Heat wave!

[Conure Mom]

Hi all! I'm new to this board, just discovered it tonight when I decided to Google "How do parrots deal with heat wave". So that's my question.... I live in Seattle where we don't get a lot of hot weather, consequently most of us don't have air conditioning. I have to confess I have it in my bedroom, but not in the room where my sun conure and my green cheek conure are. We reached record highs today of around 100 degrees and it was (still is) really like a sauna in my house. I worry about how Nikki (sun conure) and Charlie (green cheek) deal with the heat. Everyone says "Oh but they are tropical birds, right?". Well, yeah, but they've never been in the tropics. They're domesticated birds who have only lived in the mild Pacific Northwest climate.

Anyone know whether they are really suffering in the heat, or if there's anything I should be watching out for besides the obvious? I keep giving them fresh cool water, and I keep a fan blowing, but there is a point in the heat where the fan is only blowing hot air around.

Thanks much and, I'm looking forward to reading all about your conures!

 

[indigo]

First of oall, welcome. Second, I am just north of you in Vancouver (area) and completely relate with birds in this heat.

Here is what I do to help my birds stay cool (when its this hot specifically)

1. I have a fan on in the room they are in. Right now, and I don't usually do this, but right now I am having it oscolate so it "touches" their cages (the front half anyways)

and

2. I have their bird baths available for them. The baths serve two purposes; a) extra water, and b) to wet themselves, even if just a little. I know, you shouldn't do this, but today it was 110*F in the shade (literally) and they were walking around wings up and looking all wilty.

3. Extra fresh veggies; grated carrots, leafy stuff, juicy fruits, anything wet like that. Before this heat recently, they'd not touch anything NOT green (aka carrots, tomato, blue berries etc) before.

also ice cubes in shallow bowls will guve them cool water throughout the day, or freeze water in some dishes and take outfor a bit to start the meltage then give to them, or give right off and it will take longer to melt while available.

I am thinking maybe of making rope toys that are soaked in water (or whatever wet), frozen into whatever shape I want and then given to them - or would this hurt their feet or something - any thoughts???

Oh, and Conure Mom, welcome again


[ I have lovebirds and a budgie, btw ]

 

[Genlisae]

Hi, and welcome! Also in the same heatwave. 112 today.. not fun!

Only have 1 lovebird myself but he was doing the wings up looking wilted thing too. When I took him outside while I sat in the shade beside the garden watching the kids in the pool. The mister was running on the garden and he went over of his own accord and played in the spray. Don't know if that is recommended (still new to this) but since he went himself and when he was done he hopped up on my shoulder and preened himself until dry I didn't think it could hurt him much.

Here is a link to the mister I am talking about. http://www.pooltoy.com/cobramiststand.html
Great for humans too by the way and they come in a mini "personal" size as well. When it's not on the garden and I have to be out, I use it myself it's wonderful.

 

[Peta]

Here's a mister you can put on their cages as well.

http://www.24parrot.com/search_results.asp?usrID=9ABD6159-E52A-4860-A2DC-10E31C3E6486

I also give mine lots of mistings in the heat, ice cubes in their water and lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Anything really that will help cool them down. I've also had oscillating fans, but as you say after a while the only thing they do is push round warm air.

Homes here don't have AC, unless the owners puts it in, but then its very expensive.

The only thing my lot are getting at the moment is probably frost bite. Its still raining, dark and chilly most of the time, the rest of the time its rain, dark and very humid. Half of the summer has gone and we haven't see the sun yet.

Welcome to you ConureMum, look forward to getting to know you and your fids. Hope you have a great time here. If you need anything just ask, we are always about. Welcome to our family. Oh yes one more thing, we looooooooooove pictures here. (Sorry couldn't help myself.) Me I'm addicted to pictures, pictures pictures and more pics.

 

[TexDot33]

OH WONDERFUL! I too have a Sunny and a GC ... and ya know, there isn't really all that much to worry about ... these birds are equiped to handle heat, remember what their natural habitiat is ... if you are really worried, just try to keep the house cooler by closing all your curtains, don't open them from early in the mornign to later in the afternoon ... and keep a fan going to move the air around ... also make sure that your birdies have fresh, cool water ... and like has been mentioned here already, frequent mistings ... they should be able to handle it just fine! Welcome to the board and we hope that you stay around now ..

 

[Conure Mom]

Thank you all for the warm welcome and the advice and reassurance! Nikki and Charlie (who is female, but I named her before I knew what sex she was and everyone thought the name was perfect for her anyway!) seemed to have gotten through the worst of the heat just fine, and today is supposed to be hot, but not quite as hot as yesterday. I did find a good article about birds and hot weather, here.... http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/heat.html

I love pictures too! I will definitely be back with pictures of my babes..... it's nice to be in a place where I don't have to worry that people will think that I'm turning into a crazy old bird lady! For now I'm off to work. Hope you all have a wonderful day. Stay cool!

 

[NicoleN]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this or not as I just skimmed though, but a good way to tell if your bird is too hot is if they don't hold their wings directly to their sides, if they hold them out just a little. When I put Sisqo outside I always check how his wings are doing.

 

[Peta]

I love pictures too! I will definitely be back with pictures of my babes..... it's nice to be in a place where I don't have to worry that people will think that I'm turning into a crazy old bird lady! For now I'm off to work. Hope you all have a wonderful day. Stay cool!

Pictures pictures and more pictures.

Theres nothing wrong with being a crazy old bird lady. I should know, I am that CRAZY OLD BIRD LADY.

 

[CPem]

Unfortunately the link below is now longer working - you can see any similar products on this new updated page from Northern Parrots - Miscellaneous Accessories | Fun Accessories For Parrots







07-12-2007, 07:51 AM
Peta

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Re: Heat wave!
Here's a mister you can put on their cages as well.

http://www.24parrot.com/search_resul...C-10E31C3E6486

I also give mine lots of mistings in the heat, ice cubes in their water and lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Anything really that will help cool them down. I've also had oscillating fans, but as you say after a while the only thing they do is push round warm air.

Homes here don't have AC, unless the owners puts it in, but then its very expensive.

The only thing my lot are getting at the moment is probably frost bite. Its still raining, dark and chilly most of the time, the rest of the time its rain, dark and very humid. Half of the summer has gone and we haven't see the sun yet.

Welcome to you ConureMum, look forward to getting to know you and your fids. Hope you have a great time here. If you need anything just ask, we are always about. Welcome to our family. Oh yes one more thing, we looooooooooove pictures here. (Sorry couldn't help myself.) Me I'm addicted to pictures, pictures pictures and more pics.

 

[Kiwibird]

Wow! This thread is from 2007... How'd this ever get up to the main page again?

 

[clark_conure]

Because the post previous to you is SPAM, look at the join date. That post from Cpem can be deleted, it's the link to the same website though.

 

[SailBoat]

Wow! This thread is from 2007... How'd this ever get up to the main page again?

Looks like an upgrade of the 'link.' That's my guess anyway.

FYI: So you think its Spam - I didn't look that closely.

 

[clark_conure]

It's the same website, but that's the only post the user has made to update that one link. And they just joined today like three minutes before that post.