lighting question, Joel..?

[Joel]

Originally Posted by ConureFan

How much should the Philipps F32T8TL950 cost and is it better to order online or buy at a store? Are there stores that sell them? I think I'm also going to need some instructions on mounting it properly when I get one.

Heh this thread is old, sorry, I'm new to birds... :)

I see you are in Fla. like myself. Not sure at the moment exactly where Palm Bay is but if you are down near the Miami area anytime soon or know someone driving up who could pick up some new tubes for you (from myself), I would be willing to sell ya a couple of them. I order by the box (25 at a time).

Feel free to PM message me with further questions on purchasing.

[Ginich]

OK, Joel, this may be a dumb question but why are you using this type of lighting in FL? Are all your cages inside 24/7 where your birds don't get natural light? Is it impractical to use natural light or do you have another reason? Obviously, it might be easier for me with just 3 tiels in two rolling cages to move my fids to the porch and back several times a week but is there any other reason to use the lights than as a substitute for natural sunlight ?

[Joel]

I keep all my birds outside for the major part of their lives, so I don't really need indoor lighting myself but some of my closest pet type parrots still get rotated inside to outside and back - periodically. While they are inside for sometimes days & weeks at a time, I think it necessary to have the proper lighting set up for them indoors - thus why I use these tubes as needed for them. I also keep these light tubes for finches and canaries which are located indoors all the time.

I think rolling your cages back and forth for YOUR birds to get direct outdoor angled sunshine (thru screening holes - not thru window glass) is ok but IMO, rather than rolling back and forth, it may be better & easier (less stressful to the birds also) to just keep the cages on the porch if possible (as daily exposure is most natural and most important/beneficial (IMO) - rather than a day here and there).

[Ginich]

Actually, I had the covered porch double screened last spring so I can keep them outside most of the day when weather allows. Going inside and outside is a matter of going less than 10 ft and we have been making a game of it for 2 yrs so there is no stress. I can keep an eye on them from my office. I can't really leave them out there day and night or if I am not home because I've already had one incident of a rat snake getting in through the doggie door and I found him on the floor under the bird's cages. There are also squirrels and red tail hawks that I have seen in the yard before and the birds have alerted me when they were on the electric wires or fence. I can control the predators that they live with in the house but not the ones outdoors.

However, you did answer my question so, at this point and with the great weather we have been having , there is no need to invest in lights for the tiels right now.