Full Spectrum Lighting?

[baron1282]

So after all this debate I just said "Screw It" and bought this bulb.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000KH9S88]Zoo Med Avian Sun 5.0 UVB Bulb:Amazonet Supplies[/ame]

I am pairing it with a lamp I got from tractor supply. Just a simple dome lamp that you use for chickens for winter but being this bulb puts no heat out it will just reflect the light down more. I am sure that is wrong too somehow! But I don't care anymore! I am taking the advice I got from the Bird Shoppie in Cincinatie Ohio. All they do is parrots and other birds. So I trust them more than most on here.

 

[JerseyWendy]

IMO you'll be really happy with this bulb. Your fid's feathers will glow, no doubt about it.

 

[baron1282]

Thanks! Don't mean to sound so critical but it's been a rough few days learning about lighting and getting replays that patronize rather than educate. I really am happy about the shop I found! It's awesome! Look it up online! So that was at least worth the looking around for the right bulb!

 

[JerseyWendy]

I was trying to find a picture of the fixtures I use, and here you can see one of them clearly



I honestly have never had any ill effect with using lights, on the contrary, my fids are much more active while they are on.

 

[MikeyTN]

Thanks! Don't mean to sound so critical but it's been a rough few days learning about lighting and getting replays that patronize rather than educate. I really am happy about the shop I found! It's awesome! Look it up online! So that was at least worth the looking around for the right bulb!

Part of it you were reading parts that your unhappy with instead of reading the whole reply through! Your not gonna always get replies in your favor as your asking for help to understand something and when people reply, instead of being appreciative, some replies were rude and unthankful!

 

[baron1282]

MikeyTN

I didn't mean you, but if you read some other post from others it got a little personal. So of course it's going to get upsetting to a point where you don't take the advice anymore and you just move on and do what your going to do. In the end no one learns and nothing is accomplished. When I asked about it, I had done research first. A lot of the threads were older and as you know technology moves fast so I thought maybe there is something out there now that is newer that I don't know about. So I asked for help. Instead I got an answer that basically told me I don't care about my bird.

We moved on, but the frustration still remains.

I am also into Saltwater tanks as well and today was not a good day for me all the way around. So frustration went into that post above. I had a jumper (My Six Line Wrasse), :-( So that already made me frustrated, and than I got pulled over by a cop that just wanted to lecture me about passing other cars even thou I did nothing wrong (I was in the passing lane and passed him doing the speed limit). So it's been a rough day up to that point. So when I got the light I got on and probably spouted off when I shouldn't have.

I know about Coral lighting and that is a completely different different system than avian lighting. I can buy a LED coral light for less than $200 dollars now, but you are right that back in the day it COST THOUSANDS! Plus that little LED Coral light would only be good for a small coral tank. Anything bigger than your looking close to a grand! I only have a 55 gallon FOWLR tank right now and that cost me a good 2 grand. Some of the lighting goes beyond the 5500k mark so the T5 or T8 lighting wouldn't work, would it?

 

[MikeyTN]

I have actually used the T-5 for my birds for awhile until the thing started to spark so out into the trash it went. Yes the LED system you can get cheap is basically for FOWLR tank but not corals! You would need the Double bright type of LED. But yes the price have come way down then they once were. And I've dealt with countless jumpers, they always find a way to get out don't matter how much you cover to prevent it, all it takes is a tiny gap and they'll find it. It got to be too stressful for me so I got out of saltwater. Good thing you didn't have to battle with bryopsis and I battled with it and won! My postings on bryopsis is still flowing around on reef central and other sites. People always ask me how I win against bryopsis as it is one of the toughest algae you could ever deal with.

 

[baron1282]

Yeah, A jumper can really make your day go bad fast. :-(

That was a $29 dollar fish down the drain. So now all of my other fish are too big to jump out, but somehow they will find a way.

 

[MikeyTN]

I had a $100 wrasse dried up on carpet when I came home....it makes you sick to find them like that!!!!

