I live/sleep in basement- Bird proofing it?

[Maxo]

I'm getting a pionus and keeping it in a basement room. We live in New Hampshire.

TO BE CLEAR: I actually live in the basement. I'm there when I'm not working, and even still, I work a lot from home. The basement opens with a sliding door to the outside. It's a very, very sunny basement and I'll play with him often here. This is not conventional "am I allowed to lock my new parrot in a dark basement where junk is stored" thread.

What I'm honestly concerned about is bird proofing a room for any possible problems a basement brings. I NEED to know if I need to wait until I move from this home to someplace that isn't a basement before I pay for an expensive bird that I'm prepared to bond with only to find I've... Killed him.

List anything and how I can manage it!

ALSO- New England winters... How LOW would you let the TEMPERATURE drop? I'm prepared to get a powerful heater. I just want to know what other New Englanders do with their parrots.

 

[Dinosrawr]

I, too, dwell in a basement! Unfortunately mine isn't as sunny as yours is, as it's very much so below ground and only has the required escape sized windows. What's most important about basements is potential mold problems, bug problems, and light problems. If you have appropriate ventilation in your bathroom(s), and if everything has been sealed properly, then it shouldn't be a problem. If you're concerned, you could always bring in a mold testing company to check the spore count on the air. Bugs shouldn't be an issue if the foundation is still sound, and light obviously isn't a problem for you!

As for bird proofing, I would recommend netting over your sliding door to prevent the birds from escaping. Even a clipped bird can fly and get away with the right luck, wind, and the element of surprise. Temperature wise... I range from 20 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. I have a small space heater and air purifier that are always working away, and I keep three small temperature gauges in different locations of my basement suite. General rule of thumb is if you feel you need a sweater inside, your birds could use one too.

I'm not sure what else, but hopefully someone else has some ideas too! I hope you're able to get your bird, Pi's are absolutely beautiful

 

[Scott]

Are you aware of the potential dangers of Radon? It is a low-level radioactive gas that is present in many parts of the country, and can concentrated in areas that are tightly sealed.

It can easily be tested, and mitigated. Here's a link from the EPA: A Citizen's Guide to Radon | Radon | US Environmental Protection Agency

 

[Maxo]

Thanks for the reply guys! I'll keep it in mind.