Full Spectrum Lighting/ Plant lighting?

[Aurora37]

I've been researching lighting for the fids. So far I'm just confused!
Does anyone know if plant light bulbs are the same as Full Spectrum light bulbs?
Also how many watts for what size bird. I'm lighting for a Macaw, Eclectus, and Conure. I'm planning to put a light fixture above each cage.

Any ideas or info would be great.

Thanks

[FloorCandy]

I've been wondering the same thing, and also can anyone post links to stores that sell these lights?

[kellywess]

Drs. Foster and Smith. They sell the bulbs (Avian Sun) and Lamps. (Not Cheap)
Just make sure if you buy the bulbs that you "burn them" for atleast 10-12 hrs. before directing them at your little tweeties. Sunburned eye patches... no fun! Just ask my Erma. Husband swears he burned the last batch of bulbs off... whatever. Her left eye was red and swollen for two days. She got swabbed with aloe which helped.

[tielfan]

Feather Brite makes a nice cagetop lamp: Full spectrum lighting for birds by FeatherBrite

You don't have to use a bulb made specifically for birds - an FS bulb made for human use is OK. Vita Lite is a general-purpose full spectrum bulb that has a good reputation, and if you have the right kind of fixture for it (a shop light hanging on chains) you can use full-size fluorescent tubes available at places like home depot. I don't know all the ins and outs of choosing a fluorescent tube, but I've seen this one recommended for birds: Philips TL950

There is one kind of FS light you must avoid. Do NOT get reptile lights because they are too strong for birds. I don't know how plant lights compare to other types of FS lighting so I can't comment on them.

[BIG MACAW]

You can also try "the platinum parrot.com" owned by LISA B who is also a mod here

[Aurora37]

Thanks for the replies.

kellywess- I never even thought about sunburn. But makes sense. Thanks for the heads up.
tielfan- I'd like to use shop lights. Easy to find and cheap. I've found plant lights in all kinds of watt ratings, still not sure what watt I might need.

Has anyone used the OTT Lite for plants. I found these locally and am tempted to try them.
Thanks for the links too, I'll check them out.

[maggy]

Thanks for the info, I've been trying to get a light for Dusty but most of the light companies I have known of don't ship to Australia, will try the ones you mentioned.

[Scritch]

Okay -- I JUST started researching this topic myself, so I'm not 100% on any of this, but my briefly gained understanding is that you want a bulb with more UVA and UVB range light than most full-spectrum bulbs provide. Your grocery store full-spectrums are probably not going to have enough, but if you don't want to mail order, reptile bulbs from the pet store may fit the bill. I'm still trying to figure out just which is "best" -- if there is a "best" at all. Looks like the avian bulbs generally put out .5-3% UVB and 5-10% or so UVA... you can buy reptile bulbs in that range on up to 10% UVB and 30% UVA. I don't think this is a "more is better" kinda thing but I'm not sure what is ideal! I'm thinking the avian bulbs have probably not been so well-researched as to say that is the ideal amount for birds, but probably they left it low so people could leave it on their birds all day, every day and not worry about it... is my guess lol... open to corrections...

Probably if you bought one of the higher % reptile bulbs you should only leave it on your bird for shorter periods, and may be able to get away with it farther from the cage? I don't know... anyone?

I once used vita-lites when I had a lot more birds, but the last few years, with fewer birds I just relied on getting them outside while I did yard work. Well, since I moved to Vermont, the yard's not mine so I don't do the work, and my job keeps me indoors most days... so I've been researching lighting again, obviously with questions still :)

[Jag]

I don't know as I'd trust lights not avian specific. I got 2 lamps and 2 bulbs from Drs. Foster and Smith. They are a little pricey, but I looked for the lamps at Lowes and Home Depot and found that it was just as cheap (or cheaper) to get the lamps from the pet place. The lamps I found at Lowes weren't as tall, either...so I would have had to set them on something. I wasn't very thrilled with that idea.

[Scritch]

Jag, the needs of birds and reptiles are probably very similar, since they "use" the light for the same purposes and are more closely related to each other than either is to mammals. Plus, there's been a lot more research done on lighting for reptiles. Seems as far as I can find, research on lighting for birds is still at the "they do better with full-spectrum than without it" stage (duh!), while research on reptiles has been more detailed and specific... some do better with more UV, some with less, etc. I have yet to find anything that detailed concerning birds... still looking.

At this point I'm thinking it comes down to how long you plan to have the light on the bird. Just like you wouldn't want to sit out in midsummer, unfiltered sunlight for more than 1/2 hr or so, you probably wouldn't want one of the high-UV lamps on your bird for very long, either. Whereas a bulb with lower UV can be kept on the bird all day.

This may vary bird-by-bird -- I recently read online (forget just where ugh) a good argument for greys needing more heavy UV than other birds, which might explain why they're prone to calcium deficiencies.