do you provide uvb uva light? - plucking

[rope]

i was reading about pluckers when i saw someone writing that plucking could be lack of uvb uvb rays...saying a bird will preen the oil gland at the base of its tail to release oil....the oil makes vitamin d when exposed to sun light or uva uvb light...then when the bird is preening again it ingests the vitamin d...also i read birds absorb uvb uva through their eyes..saying their eyes also need uvb uva................i read that birds that have low vitamin d (low calcium) can pluck more trying to get at their oil that is supposed contain vitamin d...and the problem gets worse and worse...i'm thinking when a bird is young its very important to expose it to uvb uva light..i don't know if you can help a bird that is already plucking but maybe....feeding foods to the bird high in calcium are also supposed to be good..many lizards need to make their calcium through uv light..lizards can be healthier when they can get uv from light as well as food...my guess is birds that eat whole animals can get a lot of their calcium from their food..while birds like parrots may need to get their calcium from their own oil and through their eyes...anyway...i think i'll put our new gray out on the porch some..i do know our conures love the sun...

 

[Bandespresso]

Your Pet Bird Could Be Seriously UV Deficient here is an excellent article about the impotance of full spectrum UV lighting for birds. You hit a lot of stuff right on the nose! Basically, get your fids outside for as long as you can daily. Espresso has supervised outside time on her grapevine perch as well as walks with the dog and short hikes (we will do longer hikes when i manage to snag a birdie backpack) and lots of adventures! Not everyone has cooperative birds and good weather so they do make full spectrum bulbs that help but are really no match for the real thing. I wouldn't necessarily go as far as to say that vitamin D deficiency can cause plucking but it definitely can make matters worse for a bird who already has the compulsion.

Calcium is also super important especially for greys and hens who are laying eggs! A cooked egg with the eggshell crushed into it is a great source of calcium. Dark, leafy greens are a good source as well however, ironically, some greens such as spinach and swiss chard contain oxalates which bind with minerals and inhibit calcium absorption. I feed greens in moderation because they are super good for fids beyond that. Just remember that birds absorb nutrients from food a lot better than any sort of supplement!

 

[LeaKP]

i make sure my birds get plenty of natural sunlight daily (in Florida this is not difficult). They LOVE being outside.

 

[MissLarissa]

My bird doesn't pluck, but I don't provide a uvb uba light for my bird. His has his own full sized desk with plenty of birdy 'furniture' that sits in front of the window in my living room. I know the light is important for them so I leave my blind open as long as there is sunlight available. If my bird started plucking or over preening I would definitely get a light and find a good way to allow outside time.

 

[Kiwibird]

Kiwi went about 6 years with us without one and never plucked (and presumably never had one in a prior home either). He spent a lot more time outside though since we used to live in Arizona. We got him one last year (we moved to Oregon where theres just not as many sunny days) and he loves it. I have noticed his feathers seem shinier and he spends a hour or 2 under it a couple times a week. For calcium and minerals, he gets a manu block and cuttle bones occasionally.

Of course, natural light is ALWAYS best for a birds sunshine needs. Our bird lights up when he goes outside, and no UV lamp is ever going to replace that whole experience!

 

[Kyoto]

I live on the east coast of canada, where the weather outside most days is not warm enough to take Kyoto outside, so I do use a UVB/UVA light. I take her outside whenever possible as well, as it is a better option for them. I really need to get her a cage for the living room that we can roll outside easily.

 

[brianlinkles]

Yes a full spectrum light is very important. Birds do not metabolize calcium properly without it. Putting a bird in front of a window does nothing as the glass takes out 90% of the uv. Screening takes away 35%. Birds like African greys need many hours daily as they get so much from their natural habitat.

 

[rope]

i'm wondering what artificial light is best...i know from using them in the past for reptiles the distance from the light matters a lot....also..what light matches the suns spectrum best...too much ultraviolet or too much inferred i'm sure wouldn't be good in the long run...are african grays in the wild mostly at sea level where the spectrum on the earth is less then above sea level....i will try to get our new african outside in the sun...we do that for our conures its just our africans cage is a little big to bring in and out...we also live in maine so winter just doesn't work....i'm going to do a little experimenting using a clear plastic glass filed with tonic water...they say if you put it in sun light you can see the uv in blue at the top..then maybe do this under artificial uv light..this might help to make sure the distance from the artificial light is right...also to check out if the bulb is still good over time....the plucking i read about was the parrot craving calcium.... so because they get their calcium from the oil at the base of their tail (after sun light has change it to calcium) they over preen that leads to plucking...this is what i read and i am not an expert...i do understand that foods ingested mixed with other stuff like oil or another food or water or juice can be absorbed differently as it moves through a digestive system...so calcium in broccoli may not have the same effect as the calcium birds get from preening (after they have been in sunlight)..