 

[Echo]

So after all this debate I just said "Screw It" and bought this bulb.

Zoo Med Avian Sun 5.0 UVB Bulb:Amazonet Supplies

I am pairing it with a lamp I got from tractor supply. Just a simple dome lamp that you use for chickens for winter but being this bulb puts no heat out it will just reflect the light down more. I am sure that is wrong too somehow! But I don't care anymore! I am taking the advice I got from the Bird Shoppie in Cincinatie Ohio. All they do is parrots and other birds. So I trust them more than most on here.

I use the zoomed bulbs and have been happy with them

 

[MonicaMc]

So after all this debate I just said "Screw It" and bought this bulb.

Zoo Med Avian Sun 5.0 UVB Bulb:Amazonet Supplies

I am pairing it with a lamp I got from tractor supply. Just a simple dome lamp that you use for chickens for winter but being this bulb puts no heat out it will just reflect the light down more. I am sure that is wrong too somehow! But I don't care anymore! I am taking the advice I got from the Bird Shoppie in Cincinatie Ohio. All they do is parrots and other birds. So I trust them more than most on here.

Guess you are going to hate me then.... lol sorry!


These lights apparently have a Kelvin rating of 6500 and *CAN* cause "sunburn" in birds if placed too close to the cage/perch. Please check out this link and read the application chart.

http://www.zoomed.com/Library//ProductDBFiles/aviansun.pdf


I recall at least three or more cases of where placing these bulbs too close to the cage during the burn-in period caused sunburn/eye damage for the birds. In two cases, the birds required medicated eye-drops! In a third case, the issue was caught quickly enough and it only required moving the bulb further away from the cage to prevent damage.

Essentially, the eyes dry out and it gets red around their eyes.


I've been wanting to buy some bulbs for years now, but I've always been concerned about whether or not they'd do any good (I'm sure they do!) and especially after hearing the sunburn incidents... well, I've been skeptical!

That, and if I did buy some, I'd have to get timers because I'm not always home before dark, and I don't want my birds on an unnatural day/night setting (at least, for my area!).

 

[baron1282]

Hmm, thanks for the info MonicaMc.

I will keep an eye out for this! The light is placed around 12in above the cage, so it's not too close right now. But I will watch for any signs that this might be happening.

 

[MonicaMc]

I would recommend moving it further away from the cage for a minimum of two weeks, maybe better yet for an entire month just to be on the safe side!


Let us know though if you see anything good or bad using the light!

 

[Echo]

It is recommended to keep the light 2 feet away from the cage. For the burn-in period, you can turn it on in another room and use it later....

 

[Echo]

So after all this debate I just said "Screw It" and bought this bulb.

Zoo Med Avian Sun 5.0 UVB Bulb:Amazonet Supplies

I am pairing it with a lamp I got from tractor supply. Just a simple dome lamp that you use for chickens for winter but being this bulb puts no heat out it will just reflect the light down more. I am sure that is wrong too somehow! But I don't care anymore! I am taking the advice I got from the Bird Shoppie in Cincinatie Ohio. All they do is parrots and other birds. So I trust them more than most on here.

Guess you are going to hate me then.... lol sorry!


These lights apparently have a Kelvin rating of 6500 and *CAN* cause "sunburn" in birds if placed too close to the cage/perch. Please check out this link and read the application chart.

http://www.zoomed.com/Library//ProductDBFiles/aviansun.pdf


I recall at least three or more cases of where placing these bulbs too close to the cage during the burn-in period caused sunburn/eye damage for the birds. In two cases, the birds required medicated eye-drops! In a third case, the issue was caught quickly enough and it only required moving the bulb further away from the cage to prevent damage.

Essentially, the eyes dry out and it gets red around their eyes.


I've been wanting to buy some bulbs for years now, but I've always been concerned about whether or not they'd do any good (I'm sure they do!) and especially after hearing the sunburn incidents... well, I've been skeptical!

