Tropical bird in a nontropical climate

[Kelli711]

I live in an area where it isn't warm all the time,it's getting to that time of year again and in the last couple of nights it's gotten down into freezing temperatures,what is a good way to keep our bird warm?We put a comforter around her cage hoping it will help to keep the heat in but she isn't used to her cage being covered because it never has been.I'm just curious how others keep their birds warm in the bitter cold months.We have a blue fronted amazon.Open to suggestions.

 

[love4birds]

Most birds adapt to cooler temperatures quite well as long as they have the chance to get acclimated The only time my guys have had any extra heat source (other than the furnace running of course) was when their cages were in what's now our family room. It's a big room with lots of big windows so is the coldest room in the house in the winter! We just used a small space heater to bump the temperature up a few degrees then. Now they are in different rooms and are just fine. I do plan on buying a heated perch for Leyla and Nin though. They are big snugglebugs but L gets very nesty when I give them a tent or platform perch so those are no-gos. I think they'll enjoy to have warm little footsies from a heated perch

 

[Deejo]

Birds don't require any special care in winter months. Once acclimated to slightly cooler house temperatures,
they do just fine. Covering the cage is what most people do.
Parrots have a huge advantage over us humans - they have insulating down feathers.
It is extreme heat that can have drastic/devastating effects on birds.
We have had power outages, once lasting for 6 days, during cold winter months - the birds were just fine!

 

[Bokkapooh]

How long have you had her? Do you turn the heat on sometimes? On very cold nights, the heat has been turned on, on other nights, on ok nights, the heat is left off.

 

[JLcribber]

Once the air outside starts getting cold it loses it's moisture and the humidity goes down. Warm air will feel warmer with moisture in it so its important to keep proper humidity.

If the room is comfortable for you in a T shirt it will be comfortable for your bird too.

 

[Bokkapooh]

I don't know John. Here in WA state, its very moist out even when its cold Cold, hot,.doesn't matter this western side of the state is determined to make itself humid all year 'round.

 

[Jeddy]

Get an Avitemp panel. Bodie loves his........

 

[Kelli711]

The heat kicks on so far right no just when it reaches a certain temp in the house,just during the night pretty much,we have had her for I think this will be going on the third year,when it does snow or we get storms we do tend to lose power.Just wanted some opinions,she was a bit weirded out by the comforter.And we were curious about a heated perch as well,just was concerned about how hot they get,don't want it burning her feet,but I figure they can't get that hot.What's an avitemp panel?

 

[Kelli711]

I live on the east coast,new england area,It can get real hot or real cold here.

 

[itzmered]

We keep our house at 60 at night and 65 - 70 during the day all winter and my birds do just fine in it. They acclimate very well. The low humidity is harder on them then the cold is so I run a humidifier all winter

 

[Bokkapooh]

Heated perches are excellent. But the wire will be close to the cage. You'll want to put it through PVC pipe.

 

[Kelli711]

yea we have the heat kick on if it goes below 65 since the weather isn't steadily freezing yet.With the cost of heat we need to be somewhat careful,but we had the heat at like 70 all last year.we figure if their is an issue she can always sleep in the computer room with the door shut.That's how we have the house right now because the house is cold.She is in the computer room with us but is most of the day.Her cage is by a slider though that she sleeps in at night.Last night we put a comforter around the cage so it would stay a bit warmer,but we had to take it off during the day because she wasn't liking it.

 

[birdlady]

We put our thermostat to 62 in the winter at night and 68-69 during the day and the birds do fine. Little Maya has a heated perch and also an avitech heat panel. The conures all have a tent to go in if they want. The birds all also have a fleece snuggle to cozy up to.

 

[zuzanqa]

I am worried about my budgies as well. Our house has no central heating and we use a gas heater in the living room where the cage is, but if there´s noone home, the heater is off. I read somewhere that a thermo perch can burn the birds´feet? It sounds like a nice solution but I´m not sure...

 

[Mizzely]

I am worried about my budgies as well. Our house has no central heating and we use a gas heater in the living room where the cage is, but if there´s noone home, the heater is off. I read somewhere that a thermo perch can burn the birds´feet? It sounds like a nice solution but I´m not sure...

I used a thermoperch all winter and never had an issue. They are set to run at your birds body temperature. It would be like saying you got burned in 98 degree Fahrenheit water. Since your body should normally be around 98.6, it will feel lukewarm but will heat you up to a normal temp if you are cold.

That is my understanding at least.

 

[Featherpaws]

someone i knew had the perch short circuit and fry the bird's feet. not a common occurance, but its an electric type perch, so it can happen

 

[Mizzely]

someone i knew had the perch short circuit and fry the bird's feet. not a common occurance, but its an electric type perch, so it can happen

There is a risk with every single thing we give our birds. Toys can strangle, food can cause illness, electronics meant to make life better can fail. We each have to do what we are comfortable with. It is good to know the risks and weigh them for yourself

 

[Featherpaws]

exactly i personally wont use them, i like external heating better personally. like they have those heat panels for birds

 

[65sunnyday]

My finches LOVE their heated perches, & I feel they're quite safe.

 

[Ziggymon]

I have a couple of the deLonghi oil filled space heaters (bird safe), which I use to keep the bird areas a bit warmer than I like to keep the rest of the house. I also use them at nights during those seasons when the furry family members and I am all snuggled up comfortably, but where it might be a trifle too chilly for the feathered people.