# Heating pad in the UK-where do I buy them?



## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Hi, I've seen several times that a heating pad is recommended for very young or sick birds. I shall be pairing my pigeons soon and want to be prepared just in case. Can anyone tell me if these heating pads are available in the UK - I've never heard of them before. Thanks.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

I would think they would be. heating pads are used for sore backs ect. Can be found at many drug stores. NOW they are not a must for pigeons. even young birds As long as you provide a warm area for very young and warm area for very sick birds. Thats fine. Some people use pads. but many never do. Proper meds and prevention is best to have on hand and less problems happen if birds basicneeds are met. And over crowding is never done.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I would think that heating pads would be available in the UK, let me draw attention to our UK rehabbers/moderators.

Youngsters usually do not need heating pads as the parents will hopefully keep them warm until they get their feathers. If it is really cold, make sure they have absolutely no drafts of cold air or any wetness in their coop. Let's see what our experts in the UK have to say...

Heating pads are an absolute necessity when rehabbing sick birds and/or stabilizing a bird, because you don't want them to expend energy keeping warm when it is crucially needed for healing.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

This is curious, as it has come up several times now that electric Heating Pads seem unknown or obscure in the UK.

Here, in the U.S. I doubt one could not find them in any Drug Store or almost any General Goods or Department Store.

Here, the less expensive ones are just under $5.00, and also one may find nice used ones for $1.00 or 2.00 at most second hand Stores, or so called 'Thrift Stores' or Charity Stores that sell donated items.

I bet I have six or seven of them...!

Most are now-a-days sealed in a rubber envelope which protrects them from possible liquid spills effecting their circuitry.

The old-time ones were heavy Cloth bodies. I have one of those dating from the early 1930s which was the first one I got for keeping Birds warm.

Too, if they are not available in one's immediate area, one could try e-bay for new or used ones...

Here is a link to ebay.co uk for a 'Search' showing present ongoing Auctions for heating pads of various kinds..

They seem much more expensive than here however...but...

Showing search results for 'Heating Pad' - 

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search.dll?satitle=heating+pad&catref=C3&from=R2




Showing search results for 'Electric Heating Pad' -

http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sea...10244=10425&ftrt=1&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=



Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi Phil,

I think I am going to make a trip to Las Vegas to buy heating pads .. they are $15-$20 around here. Yes, you may find a buy at Goodwill or Salvation Army, but then I worry about the reliability and longevity of the heating pad. You are very lucky to find them for the prices you do.

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Terry, 


The Drug Store a block away has the cheapie ones for like $4.65 or something.

I did buy a couple of those last Winter.

Used ones likely would present no liability which a new one would not have, once one used it a few times...they are pretty hard to hurt.

Too, I found a few at yard sales some months ago also.

I hate looking for one when I need it, or not having one when I need it, so, given that some might be in use, I wanted to have some in reserve...

Too, in a cooler clime, one could use one for keeping the communal Drinking Water Bowl from freezing...especially if it is a "Safety" or "Sanitary" kind which they can not tip or bathe in...but these sealed entire in the rubber-envelope kinds seem like they are made to resist moisture getting in...be a hell of a lawsuit if a bed-wetter shorted one while it were in use for someone's sore hip or something, so...I imagine these are pretty safe that way...

Was 37 degrees in here last night, so I have been useing one for my feetskees under the blankets...

Yummy...!

 

P.S. 

WOW!

My 'PMV" Bird, who I had in my shirt in the 'Napolian Hand Nest' deal, where he was all comfy and humid and napping for a while as I typed all that one handed...

Well, I just set him down so I could have my hand back, and he did a little preening...and then...out of the blue, started some Wing excercises and was Helicoptering at least a foot high...going up...and slowly nicely down...like that several times and very, very even and nicely done too!

I thought he was going to take off and fly there for a moment!

I am very impressed!

But he sure did some realy nice controlled 'hovers' a foot up, and repeated them.

Then...he just went back to preening.

I bet he ends up with one of those poofy down feathers stuck on his head, too...Lol...

Sometimes I stick one on my head, or on my nose, and point to it saying, "Hey! Check this out! Does this ever happen to you? " - but they do not seem to think there is anything funny about it when I do...

...sigh...


Phil
l v


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I bought a heating pad from the Giant Pet Store, but to tell you the truth I am not very keen on using it as the heat varies according to the weight put on the pad, there is no control setting.

What I prefer to use is a fish tank with a the top adapted to hold a nocturnal infrared heat lamp on a flex with a plug on one end and a clip on the other end . I use the clip to secure the top to the fish tank...that allows ventilation without allowing the pigeon to escape or other animals to get at it.
which secures it and allows ventilation. I will post photos later (the battery on my camera is flat).

An alternative is to get one of those plastic small animal holders, remove the flap from the top and angle a desk lamp with a thermal heat bulb over the opening.

Cynthia


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Thanks for all the advice. Phil, thanks for the EBay links - I never thought of looking there! I did know that squabs don't normally need a heat source but I wanted to be prepared should the parents reject them.

