Heated Perches?

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 2:11 pm

Has anyone used a heated perch?
Any comments good/bad/not worth it?

This would be for indoors, as supplimental heating source.
Min winter temp at night is high 50s low 60s, unless I put a heat lamp on 24x7.

Littlemissfinch · Post by **Littlemissfinch** » Sat Mar 28, 2009 8:33 pm

iv never used one or herd of one but if you have a way to set the temp and you make sure it dosnt over heat then i would think it might be ok. but im a bigginer so you might want to still look into it

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:43 am

Well I found one on-line and read the buyer reviews. Of about 24 reviews, 2 were negative (problems with the power adapter.) All others were positive.

From the sounds of it there really is not much worry of it getting too hot. It's about 7watts, and heats from about 100 degrees to 107 degrees along it's length according to the stats, though customers said it didn't feel that warm. (Temperature varied along the length of the perch so they can pick the amount of heat they want.) The smallest one is supposed to be about 10 1/2 inches long which I like, though it varies in thickness from 1/2 inch to 1 inch. One or two people mentioned they scuffed it up a bit as the plastic was a bit smooth. Most people who bought it were using it for parrots.

I went ahead and ordered one. It may be a bit big for my tiny GBs, but I'm thinking I could also use some supplemental heat as my lights are cool flourescents, and I don't use a heat lamp (mostly for safety reasons). My cage is near a curtain, and with with all the silk plants, and with a wooden frame, I'm just too nervous to have one on all day when I'm not home. Also worry about the cat knocking it over or getting too close to it. So this perch would be the safest thing. I'll let you know how it goes when I get it. The GBs didn't like my cement perch until I got a brown one, but I had no colour choice with this perch. It comes in grey only. Lets hope it doesn't freak them out too much. (Can't believe I'm buying them this - it's over $50 with the shipping and exchange rate!)

Post by **Sally** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:48 am

It's amazing what we do for our little birds. I don't blame you for worrying about the heat lamp, it makes me nervous to have something like that on when I'm not home. I do it, but wonder sometimes. I do use supplemental heat in my bird room, one of those heaters that looks like a radiator, but it is in an enclosed room. Don't know how much something like that would help in a large room.

franny · Post by **franny** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:58 am

Yup, it's crazy what we do for them! Hope they appreciate it.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 7:35 pm

I have used heat perches on parrots before. It is common practice for people with aging large birds such as african greys, amazon parrots, and cockatoos to have these. Eases arthritis. I knew someone who swore that this was a great remedy for canaries with gout of the leg and feet.
I never heard anyone using them with finches. I would try and get a small one...if they make a small one for finches. With them sitting so much closer to the perch (their little butts and bellies) than the type of birds that they were designed for.... These birds have longer legs and would be several inches above the heat....
Well, I just don't know how the heat would affect the little birds.
Why not just heat the room? Most finches thrive at 60% to 90%. Most house rooms are in this range.

ac12 · Post by **ac12** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 8:06 pm

CA
Unfortunately the family room, which is the only place in the house that I can put them, is an "open" room into the kitchen, hall & stairs w/o any doors. Indoors night time temp will drop into the 50s in the winter. Heck even in the summer here in Northern Calif it gets cold at night.

I was figuring the heated perch would be cheaper to operate than a heat lamp. And more friendly to being bumped by me. I worry about breaking the filiment in the $10 heat lamp. Although I would still use a heat lamp in selected cages.

I just did not know if they really work for birds, or if it was just something else for the stores to sell.

BTW I use a heated foot pad under my foot at my desk. It makes a big different to me.

CandoAviary · Post by **CandoAviary** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:20 am

I don't care for cold feet....that's why I move to Florida

I did have a friend that put a small heating pad on a really low setting and covered one side of the cage with it. She draped a towel over the top at night to hold the heat better. She kept her gouldians on the screened porch all winter....with some nights in the 30's. They did fine.
Heating pads are pretty safe and are almost imposible to break.
I would never use them on a hookbill due to the chewing but finches could not damage the wires.
When I had an iguana I bought one of those reptile heating rocks. They are very safe and energy efficient. Maybe you could use one of these. It would be like a heated perch but much cheaper.

franny · Post by **franny** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 1:28 pm

CandoAviary wrote:I...When I had an iguana I bought one of those reptile heating rocks. They are very safe and energy efficient. Maybe you could use one of these. It would be like a heated perch but much cheaper.

I looked at those, too, but thought at night my GBs like to be up on a perch, not down on the ground. If I used that heating rock I'd have to make a platform or something to put it up higher. Decided the heated perch was easier. It's the smallest size they make, which they recommend for canaries and finches. So will just have to see if they take to it or not.