# Artificial avian lighting



## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

I am looking for info on lighting for indoor birds. I had been using a 13w uvb reptile bulb on mine about 12 hours per day, 1.5' from the bird (6 days so far). Then I ran into an article about how uvb bulbs can cause cataracts in birds, not to use more than 3 hours per day, and NOT to use reptile bulbs. So now I'm paranoid that I may have hurt my bird! I couldn't find very much info though, or how long a bird has to be exposed to that sort of lighting to develop problems. Does anyone here have any info on avian lighting does and don'ts?


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Why are you using uvb bulbs? some of us put our young birds on a light system to make them molt quicker.-just everday bulbs 12-16 hours a day.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

If you were using the uv bulbs because you were under the impression that they needed help synthesizing calcium like reptiles do, that is incorrect. Regular day light is fine, or normal lights are also fine. Why were you putting them on lights?


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

I put him under a light because I had read a few comments on the forum about how sunlight is really important for growing chicks to absorb calcium correctly. I'm putting him back under a "regular" bulb now. Do you think the exposure he did get from the reptile bulb was enough to hurt him? I couldn't find any info on how much exposure caused cataracts, just that "it can".


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

I doubt the bird is harmed considering it was only 6 days. How old is the bird and what type of bird is it?


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## sky tx (Mar 1, 2005)

Careful what you read--especally if you don't know them.
I will tell you water will/can run up-hill---[ don't tell anyone you beleive everthing you read ]


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

I started the light when the bird was 8 days old, and he is 14 days old now. It's an EC dove.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

"Sunlight" in these contaxts, means just that - Direct, nothing mediating, out door, real, Sunlight...not a 'bulb'...

Birds do not need direct Sunshine/Sunlight untill they are flying and of releaseable age.

No need to attempt antics for supplying artificial Light for Birds which are still babys or youngsters...


Once they are of flying age or older, then...they need real 'direct' Sunlight.

No precocial Bird species' Babys are ever exposed to direct Sunlight in Nature, other than in brief incidental occasions...they get their direct Light once fledged and flying and out of the Nest situation.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Matt Bell said:


> If you were using the uv bulbs because you were under the impression that they needed help synthesizing calcium like reptiles do, that is incorrect. Regular day light is fine, or normal lights are also fine. Why were you putting them on lights?




On the contrary, birds do need the rays of the sun, which gives them vitamin D, in order to absorb calcium. They said these were indoor birds, so they aren't getting the benefits of the suns rays. I buy them here.

http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/full-spectrum-light-for-birds.html 

As Phil said, they don't normally get much sunlight in the nest, but if these birds are kept inside, then they will need it. I doubt that you have caused them any harm in such a short while.


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

Thank you for the information.

My parents never used special lighting on their bird of prey chicks (and our pij's, being in a loft, never got it either as youngsters), but I wasn't sure about doves. When I got the light, I didn't know if it was doing any real good or not, but I didn't think it would hurt either (I never think of light as being a dangerous thing). I talked to someone on another bird forum about this and was provided with this info:
"From my own personal experience with birds and lighting, I've found that cataracts can be caused by long term exposure rather than short term exposure. Long term is usually in excess of 6 months ... Additionally, the bulb would have to be no further away than 12" in order to be effective as full spectrum lighting."

I will be moving my chick to an open cage soon, so he will get better *real* sun exposure there, if he wants it.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Jay3 said:


> On the contrary, birds do need the rays of the sun, which gives them vitamin D, in order to absorb calcium. They said these were indoor birds, so they aren't getting the benefits of the suns rays. I buy them here.
> 
> http://www.parrot-and-conure-world.com/full-spectrum-light-for-birds.html
> 
> As Phil said, they don't normally get much sunlight in the nest, but if these birds are kept inside, then they will need it. I doubt that you have caused them any harm in such a short while.


How do they absorb the uvb rays through their feathers in order to produce the vitamin d which helps with absorbing calcium? Through my herp research with Dr. Ferguson I know how Chameleons, snakes, etc do it and thus why early in the pet industry so man breeders had such problems with babies dying in the shell, but I don't understand how birds can do it through their feathers. Please share.


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## Seijun (Apr 14, 2010)

Matt Bell said:


> How do they absorb the uvb rays through their feathers in order to produce the vitamin d which helps with absorbing calcium? Through my herp research with Dr. Ferguson I know how Chameleons, snakes, etc do it and thus why early in the pet industry so man breeders had such problems with babies dying in the shell, but I don't understand how birds can do it through their feathers. Please share.


Well, mine wasn't born with feathers. He does have them now though.

Could it be different for different kinds of birds? Some birds nest out in the open where a chick would inevitable get sunlight, while others nest in holes or under ledges where sunlight would be all but nonexistent.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

*Metabolic Bone Disease in Eurasian Collared Doves.*

Sunlight, or UVB light, is very important even to nestling collared doves. Lack of it can lead to metabolic bone disease:

*Metabolic bone disease in wild collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto).

Abstract

The records of 666 casualty collared doves examined at a wildlife hospital in south-west England over a period of five years were reviewed. Signs of metabolic bone disease were recorded in 51.2 per cent of the juvenile birds but in only 9.6 per cent of the adults. The incidence of the condition was highest between December and February and decreased almost to zero between June and August. Histological lesions in 11 of the juvenile doves were consistent with vitamin D deficiency, possibly as a result of inadequate exposure to uvb light during the short winter days.*

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17237457


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Matt Bell said:


> How do they absorb the uvb rays through their feathers in order to produce the vitamin d which helps with absorbing calcium? Through my herp research with Dr. Ferguson I know how Chameleons, snakes, etc do it and thus why early in the pet industry so man breeders had such problems with babies dying in the shell, but I don't understand how birds can do it through their feathers. Please share.



I'm sorry that I can't find the links where I read it, more than once, but it said that they absorb it through their eyes, and any exposed skin, like around the eyes and nose, and the legs and feet.


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## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Feefo said:


> Sunlight, or UVB light, is very important even to nestling collared doves. Lack of it can lead to metabolic bone disease:
> 
> *Metabolic bone disease in wild collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto).
> 
> ...


Hmm, thats very interesting to say the least. I wonder if it could have something to do with quality of food the adults were also feeding the juveniles at this time of year as less sun also impacts vegetation. It would seem to me that no matter what time of year the adults and juveniles should be getting the same amount of sun and thus they should show similar results if solely responsible was the UVB light. Still interesting none the less.


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