Elvenking Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) So, I went ahead and bought a full spectrum light for Issac. My original thought was to put it in the ceiling fan lamp fixture which resides about 5-6 feet from his cage at about a 45 degree angle. However the recommendation was to place it in a clamp on lamp reflective housing which can mount on the side of the cage. Is the lamp effective in the ceiling fan? If not, I have the metal clamp-on fixture that I can mount. But that comes with the issues of keeping the cord so that it is not chewed by Issac. Or just having the lamp affixed while I am away for the day. By the way...it's a 20W Flourecent coil lamp. Taking all suggestions in making the right solution work. How do you manage the lighting situation for your grey? Edited January 6, 2011 by Elvenking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 Okay...so now that I am reading some stuff I located....looks as if I was recommended the wrong kind of light and will have to bring it back. Does anyone have a good image of how they have lighting set up? I need something simple as I cannot carve out my ceiling for a huge overhanging light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bran Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) I had this same problem and question. I live in Seattle and the winter's here are gloomy and dark. I actually called my avian vet, and he said that I didnt need to have any sort of light. I "explained" that my TAG had been sleeping a little more often, and the natural lighting in my house was a little "meh". He actually kind of laughed at me and said "you must be a new parrot owner", I then replied "I am not new, and I lived in Colorado with 300 days of sunshine, and amazing UV natural lighting, so seasonal issues were never an issue". I said I had found a bird light that has a stand and a special uv bulb, he said if I had a light too close to the cage or clamped on, it would eventually cause cataracts. So i have found different opinions, and I thought that an avian vet would have the answer, now I am kind of wondering. So that being said... when you find out for sure, please let me know! P.S. I did get some full spectrum light bulbs for my living room in table lamps etc. Figured it would be better, since they see in a different spectrum than we do. Edited January 6, 2011 by bran Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) Now it's a wonder how much difference it is going to make in Issac's life to have a full spectrum bulb. Starting to sound more like something that is conjoured up to play a major factor that really does not. I may just end up taking what i have back and forgetting about this until someone can tell me the detrimental effects of not having such a lamp. There are a whole lot of technical articles that go into so much detail that at some very minute level, maybe it's doing something for the bird. I also read about the cataracts....geez...if it just gives you another thing to worry about for them..what's the use. Given a well rounded diet, how much more useful is adding a full spectrum lamp. I went to the pet store yesterday and asked one of the ladies who specialized in parrots, and she gave me a clamp on housing with a lamp made for reptiles. Said that would work. Then I read anything from that it would be ineffective, up to actually harming the bird. I do know that more bird owners that I have seen than not, do not have lamps on their cages. Given the mish mash of information out there and the lack of response to this topic, I will err on the side of the majority and go without one. Unless someone else chimes in. BTW...I have read all I can take of the lighting sticky, and it just confuses me more. Edited January 6, 2011 by Elvenking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotfaith1989 Posted January 6, 2011 Share Posted January 6, 2011 (edited) It depends on the reptile light. What Bran was talking about was probably the Avian Sun bulb, the one that comes with the stand. If you go to a pet store and get the ReptiSun 5.0 bulb, it is exactly the same bulb as the Avian sun. It has a CRI of 98 and a Color Temp of 6700. You would never want to get a 2.0, as it has no UVB and a 10.0 will hurt a bird. Also, don't get anything with heat in it. I actually called ZooMed yesterday and made positively sure that it was ok to use the ReptiSun bulb and the lady confirmed that yes, they are indeed exactly the same bulb, packaged differently. Jayd has posted this a couple times from when he contacted ZooMed: Thank you for contacting us. The Reptisun 5.0 is actually exactly the same as the Avian Sun 5.0 bulb. You can use the Reptisun 5.0 in place of the Avian Sun 5.0 as long as you follow the instructions that come with the Avian Sun bulb. Please let me know if you have any further questions. Kind regards, Ashley Rademacher Customer Service Zoo Med Labs, Inc. 3650 Sacramento Dr. San Luis Obispo CA 93401 Toll Free 888-496-6633 Fax 805-542-9295 Just remember that you will need to use the instructions that come with the Avian light which can be found here: http://zoomed.com/Library//ProductDBFiles/aviansun.pdf There is a difference in the distance you need to put the light on a bird as opposed to a reptile. Don't follow the reptile instructions, obviously. I would definitely recommend a light, especially in winter months. I have never heard anything negative about them, only positive things like birds seem more active, healthier, and happier. That vet didn't know what he was talking about. Just my opinion. About cataracts, to avoid eye damage to a bird, always keep the lamp ABOVE the bird as much as you can. It should never be out to the side. Wild African Greys deal with the sun everyday, which is much more damaging to eyes if looked directly at. A bird will damage his eyes if you keep the light to the side but putting it on top of him is merely imitating the sun. Hope this helps.... Edited January 6, 2011 by gotfaith1989 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted January 6, 2011 Author Share Posted January 6, 2011 I got a bulb like this yeaterday as a recommendation from the local pet store: http://www.petstore.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=ES67081&child=ES67082&utm_source=pscseshopzilla&utm_medium=cse&utm_campaign=pscseshopzilla2 From what I have read, this is probably not right. I can't really tell anything for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotfaith1989 Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Well, I wouldn't use it quite yet just in case it could be harmful. The only reptile light I know 100% has the ok is the Reptisun. There are some people who swear that ALL reptile lights are dangerous. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on this forum that will be able to tell you if this will work. Try to find out the CRI and the color temp of this light. In some cases, you have to call the company to find it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elvenking Posted January 7, 2011 Author Share Posted January 7, 2011 You know...I am going to go with the safe side and just bring back the light I got...and stick with natural and indoor lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bran Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 hey there Elvenking... just wanted you to be aware of some research and a lesson learned. I have had my full specturm bulbs in the living room, and one in the lamp closest to his cage. Well it has turned him into a hormonal demon... of course a combination of things, the lamp probably triggered the beginning of the symptoms. Just thought you would like to learn from my little experiment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimKim Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Okay...so now that I am reading some stuff I located....looks as if I was recommended the wrong kind of light and will have to bring it back. Does anyone have a good image of how they have lighting set up? I need something simple as I cannot carve out my ceiling for a huge overhanging light. Have you checked out the sticky in the lounge titled lighting? That is where I went to learn when I was trying to figure out what light to get. I ended up getting a featherbrite swag lamp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted January 16, 2011 Share Posted January 16, 2011 Just order an avian sun 5.0 bulb and stand from the cheapest website you can find. It should be able to reach over the top of the cage and should be placed approximately 18 inches above where Issac normally perches. It will not cause cataracts. Cataracts are caused by placing the light to where it is shining from the side and directly into there eyes. It is also caused by people using the wrong type of bulbs normally intended from reptiles by a moronic pet store clerk. Reptiles require much high levels of UV. If your cage is too tall for the avian sun stand an arm to reach over it, then get the feather brite swag lamp Kim has gotten. UV full spectrum lighting is necceary for all our birds health unless you can take them out in full sun each day for a few hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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