I have an angle lamp and a fish tank so I can go with Cynthia's idea if necessary - just one thing - how do they get away from the heat if they are too warm? Or is your tank a lot larger than mine?


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> how do they get away from the heat if they are too warm? Or is your tank a lot larger than mine?


I think the tank itself (excluding the lid) is 45 inches long and 30 inches high and about 30 inches wide.

I use a 40 watt heat bulb, it keeps them gently warm but does not overheat them. I am a bit obsessive about checking them when they are in there and they are always comfortable.

The ventilation at the top of the tank is about 3 inches wide. 

I got the idea from Helen (Nooti) who constructs her "intensive care units"/ "baby brooders" by building a wooden top with ventilation holes on to a fish tank. I don't have her carpentry skills so she recommended the ventilation gap idea.

Karen uses a lamp that is designed for iguanas and that has a thermostat, but I haven't been able to find one of those.

Cynthia


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

re lee said:


> I would think they would be. heating pads are used for sore backs ect. Can be found at many drug stores.
> 
> *NOW they are not a must for pigeons.*
> 
> ...


Some type of low level, direct heat source, e.g., heating pad, low wattage lamp *is* a must when dealing with a sick, injured or orphaned pigeon. 

With regard to orphaned pijjies: They have difficulty regulating their body temperature. Wrapping them in a towel or keeping them in a warm area is not enough. They need a direct heat source.

By all means, prevention/proper medications is best, however, when an ill, injured or orphaned bird is presented, proper steps must be taken to prepare them for any fliud, food or medication intake. The very first step in achieving this is to gradually warm their body with some type of low, direct heat. 

Cindy


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

Well, I'm glad I asked about the size of the fish tank.........mine is 18" which I thought was quite large but, obviously, nowhere near big enough to allow the bird to escape the heat if it needs!!


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Pigeonpoo, all...


Well, of course, some things will differ between the logistics and arrangement for our care of a very Young Pigeon or other Bird, and, our care of an ill or injured Adult.

See...

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=12888

There is no need to ever constrain a Baby Pigeon or Squeaker, who is desposed by Nature to stay put anyway.

My two 'feral' Babys. being raised under my dresser, have not moved at all from their Nest, and they are now about 16 days old. 

So...

The Heating Pad may be set up in the Box-on-its-side, in such a way, as for the young Bird to be on it or off of it as it sees fit for it's own comort.

Similarly, for the convelscing Adult, one would arrange the heating pad in a cage, typically, also in such a way as for the Bird to be on or off of it as they may prefer for their own comfort.

One of course covers the Heating Pad with a small Towell, and usually, for me anyway, elects a low or medium setting. 

Sometimes a medium setting is too high really, and if the 'low' setting is too low, one may add additional layers of small towell, or folded towell, and use the 'medium' setting to get just the kind of heat one wants to provide.

While the healthy feral Squeaker is typically a little 'furnace' by somewhere around the 12 day mark...those orphans we may find ourselves careing for, have often been without food for sometime, are ill, injured, contused, have suffered exposure, or all of the above, which can coinpromise or interfere with their newly evolveing endothermy, and so they will benifit from a nice warm set-up untill they themselves are satisfied with their own recovered and developeing endothermy, at which point one sees them no longer resting or napping on the Heating Pad. 

So, it is really very simple - If the Squeaker does not need the outside source of warmth, they do not seek it, and they will will show us this in their preference for being off of it.

Aquariums or Cages and so on for Squeakers do not allow the Bird to have satisfactions for their innate expectations of what their Nest should be. Which is, something basically flat, open on at least one side, and sheltered somewhat...ideally allowing them some room to move around once thei may wish to do so.

A cardboard box on it's side, on a table, will satisfy their expectations and nature, and they will not fall off of it or wish to wander...that is, untill their Wings are developed enough and legs developed enough to wish to explore ajacent possibilities. One then either provides or witholds ajacent possibilities for the time being according to one's judgement.

I have never seen a Baby or Aqueaker not stay put nicely on a little table 'Nest' set up, and the Box on it's side has been the best method I have tried to respect their nature and habits and comforts.

Most of the Heating Pads I have posess three settings, low, medium, and high.


Many adult feral convelescents enjoy a fist size or thereabouts Stone or Rock to perch on or lay on, and for this, a one towell layer, over the heating pad set to 'medium' allows their Rock to both be warmed decently, and, for the general immediate convection of the warmth...to reach them. This of course being best in a draped Cage.


Love,

Phil
el ve


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> Well, I'm glad I asked about the size of the fish tank.........mine is 18" which I thought was quite large but, obviously, nowhere near big enough to allow the bird to escape the heat if it needs!!


LOL, sorry, I meant centimeters!!! The real measurements are 16x8x8 (inches). 

This is a link to a thread with a photo of the small animal holder/tank being used as an intensive care unit for a pigeon that had lost a lot of blood:


http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=10191&referrerid=560

All I can say is that the sick pigeons that I have had in intensive care have never become overheated. Once they become well enough to move around I put them in a normal cage.

The angled desk lamp is recommended by St Tiggywinkles.

Cynthia


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