Full spectrum lighting

[Kristi]

I'm just about ready to purchase some full spectrum lighting for my fids, but I really don't know enough about it to make an informed decision. What are you guys using for your fids and where's the best place to start looking? Also, how long and often should the lights be on for optimal benefit to my birdies?

[jimpierce7]

are you speaking of "sun" lighting? I am just about to start looking as my fids need sun light!

[Kristi]

Yep, that's what my babies need. Their Mama will love it, too! (I'm such a sun-dependent person...)

[birdsnthings]

It takes 12 hours of the spectrum lighting to do what 1 hour of the natural light does. Birds should be no more that two feet away from the bulb.
Alice

[Xavier]

That may very well be true Alice, but its better then nothing, especially in these long cold winter months...

I'm interested to see if you get any reponces. I'm looking for spectrum lighting myself.

[basketbagley]

I have a full spectrum light like what is used for reptiles. I just bought the bulb for $36 and put it in a floor lamp we already had. I've seen some people have some lamps that hang down from the ceiling over top of the cages.

Its a good idea to have, especially in the winter, and then again in the hot humid summer days when we can't leave them in direct sunlight or if you work.

I know others will have more info. This is just what I do.

[cfulhage]

Joel set me up with my full spectrum light a few months ago. It has those long tube lights from Philips, and it hangs above Ollie cage. I have it on a timer to come on and go off at the same time each day. After doing an extensive internet search about full spectrum lighting, I found that some species vary in the amount of time they should be under the light. Ollie's light is on for 9 hours. I found some sites that said greys should only have 5 hours max under the light, however she spends a lot of time out of her cage, so I upped the time the light is on. The light needs to be very close to your bird for maximum benefit. Ollie's is 13 inches from the top of her cage (just high enough to ease the temptation of playing Tarzan...) and her favorite perch is near the top of the cage. When she is not eating, she is on that perch, so she is fairly close to the light.

There have been MANY threads about full spectrum lighting, just do a search for them. I believe Joel may even have some lighting set ups left that he will ship to you. PM him, or maybe he will reply here. The tubes you would probably have to order off the net, and if you're interested, I can dig up the website I used. They were around #35 for 4 tubes (the light holds 2, and for maximum benefit they need replaced <I think> every 8 months or so- maybe its longer than that.)

Joel is the expert on full spectrum lighting- so give him a holler for better advice!

[FeathersNFur8]

I prefer the fluorescent tubes. This is where I got mine: http://www.atlantalightbulbs.com
Type in (98 CRI) in their search field. Then look for:

F32T8/950 (F32T8/TL950) PH 32W T8 47" 209056 PHILIPS 5000K LAMP 98 CRI ANY QUANTITY $7.99

You usually can get an electronic ballast light fixture at any home improvement store, such as True Value, Home Depot, etc.

In addition I also have a light bulb one, that you can screw into any light fixture.

The Spiralux Vita-Lite, 20 Watt, Full Spectrum.
The CRI on the bulb is only 91.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CKBEPI/ref=nosim/102-7042615-3033708?n=284507
$16.95 ea.

[cfulhage]

I also ordered mine from Atlanta Light bulbs, thanks for posting that Karen- it refreshed my memory! They wont ship an order less than $30, so that's why I ordered 4. I could not find an electronic ballast (lamp) ANYWHERE. Joel had told me Home Depot online had them, but they do not anymore. No stores in Manhattan had them (Ace, Home Depot, other lighting stores) and the Lowes in 2 other towns I've recently looked in do not sell them either.

That reminds me- you do want an ELECTRONIC ballast NOT a magnetic one.

Best advice- talk to Joel and see if he has any more left.

[FeathersNFur8]

Originally Posted by cfulhage

I also ordered mine from Atlanta Light bulbs, thanks for posting that Karen- it refreshed my memory! They wont ship an order less than $30, so that's why I ordered 4. I could not find an electronic ballast (lamp) ANYWHERE. Joel had told me Home Depot online had them, but they do not anymore. No stores in Manhattan had them (Ace, Home Depot, other lighting stores) and the Lowes in 2 other towns I've recently looked in do not sell them either.

That reminds me- you do want an ELECTRONIC ballast NOT a magnetic one.

Best advice- talk to Joel and see if he has any more left.

I did the same thing and ordered 4 of them. I ended up ordering the electronic ballast fixture I needed online because I couldn't find one either.