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Full Spectrum Lighting

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Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby lwis » Sun Jan 29, 2012 2:36 am

Does anyone use full spectrum lights for their birds?
I am looking into getting one for my bird, as it is pretty cloudy here (and it's winter) so he doesn't get much sunshine.
There are some lights that look like they would fit into a normal incandescent light socket, but I don't know if they are like lamps for reptiles, where you need a more industrial type of light fixture.
I can't seem to find any lights for birds in any store here, but I have found several different ones online, all different prices. Just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on what is necessary in a full spectrum light and what some good brands may be.
Thanks!
lwis
Cockatiel
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 88
Location: victoria, BC
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Green Cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby Polarn » Sun Jan 29, 2012 6:06 am

Arcadia is a brand known to have good UV lamp for birds, and their not the same as for reptiles, there are lamps that you fit into a normal socket and there is the "tube lights/lightsabers :P " that you just have to make sure you got a fixture the same size, however if you use the longer tubelights you have to check the frequenzy of your fixture, you will need a high frequency fixture otherwise the lights will flicker for your bird, even if it doesnt for you. as an example if you use a T8 anywhere, that light will flicker for your bird, a T5 depends on the fixture(different kinds of ubelightning). The light that goes into a normal socket is a lowenergy lamp type, it is slightly more expensive than the tubes (atleast here in sweden) however the fixture is cheaper... but not by a great deal, and you have to change the light every 12 month or so even if it still lights up. I think I payed about 22USD for my tube, and it is almost 3feet long, there are shorter and longer ones as well. just checked ebay and their normal lamp there was 80 USD... dont think it did cost that much at the petstore here, but only found 1 seller on ebay on a quick search...

I know there is a brand that were tested in brittain not too long ago called zoomed avian light, but to be honest i havnt heard much about it, neither good nore bad, however I have a hard time seeing it would be harmful, but might not be the best one on the market, anyways they fit in a normal lightbulb socket.

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/Entry ... SearchID=2
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Polarn
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 608
Location: Alicante, Spain
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Greenwing macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby yeliabttocs » Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:31 pm

Here's the specific bulb recommended by my vet and breeder for our eclectus. She gets about an hour a day and loves it. She will park herself directly under the clip lamp when I put it atop her cage.


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=4891865k&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1024&bih=672&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7345357519957252678&sa=X&ei=FR4vT5yFPIqEtgeMte3zDw&ved=0CDUQ8gIwAA
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yeliabttocs
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 10
Location: Atlanta Metro
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Types of Birds Owned: Eclectus
Flight: No

Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby GlassOnion » Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:55 am

I don't do FS, but I really want to. In the meantime, my birds go outside a few times a week in a carrier.
GlassOnion
African Grey
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
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Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby lwis » Tue Feb 07, 2012 1:19 pm

Thank you yeliabttocs. I looked at the link and I coiuldn't find where it said that this particular light bulb was full spectrum...I don't know,maybe I missed something in the product description, But it sounded like it was just a normal florescent light that you would replace any old light bulb with.
Please tell me if I am incorrect, I would love to pay 8 dollars instead of 30. :lol:
At the bottom of the site I also found this light, http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=4891865k&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&cid=7023085743804293778&ei=hGoxT9rfJ4iSjQTzsJDiDQ&ved=0CF0QrhI This one says specifically that it is full spectrum.
This is turning out to be much more complicated than I had anticipated it to be.
lwis
Cockatiel
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 88
Location: victoria, BC
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Green Cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby sidech » Wed Feb 08, 2012 2:46 am

The CRI factor is important. Here's what you need explained and a good product. The higher the CRI the better, ideally in the 90's range.

http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/ ... ctrum.html
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sidech
Poicephalus
 
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Location: Greater Montreal (Québec)
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Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby lwis » Wed Feb 08, 2012 12:55 pm

Thank you sidech, I think I might get an over the cage type like this one then.
http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/lamp-over-the-bird-cage.html
It comes with a fixture and a bulb, which is nice.
lwis
Cockatiel
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 88
Location: victoria, BC
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Green Cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby Polarn » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:11 am

only thing i would check is it it is a T5 or T8 "bulb" the T8 model will always flicker for your bird, since they have a higher refresh rate than humans (frames per seconds that their able to see). Although I think it would be extremely weird to make and/or sell a T8model of birdlamp. and it does look like a T5, the difference easily said to see the different is that T8 is a lot thinner. But i do know, atleast here, you can't find fixtures etc for the T8 ones with high enough frequency. (this goes for any kind of the fixtures you have in the house btw, T5 bulbs with HF fixtures, to avoid the birds enviorment to be constantly flickering)
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Polarn
Amazon
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Location: Alicante, Spain
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Types of Birds Owned: Greenwing macaw
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Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby scooter4n » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:27 pm

I did do some research on Full Spectrum lights, and after hours of reading I found that I need full spectrum light.
because Im in Pacific North West and we get pretty rainy winters, and my bird don't see sun light for months during winter, I have and must use FSL for few hour the day
I have article about it in my african grey blog with pictures of the light Im using and all. Here is the link: http://www.myafricangrey.com/2012/01/22 ... and-light/

Thanks
scooter4n
Parrotlet
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
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Re: Full Spectrum Lighting

Postby lwis » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:48 pm

Thank you scooter4n! This is really helpful. I live on the west coast of Canada and it's pretty rainy here too.
lwis
Cockatiel
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 88
Location: victoria, BC
Number of Birds Owned: 1
Types of Birds Owned: Green Cheek Conure
Flight: Yes

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