• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Full Spectrum Lighting

Glucose

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
5/18/13
Messages
18
Location
Minneapolis
Do any of you guys use a full spectrum bulb with your Eclectus? I'm looking to collection information on how long you typically leave the lamp on for them. I recently purchased a lamp, and have been leaving it on for 4 hrs a day on a timer (around noon).

As always with these things, there seems to be a huge variance in what people think is good and I get conflicting information sometimes.
 

Cynthia & Percy

cockatoo mania
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avian Angel
Joined
10/16/09
Messages
1,000,000
Location
USA bound
Real Name
cynthia
i use to leave mine on all day but i lost track of the bulbs since they were just like the new fangled light bulbs you get in the store now :hug8:
 

Kevin Mc.

Walking the driveway
Joined
5/14/14
Messages
216
Location
Phila, PA
I get confused also, a FeatherBrite bulb is like 30 bucks for one, you can get 4 of the below on Amazon for 12 bucks. SO CONFUSING.



CB002_Xl.jpg
 

Mizzely

Lil Monsters Bird Toys
Super Moderator
Vendor
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
8/9/11
Messages
39,968
Location
Northern Mitten Michigan
Real Name
Shawna [she/her]
Depends on what your intent is. Full spectrum bulbs at the local hardware store almost always simply replicate the color spectrum, etc. They do not give off ANY UVA or UVB, which is what the more expensive avian bulbs do. That being said, the evidence seems to show that UV lights simply do not give off consistent amounts of UVB and those that show potential only do so if you are within 6 to 12 inches of the bulb. At that distance, you risk eye damage to the bird. At anything over 12 inches the benefits are so negligible that it isn't worth the cost. They also only give off UVB for up to 6 months, while the light itself might work for 2 years.

I now give my birds simply the full spectrum bulbs that allow them to see better (since they can see ultraviolet, for example, they see better with full spectrum lighting). I do not bother with UV bulbs.
 

Glucose

Sitting on the front steps
Joined
5/18/13
Messages
18
Location
Minneapolis
They're light bulbs that emit light in the ultra violet spectrum (along with visible light as well). Their goal is to mimic sunlight. Birds can see 'UV', and it's been studied that providing them with some natural light can help regulate their mood / health.
 

BirdBrained

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
63
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Real Name
Manda
I'm with Mizzely on this one. I exhausted myself researching this topic for my budgies. In the end I choose to just go with a bulb that produces light as close to the color of the sun as possible. I have it on a timer so they get light they can see in for most of the day. I went with an LED bulb too, so no heat output to worry about. The birds look really spectacular underneath it, their feathers just shimmer. As for UV, I wheel the cage outside for some sunshine as often as the weather allows. The birds love talking to the wild birds while they soak up some rays.
 

BirdBrained

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
63
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Real Name
Manda
I just got a cheap-o from Walmart. Its a Great Value 60w equivalent (a brighter one would be nicer since the birds are in a fairly large flight cage) LED daylight (5000k) bulb.
 

milo4ever

Meeting neighbors
Joined
6/15/14
Messages
26
do you guys recommend bulbs for eclectus....should i be considering getting some? :geek:
 

BirdBrained

Meeting neighbors
Joined
7/12/14
Messages
63
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Real Name
Manda
I think Full Spectrum lighting is important for ALL species of companion birds. UV producing lightbulbs may be useless as it stands today, but birds see in a completely different colour range than us humans do. Full spectrum light between 5000-5500k essentially with a CRI as high as you can get (they become awfully expensive the higher you go) will help your bird to see colour better. Not only is it supposed to benefit the bird, but their feathers look spectacular under proper colour lighting. :xflove:
 

Kevin Mc.

Walking the driveway
Joined
5/14/14
Messages
216
Location
Phila, PA
I read somewhere that if a bulb is over 5000K (Kelvin) it is considered full spectrum. Does anyone know if that is correct?
 

Joelle

Walking the driveway
Joined
9/15/14
Messages
155
Location
Toronto, Ontario
My problem has been finding a good bulb with not only 5000K but also a high CRI. I live in Canada and they only carry basic Compact Fluorescents at Home Depot and don't even tell you what the CRI is! I'm going to be installing a fluorescent tube light fixture with these bulbs: Philips 209056 TL950 Straight T8 tubes, they were recommended on this great web pdf about avian lighting: https://mickaboo.org/confluence/download/attachments/1179693/light.pdf
 

Kiwibird08

Jogging around the block
Joined
12/9/14
Messages
947
Location
Oregon
I recently ordered one of these for my Amazon. He seems to like my SAD lamp a whole lot and has historically been less active in the winter when he can't go outdoors. I figured he may like this. I keep seeing conflicting information on them though. Some people on suggest a few hours a couple times a week, others seem to use them 'daylight hours' every day. Also curious about how hot they get and protecting the cord? His cage is open all day and we don't have the option for the hanging one (renters). Do you wrap something protective around the cord? I know they are 'suppose' to keep the cord out of reach, but those things never seem to be as 'bird proof' as they advertise...
 

