New age confusion

[April]

So there are a few things I am confused or may have been mislead to believe is good ,for moe money :
-How many people still cover their birds and thoughts regarding this?
I did not get a cover and am concerned
-I got a fancy light with moon bulb also I know this one is tough but if you already had the light would you use it?
I did get swept up in the fun , but we both seem thoroughly confused by this light situation, background ,the room we are in is on the side of the house that sun doesn’t shine directly in so I personally love it but read some of the articles on the lights ,food not looking healthy and on the other side they could go blind from them. I have always been used to “lasagna “ I think you all call it chop but we didn’t stir it we layered it and cut it like lasagna 3 day fridge 2 meals a day and sprouts and tiny bit pellets where stirred in later. 2.3.4. First layer was brown rice and grains (2), 3 fruits, 4 veggies . Everything was different after 3 days rotated and so on. Anyone else do the old version or even here of it?

 

[GaleriaGila]

Every bird is truly different. I bet you'll get a nice selection of ideas...
As for ligting... I cover half the cage. Ever since the Rickeybird hit sexual maturity at about 3-4 years of age, I've had to manage his hormones! If kept on too steady a long day, and too much light, he stayed "in the mood" (aggressive, even louder than usual, pleasuring himself on my neck ) year round. If I keep him on a natural light schedule... up with dawn, down with dusk, year around... THEN he's only a little monster rooster from July to September). He has his own room, so I can do that easily.
If/when things get aggressive or risque, you may want to look into avoiding touching/rubbing the backside, regulating the light schedule, maybe even a quick time-out for unacceptable behavior... keeping in mind that a lot of parronts just tolerate quite a bit of this stuff as long as there is no aggression. He gets a few hours of sun (through glass in winter, screen in winter (with a covered area so he can get into shade and cool off when he wants. If you don't have sun, most people will probably recommend full spectrum lights.
Food? Harrison's and assorted veggies, quinoa, wlanust, almonds, beans...

Good for you for researching!

 

[April]

Thank you great advise , just wasn’t as much thought into fake lighting back in the day .i love alittle coverage I like a blanket at night idea the natural light to wake too . Love your thread and you with the rickeybird those eyes. Thanks

 

[GaleriaGila]

You're sweet, April. I'm glad you're here.

 

[Flboy]

Interesting read!

 

[EllenD]

I'm not quite sure what type of light you bought for your bird, but there is absolutely no reason nor requirement to buy an artificial light for a pet parrot...none. This is a subject that has been of much discussion forever, and there is never a good answer given as to why artificial lights are not needed or are needed for a pet bird...Well, the short-answer is that birds, much like humans, get what they need from their nutrition, not from the light, nor do they need an artificial light in order to process their nutrition like reptiles and amphibians do, for instance.

Just as humans can get sick from a lack of Vitamin D (the main vitamin we get from natural sunlight), we don't come down with this disease often, nor do birds...why? Because we/they get all the Vitamin D, as well as other natural sunlight benefits, from our fortified diets.

Reptile and Amphibians have all of those special light bulbs and strips commercially available BECAUSE THEIR BODIES CANNOT PROCESS THE NUTRITION THEY TAKE-IN FROM THEIR FOOD WITHOUT DIRECT UVB LIGHT, EITHER FROM NATURAL SUNLIGHT OR, IF LIVING AS A PET INSIDE, FROM AN ARTIFICIAL LIGHT!!! UVB light actually causes most Reptiles and Amphibians bodies to manufacture their own Vitamin D3, and without direct UVB light they cannot manufacture Vitamin D3 (also the reason why most Reptile and Amphibian multi-vitamin supplements and Calcium supplements contain a high content of Vitamin D3)...Vitamin D3 allows the bodies of Reptiles and Amphibians to be able to both process and absorb Calcium. Without direct Vitamin D3 from light, Reptiles and Amphibians simply excrete any and all Calcium they ingest from their food and from supplements out in their feces. So as a result, their bodies start to leech all of the Calcium from their bones, causing Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). Therefore, it's essential that most Reptiles and Amphibians either get 1-2 hours of natural sunlight every single day, or 12-13 hours of artificial UVB light every single day...As a side note, the other slew of commercially-sold light bulbs for Reptiles and Amphibians that are not UVB bulbs, but rather "UV" bulbs or "UVA" bulbs are simply for heat. UVA light is the only light spectrum that can penetrate glass or clean plastic (UVB light can NEVER penetrate glass or clear plastic, so Reptiles, birds, humans, etc. NEVER get ANY UVB light through windows!)...So as we see and feel the natural sunlight coming through the window, we are only feeling/seeing the UVA light from the sun, and the heat that comes along with it...

Birds, in contrast, get more than enough Vitamin D, as well as all of the other benefits that they/we might get from natural sunlight, from their/our diets. Commercially available bird diets all contain more than enough of these nutrients to prevent your parrot from needing any type of special light inside...And again, they don't need UVB light in order to be able to process their nutrition like Reptiles do, birds are just like us in that respect. Thus, no need for any type of artificial lighting for your birds...

Also, not all commercially sold bulbs are created equally, and yes, it's true that many, many bulbs can cause blindness in birds, reptiles, amphibians, etc. Most-all COIL/SPIRAL bulbs, whether they are UVB bulbs, UVA bulbs, or an all-in-one Mercury Vapor Bulb, emit harmful light rays as a result of their manufacturing process, and usually cause eye damage, skin damage, and blindness. Most COMPACT, or regular shaped lights are extremely weak and emit not near enough UVB light for reptiles or amphibians, and would not serve any purpose to birds at all...The most highly recommended type of artificial light for reptiles and amphibians are the long, flourescent tube lights that must be put into a long strip light fixture. These UVB tubes emit a strong, efficient UVB light for reptiles that is safe for their eyes and skin. Again, these would serve no purpose at all for a bird's health or well-being.

So what type of artificial light would be beneficial for a parrot? Well, if your house is chilly then a normal flood-bulb for heat (UVA) put near your bird's cage (indirectly, not in their eyes) might help...

 

[Terry57]

Welcome to the forum!
I use lights as my bird rooms need it. We have long winters with short days, so there are situations where extra light is needed.
I have never heard of doing chop in a lasagne method, but I am all for doing whatever it takes to get them to eat healthy!

 

[April]

Thank you , it’s good to be here,I appreciate your response it is interesting to know what others are doing . Again thank you