Winter House Temps

[JohnNJ]

Just wondering how cool I can make my house at night over the winter and not cause my CAG too much discomfort.

I have seen others post that they drop their temps down to 64 on winter nights. What's the lowest they can handle? Can I provide something like a fleece tent to keep him comfortable?

Just looking for some feedback.

Thanks,
JohnNJ

[Jag]

I would like to know this, too. I should be able to have mine upstairs by that time...but since she's part nekkid, I'm thinking she would really benefit from a heating tile...

[usamma]

Jag, when we had Sunny (very nekked) we kept a sheet over the cage even in the summer, because she would shiver. I think maybe if Santa brought one of those heating panels she'd be a very happy bird.

As to the OP, we keep our winter temp at around 65-70 depending on day or night. My birds are spoiled so I turned the heating pad on low during the night time hours.

[JohnNJ]

Covers and heating pads are a nice thought but not practical for me.

I should have mentioned that my African Grey is in a large floor cage with a play top. I could use a heat panel but that negates any savings from keeping the thermostat low.

I normally keep the house around 68 in the winter. With times as they are, I was hoping to drop the temp to reduce costs. I have a friend that drops his temp to 50 at night and around 60 during the day. I'm not sure I could handle that extreme but I was wondering how it would effect the bird.

Thanks,
JohnNJ

[Chief]

EDIT: I'm sorry..I clicked on reply instead of new thread..

[NotEnoughTime]

I keep my temperature around 14-16 degrees celsius at night... Or about 57-60 degrees Fahrenheit - with no issues. I don't believe the cool temperature is an issue but that big fluctuations in temperature over a short period of time is the issue.

[Scritch]

I used to live in a big, old house that was impossible to heat properly in the winter. On the coldest nights it would drop to 55 in the bird room. None of the birds seemed the least bit bothered by this, except my lory. So I'd bring her into my bedroom for the worst of the winter. The others seemed perfectly comfortable. Some had nestboxes and mates to snuggle with, but not all of them did. I used to check on them (annoying them, I'm sure) even in the middle of the night, worrying, but they honestly did not seem the least bit bothered.

I know there are breeders who house their birds outdoors, unheated, even in areas where it occasionally dips down to the freezing point. The birds survive, but I don't know how comfortable they are! Still, there are also breeders who keep their birds in indoor/outdoor aviaries in northern areas, and the birds choose to spend time outdoors even when there's snow on the ground.

Some birds are going to be more sensitive than others, like my lory. First thing is I'd let the temp drop gradually. If he's accustomed to it, he's more likely to tolerate low temps. Then, just keep an eye on him... puffy feathers are okay, but if he's shivering, it's time to bump up the thermostat a bit.

Jag, without feathers they don't have nearly the same heat-retaining capability. I had a nekkid grey for several years, I rigged a reptile heat lamp near her cage and turned it on for her on cold nights.

[sodakat]

I have my furnace set (right now) at 60. It's supposed to be summer here in South Dakota, but the overnight temps have been as low as 47 this past week. For the past 3 mornings I awoke to 61, 62, 61 on the furnace's thermostat readout. Furnace has not kicked on yet. All ekkies are fine. I haven't even heard them "set" their feathers so far, which they definitely do if they feel cold.

Drafts are what I would be concerned about more than temps. Birds do acclimate, within reason.

Overnight temps in many temperate parts of the world are 50-54 degrees, so likely our birds' native cousins have somewhat cool nights in the wild.

[Jag]

Thanks for the info! Rayne would shiver a bit (so I'd cuddle her to get her warmer) in the winter mornings when I'd move her from her sleep cage to the day cage.

I will get Ziva a heat tile or reptile lamp very soon. I covered her with a quilt last night (the cage she's in has a playtop, but it was a Queen size I think). She shivers on and off..but I don't know if she's cool, or if it's just the excitement/nervousness. I closed the vents downstairs most of the way to keep it warmer down there when Angel was down there. I'll watch the temp. for her carefully. We usually keep the house at 68 in the winter, but it is chilly as it's an older house that needs new siding and insulation!

[RockysMom]

I bought Rocky a heated bird perch from drfostersmith.com, and he loves it! I paid $35.00 for it, so it ended up being a good investment for me. He sits on it after his baths, and at night, plus he has a cozy house thing in his cage that he gets into. I think he gets cold often so I keep the apartment at around 73 or so and he does well, plus at night I put a big heavy cover on this cage.