Mr Peepers

Cruising the avenue
Joined
10/8/14
Messages
10,461
Location
Canada's Capital
I recently ordered one of these for my Amazon. He seems to like my SAD lamp a whole lot and has historically been less active in the winter when he can't go outdoors. I figured he may like this. I keep seeing conflicting information on them though. Some people on suggest a few hours a couple times a week, others seem to use them 'daylight hours' every day. Also curious about how hot they get and protecting the cord? His cage is open all day and we don't have the option for the hanging one (renters). Do you wrap something protective around the cord? I know they are 'suppose' to keep the cord out of reach, but those things never seem to be as 'bird proof' as they advertise...

I started giving FSL a couple of hours a day every other day with my budgies the reason I was told to do this at first was because giving them too much light all at once for 7 days a week could possibly put them in breeding mode. I didn't want that to happen so I did the gradual light for a few weeks and then started leaving the light on 10 - 12 hours for 7 days a week after about 2 weeks off and on.

I had an adjustable desk lamp from Walmart it cost less than $10, I placed the bulb in and directed the lamp head to touch the top of the birds cage to deliver the light. Their perch was about 5 - 6 inches below the light.

I'm lucky the birds never bothered with the cord when they were climbing on top of the cage so I didn't need to cover it, but if you are concerned you can get a flex wrap tubing to cover the wires. The bulb doesn't radiate heat it just gives the light source you want to help the birds keep healthy with Vitamin D they need.








 

Joelle

Walking the driveway
Joined
9/15/14
Messages
155
Location
Toronto, Ontario
Are you wondering about the Philips bulbs I posted about? If so, they don't get hot but you need a workshop type floursecent fixture to put them in.
I have been keeping them on 9 hours a day, but I've noticed mylinnies are less active when it's on, so I may get a timer to have it turn off at certain times.
I recently ordered one of these for my Amazon. He seems to like my SAD lamp a whole lot and has historically been less active in the winter when he can't go outdoors. I figured he may like this. I keep seeing conflicting information on them though. Some people on suggest a few hours a couple times a week, others seem to use them 'daylight hours' every day. Also curious about how hot they get and protecting the cord? His cage is open all day and we don't have the option for the hanging one (renters). Do you wrap something protective around the cord? I know they are 'suppose' to keep the cord out of reach, but those things never seem to be as 'bird proof' as they advertise...[/
 

Kiwibird08

Jogging around the block
Joined
12/9/14
Messages
947
Location
Oregon
Guess I got this and another thread that had the feather bright lamps in it confused;) I ordered a Featherbrite fixture that included a special bulb for my amazon. I'm kind of disappointed too. The light fixture arrived and worked for all of 2minutes before the bulb flickered out:jawdrop1::sour: It wasn't cheap either! They better send me a replacement bulb!
 

Mr Peepers

Cruising the avenue
Joined
10/8/14
Messages
10,461
Location
Canada's Capital
Guess I got this and another thread that had the feather bright lamps in it confused;) I ordered a Featherbrite fixture that included a special bulb for my amazon. I'm kind of disappointed too. The light fixture arrived and worked for all of 2minutes before the bulb flickered out:jawdrop1::sour: It wasn't cheap either! They better send me a replacement bulb!

They better replace the bulb :)
 

Kiwibird08

Jogging around the block
Joined
12/9/14
Messages
947
Location
Oregon
They better replace the bulb :)
They emailed me back and are shipping a replacement bulb. I'm hoping it was just a bad bulb or maybe got dropped during shipping or something. It sounded like something in it was clinking when I put it in. My bird is pretty big, so I needed the special lamp that kept the cord away, and ben now, I'm figuring out something else I can cover it in for better protection against a big beak :p
 

Mr Peepers

Cruising the avenue
Joined
10/8/14
Messages
10,461
Location
Canada's Capital
They emailed me back and are shipping a replacement bulb. I'm hoping it was just a bad bulb or maybe got dropped during shipping or something. It sounded like something in it was clinking when I put it in. My bird is pretty big, so I needed the special lamp that kept the cord away, and ben now, I'm figuring out something else I can cover it in for better protection against a big beak :p

Good to hear they are replacing it. :)

Post a pic when you get it working and set up I'd like to see it.
 
Top