indoor temperature needs for birds

[Rana]

Hi Guys,

My conure and hahn's both have their cages in our living room, now that the nights are getting colder, the temperature can drop a good bit inside,
and i was just wondering if it wouldn't get too cold for them in there...

It wouldn't go below freezing indoors of course, but when i take them out in the morning their little feet would feel very cold against my skin.
what is a good temperature to have in doors?

Thanks for your replies!

 

[Adinafloyd]

I am not sure on this one. During the winter here we dont even get snow so I just keep the thermostat on 68 year round. Im not sure how cold it gets in Ireland (wow that is a beautiful country, would love to see it in person one day) Im sure someone on here can help. Have you considered a heated percfh??

 

[MonicaMc]

My birds are used to temperatures as cold as 50° F at night. They have done fine with no extra heating source.

There are heated perches or panels for parrots, or if your local hard ware store has them, you can find a heated ceramic bulb with a special lamp to provide extra heat as well.

 

[Zuzu]

It all depends on the species of the bird really. I myself have a senegal parrot, and did alot of reading up on it to see what the right temp would be esp seeing were from buffalo,ny. and were well known for our winters and snow. the senegal has to be kept around 65-68, but can go as hot as 98 and live comfortably with being an african bird, so like i said it all depends on the general location of where the bird originated from.

 

[MaraWentz]

Heating perches have been quite controversial as many parrots have burned their feets on them.

 

[Riio]

Heating perches have been quite controversial as many parrots have burned their feets on them.

Really? Wow I have one and it doesnt seem like it could ever get that hot. Its just slightly warm to the touch! I do feel it every night before I put lil one in there just to be sure its working, I will have to be sure to let my hubs know to check it too, wouldnt want lil one to get hurt if it malfunctions!

 

[ruffledfeathers]

i have always just kept my house from mid 60's to maybe 82, but i believe a healthy parrot with an ideal weight can handle down into the 50's as long as it happens gradually. I personally am a wimp and can barely handle it dropping under 65 without layers and layers of clothing, so my birds have never experienced cold because i can't take it either!

 

[Moony]

I am new here but not new to using Radiant Heat Panels.. Used them for many years.. Much better than any heat source you put in the cage, you will not burn your bird in any way,because it is used outside the cage.. They make them in various wattages to suit your need... If you are worried about the temps getting to low,you might want to look at them..

 

[Boysmom]

I use a DeLonghi oil filled radiator electric heater. I place a bowl of water on top so the air doesnt get dry. I checked after posting a question here about heat and it doesnt have teflon PTFE. It is several years old, so any coatings have burned off years ago.

 

[DebsFlock]

Space heaters with exposed heating elements may contain traces of PTFE on the elements, I believe it is used to help them release from the molds during manufacture. It will burn off, you can run those at a high level outside for a number of hours to get rid of it. I haven't done it myself, but I know of people who do. The Delonghi radiatior style thing doesn't have exposed elements.

My understanding is that rapid changes in temperature are more likely to be problematic than the actual temperature within ranges we easily tolerate (say 50-90 plus or minus a bit). That said, we live in a fairly temperate climate and heat or cool the house to between 67-75 pretty much all the time.

 

[vicky2200]

I have cockatiels and a parakeet ( have had multiple parakeets in the past) and I keep the house no lower than 60 and they do fine. When it is cold, I put a cover around all of the cage except the front to keep it a bit warmer. It would probably depend on the species and the individual bird too. I would think if your birds foot feels cold, you should get them warmer some how.

 

[SpringCottageParrot]

Heating perches have been quite controversial as many parrots have burned their feets on them.

They have my sympathy - I had an old Volvo with heated seats that scorched a hole in the back of my trousers and burnt my bum.

Do you cover the cage at night? It should stay cozy under a blanket especially as they roost at the top but maybe a low wattage black light bulb or other heater under the cage would help.

Casper seems to be quite well insulated, almost like he has thermal underwear beneath his feathers. He came from a house that was always kept very warm so he is in for a shock this winter.

A maximum/minimum thermometer would help you to make a proper assessment.

 

[MonicaMc]

With the exception of Charlie, my mitred conure, my entire flock are Australian birds! I don't know how cold it gets in Australia, where these birds originate from, but I do know that it gets scorching hot! So hot in fact, that the birds die from dehydration if they can't find a water source... or from drowning, if they do! And that's in very bad years...

Knock on wood, they still do fine with temps in the low 50's at night and into the 80's (if not warmer) during the day. I like to keep the window open for them during the warmer months/days so they can get fresh air and it doesn't get stuffy (cockatiels are dusty birds!) and tend to close it when the temperatures start to dip. I haven't closed the window yet but I'll probably be starting that this week!


I don't "spoil" my birds by keeping the house at a constant temperature because they are birds... or keeping them to a strict 12 hour day/night schedule because they are birds! If you do this naturally, that's fine! But I often hear people keeping the house warmer or cooler for their birds or keeping them to a strict sleep schedule because they are birds. Me, personally, I feel it is healthier (if not mentally, then at least hormonally) for them to experience different temperatures and day/night time schedules throughout the year. In this way, I don't have hens laying in the dead of winter and I don't have chronic egg layers (i.e. birds laying year round). But then, this has just been my experience.

 

[SpringCottageParrot]

Quote from the internet: You will find that the temperatures in Outback Australia are not hot all the time. The winter night temperatures in the Australian Outback desert often drop below freezing point.
Everything you read on the internet is true* but this should indicate that you don't have to worry too much. I once knew a chap who kept a couple of large parrots in an outdoor aviary in south east England. They survived for several years until we had an extreme winter.

 

[Rana]

thanks for all the replies folks i don't think it would go below 50 indoors here (10 Celsius - i had to google that...) I hadn't heard of heated perches before but i wouldn't be very comfortable using them. it's true that they are birds - and therefore are not subjected to hot and cold issues as much as us fickle humans... i'm sure they will be fine indeed. but it's always good to know these things!

 

[tab_xo]

Quote from the internet: You will find that the temperatures in Outback Australia are not hot all the time. The winter night temperatures in the Australian Outback desert often drop below freezing point.

correct i live in the 'outback' in mountains, and during winter we get ice and frost but our average night is about 2-7 degrees..
during summer its roughly about 30-38 degrees.. but that is in direct sunlight, it is alot cooler inside.. and then drops alot at night! i hate the heat though

we have wild galahs, parakeets, and other birds and they are all fine with the different temperatures throughout the year!

 

[Rana]

i do cover them both at night yes - they have fleece blankets to cover them so they should keep some heat. I'm picking up two wooly hats later today and convert them into birdie - sleeping huts. I'll keep you all posted on that experiment