How Cold is Too Cold?

[jiannotto9492]

So I know a lot of people are gonna say that 60 F is too cold for a bird but here in NY we have a bunch of wild monks that are out even when it is in the 40's.

So how cold do you think is actually too cold for a bird?

 

[SailBoat]

So I know a lot of people are gonna say that 60 F is too cold for a bird but here in NY we have a bunch of wild monks that are out even when it is in the 40's.

So how cold do you think is actually too cold for a bird?

Understanding that the vast majority of our Parrots are from areas with a higher normal temperature range than the Wild birds that stay the Winter. Also, there are a large number of Wild Birds that migrate too warmer climates in the Winters, cause its warmer elsewhere!

The Parrots that live with us 'in our homes' are accustom to a fairly narrow temperature range. So, taking them outside in 40 degree weather will be very cold for them. Can they become accustom to lower temperature ranges, yes! But, that requires them becoming adapted to that temperature with enough time to increase the downy layer of feathers. That transition would have to have begun months ago! So, please do not take your 'indoor' Parrot outside when its Cold!

 

[goalerjones]

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[goalerjones]

Probably this...^^^

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[jiannotto9492]

So I know a lot of people are gonna say that 60 F is too cold for a bird but here in NY we have a bunch of wild monks that are out even when it is in the 40's.

So how cold do you think is actually too cold for a bird?

Understanding that the vast majority of our Parrots are from areas with a higher normal temperature range than the Wild birds that stay the Winter. Also, there are a large number of Wild Birds that migrate too warmer climates in the Winters, cause its warmer elsewhere!

The Parrots that live with us 'in our homes' are accustom to a fairly narrow temperature range. So, taking them outside in 40 degree weather will be very cold for them. Can they become accustom to lower temperature ranges, yes! But, that requires them becoming adapted to that temperature with enough time to increase the downy layer of feathers. That transition would have to have begun months ago! So, please do not take your 'indoor' Parrot outside when its Cold!

Oh by all means I do not intend on it. I just see that a lot of people have been buying heaters and what not for their birds. And I just realized that even if you keep your house at 60 F it should be perfectly fine for your birds.

Cause ya know whenever you provide a heater for a bird there are definitely risks that are associated with the heaters.

 

[SilverSage]

That depends on many factors such as where the bird is native to, how healthy, how old, how gradually you accustom them to the temp. But ultimately it is best not to subject our. Irns to extremes.


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[jenphilly]

That depends on many factors such as where the bird is native to, how healthy, how old, how gradually you accustom them to the temp. But ultimately it is best not to subject our. Irns to extremes.


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What I was about to say! Birds can acclimate to lower temps but its over time. And the Quakers that are wild in our area actually have quite a few lost every winter, its truly only the strong survive and they live in very large communal nests so they have many friends huddled into those nests to generate warmth.

But to share a personal experience, we lost all service for about a week during Hurricane Sandy, and while it was not down to freezing, we had some chilly nights where our place got down to the 50s. We had all the cages together in the center of the room and well covered at night. Everyone made it thru well!

But we do not let our temps drop below mid 60s and that's usually only during change of seasons. For winter we keep temps around 70. But we have reptiles too so lower temps are a bigger worry with them.

 

[SilverSage]

Some species of bird such as IRNs and Quakers are EXTREMELY HARDY and survive much better in harsh weather than other birds. That is a large part of why those two species are illegal in so many places. Expecting a conure to be just as hardy is a recipe for disaster, or even your average pet IRN or Quaker who is used to heat and AC inside a home.


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[jiannotto9492]

Yeah, I mean my main point I was trying to convey is that the heaters aren't as necessary as many people believe they are and that birds can do just fine with the temperature most of us keep our houses at.

 

[GaleriaGila]

Great answers... so, YEAH, what y'all said!

The Rickeybird is native to Patagonia, of course, which has desert-highs and frigid-lows, so he's pretty tough. Even so, I would think he'd need to acclimate to those temperatures, not just be expected to survive a change from indoors into a winter outside. In any event, it's interesting and rewarding to learn about your birds' origins and adaptations.

 

[SilverSage]

It really depends on the owner to make that call. Some situations would be greatly improved by a heater, and there are heaters specifically designed to be safe for our birds. It is each person's choice.


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[Anansi]

Yeah, I mean my main point I was trying to convey is that the heaters aren't as necessary as many people believe they are and that birds can do just fine with the temperature most of us keep our houses at.

I believe my situation fits into the point you're making, here. Before I had my ekkies, I had a cockatiel. And for nearly 18 years (he died just shy of 18 due to kidney disease) I would turn on a heater by his cage every winter. I did this because where I lived the temperature would sometimes dip as low as 68F in the house during the night. It felt chilly to me, so I figured it was also chilly to him. (And he didn't even have a blanket or a sweater!)

By the time i got my ekkies, I knew better. You're right. In the typical household, the temps inside would be fine for our birds... given time to acclimate. They simply position their feathers according to the temperature around them. When they puff up, for instance, they are trapping warm air between their bodies and their feathers so as to conserve warmth. The real danger is in drafts or such sudden shifts in temperature, because then they have to be constantly compensating for the changes. Too much of this becomes a stress on the system.

All that said, I'm assuming an average home temperature, here. If icicles are forming on your ceilings and there is frost on your windows, chances are the above scenario does not apply. Lol!