 

[Birdman666]

Mine go outside for awhile every nice day.

Doing that is good for them, both psychologically, and in terms of lighting.

 

[Kiwibird]

I have the featherbrite, and out of the very limited number of parrot UV lights available, they are the best. You should NOT use a reptile light, they are not made for birds and can cause serious burns.

 

[Bert]

Has anybody tried this light out? It has great reviews on Windy City parrots website but I can't find much about it anywhere else.. I need a stand up light I can adjust and that is why I like the look of this one. It may be junk and if it is please tell me and help me find another quality one. Thanks!
Full Spectrum Bird Cage Floor Lamp | bird cage light | bird full spectrum light

 

[miki]

Your Pet Bird Could Be Seriously UV Deficient here is an excellent article about the impotance of full spectrum UV lighting for birds. You hit a lot of stuff right on the nose! Basically, get your fids outside for as long as you can daily. Espresso has supervised outside time on her grapevine perch as well as walks with the dog and short hikes (we will do longer hikes when i manage to snag a birdie backpack) and lots of adventures! Not everyone has cooperative birds and good weather so they do make full spectrum bulbs that help but are really no match for the real thing. I wouldn't necessarily go as far as to say that vitamin D deficiency can cause plucking but it definitely can make matters worse for a bird who already has the compulsion.

Calcium is also super important especially for greys and hens who are laying eggs! A cooked egg with the eggshell crushed into it is a great source of calcium. Dark, leafy greens are a good source as well however, ironically, some greens such as spinach and swiss chard contain oxalates which bind with minerals and inhibit calcium absorption. I feed greens in moderation because they are super good for fids beyond that. Just remember that birds absorb nutrients from food a lot better than any sort of supplement!

There are some Birdie breads, that come in different flavors, each of which call for 2 eggs, with the shells included. I strongly recommend doing some research, especially online, to see if you can find a good birdie-bread recipe, or some already-packaged Birdie Bread mixes that merely call for adding the water, 2 eggs with the shells, and also a couple of Tbsps of either corn oil or vegetable oil, and then baking in the oven, for about a half an hour. All the best of luck to you. Keep us all posted.

 

[SilverSage]

I have always been made nervous by artificial uv lights for birds because I have read about them causing issues. I think i will wait until the market is a bit more established before going in on it, however, I have that luxury because I live in Hawaii. My birds are in front of a window with no glass when they are caged and they get direct sun in the morning, my tame birds I try to get outside at least a few times a week for as long as possible, and my rehab birds go out every day for several hours at least. Between more sunlight and switching from pellets to natural foods, I have noticed a dramatic and visible change in my flock both in physical condition as well as attitude and personality.

 

[brianlinkles]

Dependent on the species of bird is how you calculate the time needed either inside under a full spectrum light or out in the sunshine. Birds that come from areas where they gets lots of sun (African species) require more for instance. Birds also have a fourth cone in their eyes, this allows them to not only see extremely well but also makes them sensitive to different flicker rates of certain full spectrum bulbs. Bulbs that are good for birds are generally acceptable for reptiles however this is not true in reverse as not many reptile bulbs would be suitable for birds. You need to place your light no closer than 12 inches to the birds perch and no further away than 15 inches. Directly light up 1/3 to 1/2 of the cage this allows the bird to self regulate and step in and out of the light through out the day. Allowing an African grey about 7-8 hours daily would be beneficial. You don't want them to have all day wither bulb on as this could get hormones going and push them into breeding mode. All birds should have full spectrum bulbs unless have unfiltered sunlight available for the proper amount each day.

 

[rope]

since i posted this we have put our tag's cage outside during the day...giving about half of his cage 4 hours of sun a day...he loves it! after eating breakfast with me he goes back in his cleaned cage with fresh veggies and pellets .....we also got a featherbrite bulb for winter..thanks all!

 

[jasper19]

My bird doesn't pluck, but I don't provide a uvb uba light for my bird. His has his own full sized desk with plenty of birdy 'furniture' that sits in front of the window in my living room. I know the light is important for them so I leave my blind open as long as there is sunlight available. If my bird started plucking or over preening I would definitely get a light and find a good way to allow outside time.

Just a tip that the UVB rays do not go through glass. Though i am sure your birds are very happy being able to see out the window!..but as far as the good effects from the sunlight glass stops that.

I do provide a bulb during the day, just from a lamp that is on part of the cage.