshine bulbs" on the Orchard Supply Hardware site and according to the description it is an actual full spectrum bulb. I was afraid that the word "sunshine" meant that it just copies the glow of the sun. If I was to use the plant lights, my offspring would be mostly female because of the emphasis on the blue and red spectrum.
Sally, I too have to many cages to buy individual lights. They are the 30x18x18 stacked 3 high, so I hang a 48 inch light vertical on the wall behind so each pair receives plenty of light and not just the birds in the top cage. Since there is no central lighting in the room it serves 2 purposes. The lights also show them off nicely.
Finches are like potatoe chips. You can't have just one.

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by dutch » Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:32 pm

No light can supply vitamin d3 to birds...

You will need to supplement it through food....boiled eggs or soluvite d breeder
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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by debbie276 » Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:10 am

Here are a couple of articles on avian lighting that may help you.

PROPER LIGHTING TO SUPPORT AVIAN VISION
https://mickaboo.org/confluence/downloa ... ummary.pdf

LIGHTING FOR FlNCHES AND OTHER CAGED BIRDS
http://www.naturallighting.com/cart/sto ... sc_page=56

I would not depend on the lights to give your bird Vitamin D because of all the factors involved. I do however believe that our birds need a natural color spectrum for a host of reasons mentioned in those articles. So I would supplement them lighting if they are kept in a windowless room but for Vitamin D I would be sure to supplement with a commercial supplement readily available in your area or hard boiled eggs, shell and all.

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

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Finchaholic » Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:48 am

Thanks for the great articles debbie276. I never knew that birds were so affected by the type and amount of light.
Finches are like potatoe chips. You can't have just one.

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by MiaCarter » Wed Jun 25, 2014 4:02 pm

You can also find the full-spectrum bulbs marketed as reptile lights.
Virtually all fit the 5500K / 92+ CRI criteria.
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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by debbie276 » Wed Jun 25, 2014 4:35 pm

Using reptile lights has come up before. Be careful of the numbers and as long as they are not rated higher then recommended they should be OK.
Debbie
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SF Pastel (SF Yellow)
Pastel (Yellow)
Blue
SF Pastel Blue (SF Yellow Blue)
Pastel Blue (Yellow Blue)

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

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by wildbird » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:07 pm

Thanks Debbie, for the lighting websites. Very informative. I had wondered about the UV-B lighting, as an avian technician told me that it could cause blindness in birds & not to use it.

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by cindy » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:29 pm

I use the long shop light fixtures (great for 5 ft long flights) and full spectrum and sun sticks in mine. I also supplement the diet with a powdered vitamin, mineral and amino acid product called AviVita Gold by AviTech...it also contains D3 and Calcium (some vitamins products lack the calcium so you will need to supplement it especially for egg laying hens)

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Colt » Wed Jun 25, 2014 11:48 pm

Cindy - Weren't you trying out LED lights as well? How are you liking those?

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Finchaholic » Thu Jun 26, 2014 2:00 am

Cindy,thanks for the pic. Your cage looks lovely, and i will look for your group on facebook. I picked the "finchaholic" name many about 7 years ago when I had over a hundred zebras. It fit at the time.
The Hearty Bird and Calcium Plus that Im giving them both contain Vitamin D3 so Im not going to worry so much about the type of lighting I use. Im going to try the "sunshine bulbs" or Philips TL-950 as stated in the article that Debbie276 posted. It seems that there are a lot more factors involved in lighting other than just spectrum, such as heat, distance, CRI, etc.
Finches are like potatoe chips. You can't have just one.

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by cindy » Thu Jun 26, 2014 7:47 am

Colt wrote: Cindy - Weren't you trying out LED lights as well? How are you liking those?
Yes, they are working out well on three long flights of Scarlet chested. They stay cooler and I may use these in the bird room along the walls for added light. They are also suppose to last longer.

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Re: Plant lights for Finches?

Post by Colt » Fri Jun 27, 2014 6:12 pm

That's good to know. :)

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