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Lighting for Birds

Brittany0208

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I got that too for Java a few months ago. I haven't noticed a difference but he doesn't mind it, and it illuminates the cage without lighting up the entire room
 

Lady Jane

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I just learned one should plug it into a timer or some other device that has an off on switch. The light has no switch. I was plugging the light itself into the wall outlet and out every day.
 

Brittany0208

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I just learned one should plug it into a timer or some other device that has an off on switch. The light has no switch. I was plugging the light itself into the wall outlet and out every day.
Me too
 

Fergus Mom

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He cracks me up - "wanted to make sure you know there is nothing "hinky" going on here" - Oh my gosh, he says this in such a matter of fact way - dry humor. Very interesting vid - thanks for sharing this @Lady Jane ! My cage is next to a window, and hopefully mine are getting some exposure to some of the UV light they need. This is the primary reason I wanted mine to go in a travel cage when offered, so we could all sit on the porch and get some sun. I detest information that is slanted toward profit for the manufacturers; (false info). I have done a lot of reading about electric light bulbs, as I have to read under a lamp that simulates natural daylight, (some call it an Ott light). So I can attest light bulbs can be vastly different, and with the advent of the CFL, or LED bulbs, we all had to relearn wattage! (Ugh!) Anyhow - my point is, I ended up with 60 watt equivalent (9 watts used) LED daylight bulbs for most of my overhead lights. But I still have to have the special lamp to read by. If you look on most light bulb packages currently, they list the lumens (amount of brightness). These I have are 800 lumens. I can also read on the porch, but if it's 98 or 40 degrees out, that leaves me high and dry there as well.

Recently, I had to choose some writing pens (I guess they are still called fountain pens?) that would mark bold enough that I could SEE! What good does it do someone to buy pens and write a book if they can't see the darn marks clearly?! (By the way, I don't like to write with felt tip pens) I can now attest that the Bic Cristal Extra BOLD write with 1.6 mm lines! (They have Bic Cristal Extra SMOOTH too), but these are not bold and only write with a 1.0 mm line. Thank goodness they list this on the packaging if you are careful to look on some of them. I stocked up on the Bic Extra BOLD! I realize my post went wayyy off from birds, but hope it might help someone with my same problem! ;)
 

juliashmulia

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Thank you so much for sharing this! I've been a FeatherBrite bulb user for years but am now wanting to switch. Only issue is Si's cage is a dome top and all the lights on his site are for flat top cages. Anyone have suggestions on how to mount?
 

Mizzely

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Thank you so much for sharing this! I've been a FeatherBrite bulb user for years but am now wanting to switch. Only issue is Si's cage is a dome top and all the lights on his site are for flat top cages. Anyone have suggestions on how to mount?

I would love to know this also!
 

Mizzely

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He cracks me up - "wanted to make sure you know there is nothing "hinky" going on here" - Oh my gosh, he says this in such a matter of fact way - dry humor. Very interesting vid - thanks for sharing this @Lady Jane ! My cage is next to a window, and hopefully mine are getting some exposure to some of the UV light they need. This is the primary reason I wanted mine to go in a travel cage when offered, so we could all sit on the porch and get some sun. I detest information that is slanted toward profit for the manufacturers; (false info). I have done a lot of reading about electric light bulbs, as I have to read under a lamp that simulates natural daylight, (some call it an Ott light). So I can attest light bulbs can be vastly different, and with the advent of the CFL, or LED bulbs, we all had to relearn wattage! (Ugh!) Anyhow - my point is, I ended up with 60 watt equivalent (9 watts used) LED daylight bulbs for most of my overhead lights. But I still have to have the special lamp to read by. If you look on most light bulb packages currently, they list the lumens (amount of brightness). These I have are 800 lumens. I can also read on the porch, but if it's 98 or 40 degrees out, that leaves me high and dry there as well.



I know this is an older thread now, but wanted to let you know windows are designed to filter almost all of the UVB from the sun. This is the type of UV that birds need to manufacturer Vitamin D3. :)
 

juliashmulia

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Hmm ok, just did some more reading on his site and I guess I misunderstood what he was saying in the video. He implied that his lights give off UV (when he ran the meter under his homemade one), but it says right on his site FAQ that they do not, and furthermore that UV output in a bird's cage is potentially dangerous. He says that there's really no such thing as a light that's healthy or beneficial in any way for birds, and that his lights are designed solely to enhance birds' colors. So I guess I'm just giving up on the whole full spectrum/special avian lighting idea? The thing is, household LED bulbs are pretty much all you can find anymore, and they flicker. It's too fast for us to see, but birds can see it, and it can understandably cause psychological issues. You can actually test it by filming an LED bulb in your phone's slow motion mode. When you watch the video, you'll see the constant, rapid flicker.
 

Mizzely

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Karen

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Thank you for posting this.

I’ll be setting up a 5 x 7. How many lights would I need? I was thinking I should get the one for multiple cages.
 

soleaux

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I have given up on UV bulbs for years because the evidence is against it.

CFL and Fluorescent also flicker is my understanding which is part of why they give headaches.

Apparently "flicker free" bulbs do exist. Flicker-Free LED Lighting Advanced Technology | Energy Focus
I’ve been looking for LED alternatives for ages because of flicker and was excited to see this but couldn’t find a page where you can view pricing for their bulbs! Seems like it’s mostly commercial fixtures as well..

For standard LEDs it seems like the problem mostly lies in how the electrical current is supplied, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC), with most households having AC and thus causing flicker. I was doing some reading on standard “flicker free” LEDs and apparently these just up the flicker rates per second until it it’s more acceptable.. which obviously doesn’t help our fids much. Guess I’ll be sticking with incandescent lighting even though those flicker too until we find better alternatives..
 
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Lady Jane

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Your best bet here is to speak to the person in the video. I have spoken to him a few times and he is very responsive to questions or concerns. I have had this lighting system now for about 6 months and it really livens up their mood. I too would ask about a dome top cage.
 

Brittany0208

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Your best bet here is to speak to the person in the video. I have spoken to him a few times and he is very responsive to questions or concerns. I have had this lighting system now for about 6 months and it really livens up their mood. I too would ask about a dome top cage.
Which lighting system is that? I have an LED light that was recommended by @JLcribber, but I forgot what it's called.
 

Lady Jane

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I can honestly say it has been the best lighting for the bird cages I have had. Since my birds often sit on a scarf hanger handing from the ceiling over the cage I need to wipe the light casing once in a while. Make sure and use a timer with it if you get one because the plug does not do well if pulled out of socket every day as I found out.
 
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