Benefits of Full Spectrum Lighting

[Pajarita]

Well, there are almost no studies on parrots and, as far as I know, none on light but there are myriad studies on other avian species as well as lots and lots and lots on light and chickens (because of the industry, of course, and the fact that most chickens are raised indoors). So, yes, there is empirical evidence that light quality affects both the endocrine and the immune system in birds.

As to the Swiffer experiment in your house, you have more guts than I do because I would never, ever, ever experiment on any of my animals. Mind you, I am not saying that you are not right in the no-effect conclusion, you might very well be! But, personally, I don't know how you can possibly determine this with any degree of certainty because, when it comes to birds' respiratory system, two years are not what one would call proof of anything... I mean, there are birds that have been breathing in second hand smoke for longer than two years without actually showing any symptoms but they all end up having issues as they get older (I know somebody who adopted a macaw that came from a smoking household and the poor thing has to spend 3 one hour sessions daily in a box with oxygen for the rest of her life). Me, I am not a risk-taker and one of the 'better safe than sorry' crowd and I plan on been one for the rest of my life.

[Wolf]

Perhaps it was short sighted of me to say that you might just be trying to get a rise and had no real interest, but you were not really talking to us and as soon as you said one thing you turned it around and revoked what you said. You are now talking to us, and I appreciate it, and because of it I can now see some real interest. Thank you.
Not every issue that a bird has can be attributed to the source of its lighting as birds are more complex than that, but even in some cases where light is not the causative factor it appears to help the bird feel better. There is proof in humans and birds alike that natural sunlight can help reduce some types of depression and it does help the bird to make Vitamin D-3 which is necessary for good health. This manufacture of vitamin D-3 is the only claim that I am aware of that is attributed to light in the UV range other than improved eyesight.
Increased hygiene and household cleaning will always result in a reduced possibility of illness in any animal even if the only cleaning agent used is water. Personally I prefer simple soap and water and/ or vinegar and water, and a little bit of bleach on occasion.
I do believe that exposure to natural light is partially responsible for reduced plucking in my birds. The birds that I have that pluck came to me with this problem and so far I have had only success in treating it with them. I also give them a lot of individual attention as well as an improved diet which are also partially responsible for the successful treatment of their feather plucking. I currently have an African grey that came to me both plucking and self mutilating, a parrotlet who plucked and the Grey no longer mutilates herself and has regrown most of her feather, the parrotlet is currently regrowing many of its feathers. Both of them still have a little way to go, but they are both very much improved. I also have recently added a pair of budgies in which the male has liver disease and the female is plucked bare. She has plucked for a very long time and I am very concerned that she may have damaged the follicles to the point that she may never regrow most of the feathers, but we will see in time.

[liz]

If you want proof - I have it. I always called Rambo my pedestrian. He is 20+ and has never flown. He didn't even have flight feathers. Wolf and Pajarita leaned on me to get the UV parrot light. Wolf even found the web site for me.

RAMBO GREW FLIGHT FEATHERS. His stubby little wings are now fully extended. WOW. All he could do was jump off the top of his cage and find something soft to crash land on. He could never fly so it is going to be hard to teach him. With the UV light he has a chance.

Myrtle loves flying and is very good at it. She is a beautiful sight. I look forward to when Rambo can join in.

[vwbug2010]

Hi folks

I want to put a parrot tube light system together. If I get a 2ft fitting which is the electric ballast should I go for a double fitting - two tubes (will be using official avian tubes) or just go for one tube?

I was just going to build a fitting to sit above the cage any thoughts?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluorescent-B ... 27f091a135

See below

Simon

[Pajarita]

As long as the fixture is on the ceiling (some of them hang from chains so they end up lower), it would depend on how many cages you want to cover. I like putting the fixtures in the middle of the room and not directly above the cages - I think it's safer for their eyes. But, be advised, there are NO 'avian' lights. Nobody manufactures lights that are specifically made for birds (there was a company here in the States that did but closed down after complaints), the only 'specialized' lights are for reptiles and, unfortunately, there are manufacturers of reptile lights that have relabeled them 'avian' so, PLEASE, make super sure that the specifications are safe for them(CRI 94+, Ktemp 5000-5500, UVA 5.0, UVB 0.5 - anything higher than those UV values is a reptile light).

[vwbug2010]

Hi there I was thinking of two of the 2ft long in one double fitting

http://www.northernparrots.com/arcadia- ... prod8130a/

But not sure how far away fom the cage they should be as you say I like the idea of chains to hold them up

[Wolf]

Actually I think that she was trying to say that holding them with chains is not a good way to go, but to screw the fixtures directly into the ceiling joists as it is safer for the bird that way as it can't land on top of them and possibly burn its feet nor could it become entangled in the chains if they are not there. I think that about 3 feet from the closest point in spacing would be safe.

[Pajarita]

Yes, chains to make them lower means the light source would end up too close to the bird's eyes (dangerous!). I would also NOT NOT NOT use those Arcadia 'bird' lights! They are reptile lights simply relabeled (look at the profile of their 'bird light expert', he is a reptile guy!) . The UVA is 12% and the UVB is 2.4% (way too high for their eyes), the Ktemp is 5900 (again, too high, it would make them go into breeding mode) and I have no idea what the CRI actually is as they only list 1A, which means higher than 90 so, for all we know, it could be just 91. I got the info from their own site: http://www.arcadia-bird.com/fluorescent-bird-lamps/ and the specs are all wrong, my dear, you are better off with these: http://www.amazon.com/Full-Spectrum-Flu ... 41&sr=1-21

[vwbug2010]

What about a tube with a uva of 10 and a uvb of 2 ? What distance above the cage should this be placed?

[Wolf]

It should not as the UVA output is too high.
I am a member of several other avian forums an on one of them there is a thread showing picture of a bird that nearly died from a short exposure to a full spectrum light that was in truth a reptile light repackaged as a bird light. After about 30 minutes, this light had burned the bird all the way to the bone in several places. The bird did not die bought it cost several thousands of dollars and many months of effort to save the birds life.
There are birds that are blinded because of a short exposure to the wrong full spectrum light. It is the UV spectrum that is responsible for sunburns in humans, it appears that the CRI and K Temp rating that were the cause of the blindness.
Please do not use a Full Spectrum light of any kind if it does not match the specification as we have given them to you. It would be cheaper and kinder to drown your bird than to use the wrong F S Light.
I am not being disrespectful by this, my intentions are simply to bring this into a clearer focus for you by stating some facts as you keep trying to want to use the wrong light after you have been given the specifications. I do not want the bird to be harmed, especially in this way. Burns are some of the most painful of injuries and the hardest to recover from.