heat pad or lamp?

[melly202769]

hi, was wondering when my cockatiels have thier babies I am making a brooder for them but am not sure whether to have a lamp or heat pad?

If a lamp do I need to get a red globe?
Thanks..


Melissa..

[Jan]

If you use a heat lamp you need the type that are infrared heat... they do not put off light just the warmth. They come in various wattages and you do have to be careful with them as you would not want to cook your babies. It's not the way I would do it.

I actually used heating pads for years, they do alright but is hard to maintain and regulate the heat. I would place small tubs onto the heating pads and a lid to the tub that fits over it but is gapped open and always making sure it can never accidently close up.

I now use Avitech's Brooder Tops which are called Avi-Quariums about $160. I have 5 of them right now. You buy the aquarium where ever (about $10. to $20.) in a pet shop that sells aquarium stuff then use their top that fits over either the 10 gallon size or 20 gallon size so you would buy the appropriate size brooder top for the tank size you buy. I have had good luck with using them!! I went with the 10 gallon size because I found the 20 gallon tank was too deep for me to reach into it to get babies out and with me being shorter... I had a hard time reaching in to pick up the chicks.

So if you are going to always be raising babies, it is a wise choice to get something more worthy than a heating pad or heat lamp. If a one time or even twice thing... then you can probably get along using a heating pad.

[Lori~D]

My homemade brooder has a light fixture installed with a ceramic heat emitter (reptile section). It is plugged into a thermostatic controller (also in the reptile section) I place the thermostat sensor down near where the babies will be. I keep a plastic container with a block of Oasis (florist) with water in it for humidity. And one thermometer/ hygrometer also placed down near the babies (reptile section again). No light is used as a nest box or nest hole in the wild is normally very dark while the babies eyes are developing.

[melly202769]

thank you. the brooder top looks great.
Gives me an idea....