That, and if I did buy some, I'd have to get timers because I'm not always home before dark, and I don't want my birds on an unnatural day/night setting (at least, for my area!).

However, I did not realize it was 6500K!!!! Thank you Monica.

I'm going to replace mine with an Avian bulb as recommended in this article. Anyone read it already?
Using Full Spectrum Lighting With Birds | Wildlife Rehabber

To recap:

CRI > 92
Between 5000-5800K

One of these? Full Spectrum Lighting, Natural Lighting - Naturallighting.com

 

[MonicaMc]

Crimson, I didn't know either! But I came across someone that said that they are, as per the company.

I know *many* people who buy that brand and use it, so really not sure on that!

 

[baron1282]

hmmm, you sure the bulb is over 6500k?

I will make sure to watch for any signs that is listed and I will let you all know after the burn in period. I moved it up too about 20in away for burn in, than it will go back down to the 12in after burn in.

Thanks everyone!

 

[MonicaMc]

Baron, no I am not sure, so it seriously wouldn't hurt to ask the company!!! I just saw it mentioned that they are 6500K because someone was in a similar predicament, asked the company, didn't receive a reply, ordered the bulb, then get a response.



I can't find any place that doesn't mention the kelvin rating that's not on a separate forum atm, but I did find this... the Naturesun bulb by Zoomed (tube lighting, vs the coil lighting) which has a picture of a sun conure, a frog and a snake on it... and it's 6500k.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-NatureSun-24-Inch-Fluorescent/dp/B003NTEROA]Amazon.com: Zoo Med NatureSun 17 Watt 24-Inch T8 Fluorescent Lamp: Pet Supplies[/ame]





Here's another article that might be of interest.... just to add to the confusion!
Little Feathered Buddies Health & Nutrition

 

[baron1282]

Well, here is my set up. I had to fix the rope brigde as it fell out of it's little hole. I didn't notice until I took the picture.

It's about 19in from the top of the cage (It said 18 to 20in away for burn out time). I can lower and raise it when I want with the way I got it set up.

So the things I did today.

I got him the light and started him on a full pellet diet and took away almost all his seeds to start out. Thankfully he took fast to the fruit pellets, but not veggie pellets. Figures.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Zupreem-Fruit-Blend-medium-Parrots-Lb/dp/B002KLCJVU/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1377571183&sr=1-9&keywords=parrot+pellets"]Amazon.com: Zupreem Fruit Blend-medium Parrots 2 Lb.: Pet Supplies[/ame]

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/ZuPreem-AvianMaintenance-Natural-Parrots-Conures/dp/B001OLUVP8/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1377571183&sr=1-2&keywords=parrot+pellets"]Amazon.com: ZuPreem AvianMaintenance Natural Bird Diet for Parrots & Conures, 3 lbs.: Pet Supplies[/ame]

We cut up the veggie ones into smaller pellets and mix it with the fruit pellets. Perfect blend!!

We also got him a water bottle and I might want to get two more and switch completely to them. Only because I hate how much standing water tends to get slimy in the bowl even with replacing every single day. But I also know that water bottles can get stuck so that's why I would like to get more than just one. So he has a few more sources of water if one goes down.

So pellets, water bottles, toys, and now lighting. It's been one big bird birthday for my guy. (I got the light on a timer too)

To top it all off my "Six Line Wrasse" (Saltwater fish) decided it was too much and jumped out of the smallest opening he could find in my Saltwater tank. :-/

 

[MonicaMc]

As long as the water dishes are washed daily with soap, I haven't noticed any slime! Although water that gets soiled does tend to get the dishes grimier quicker.... only solution I can recommend is adding a couple of drops of ACV to the water! (I rarely ever do this myself - some may recommend GSE, but I do not!) That, or perhaps adding ice cubes to the water? Would keep it fresher for longer...


I am sorry for all the confusion! It would be so nice if things were simple and straight forward! lol


Sorry about the fish though! Don't really know anything about them, but that's a pretty fish!



All in all though, it appears to be a good setup!