sudden personality change

[Pajarita]

Yes, the light was gradually dimmed in four stages. As to research, I don't know what research you did that found that dimming the light was enough, I've never seen any study that supports this practice. What I've found is that it's the change in spectrum that does it and you can find links to studies to this effect in the photoperiodism thread.

But, Marie, think about it, if she only stopped calling mid October, that means that she was still at the height of hormone production by then and that's way past the time she should have stopped altogether which is at the onset of molt. As a point of reference, my tiels were completely done with molt in mid September (which is late, in reality) and, taking into consideration that a normal molt lasts 6 to 8 weeks, that means they stopped producing hormones altogether at the end of July so she was 3 months late, no?

[marie83]

See I've always been led to believe that sept was end of breeding season in the UK.
Still no comment on the weather conditions over here? Spoke to those with breeder birds kept under no artificial light and they are all late too.

I never mentioned any research about dimming lights so not sure what ur talking about there.

We don't do the dim in 4 stages, it's constant over a long period using a full spec light designed for people (winter false sunset is the only time it is ever on as it's the only full spec light I can find which is suitable for dimming) they have bird lamps in the day which come on after sunrise.

[Pajarita]

I was going by what you posted: "so if you could explain *exactly* why all my previous research is wrong".

I don't know about breeders opinions, I don't give them much credence on this type of thing because, as their ultimate purpose for the birds is that they reproduce, they 'tilt' the odds to favor the outcome (nests, high protein food, etc) so, yes, it is entirely possible that their breeding season is much longer than what my birds go through. We have breeders here in the States that breed them all year round so it's not as if it would be hard to get breeding seasons that are 6 months long.

I did not know there were good full spectrum lights that can be used with automatic dimmers... there aren't any in the States because the only good full spectrum we have here are all fluorescent and dimmers don't work on them. The full spectrum that is dimmable has a too low CRI but maybe they made better ones by now. Which bulbs are you using?

[marie83]

The "sunset" bulb is made by lumie- like I say though it IS made for humans not for birds. We do not have it on all the time, just for the sunset period over 90 minutes.
The florescent daytime bird specific bulb is switched on for part of the day, not the entire daylight hours so that's 90 mins after sunrise and 30 mins before sunset (at which point they are left with normal household bulbs). I get in at sunset as things stand at the moment so they then get an hour of interaction and feeding time as the sunsets, they out themselves to bed approx. 30 mins before the sun sets completely and we move into a different room as I cannot cover Harlie up.

As for the breeders I only e-mailed the ones that don't use artificial lights as I know their set-ups from research prior to getting Ollie (I visited multiple times to the ones that were happy to go into explicit detail about how the birds were cared for- many wouldn't show me or became very evasive). All I am saying is that *this* year has been different- everythings been running late compared with previous years according to the people I e-mailed, not just my birds. It is not unfeasible that because breeding season relies on multiple cues that the fact the only one that cant have been any different is the light so that may have made a difference.


Now I'm not saying that what I am doing will work- I made it quite clear it is just something I am trying. So far this year (although you disagree) I have noticed a significant improvement- particularly in Ollie who has been fab, no attacking, no running round obsessing over nesting spots etc. We will see if that arrives on time this year.