How do you keep your fids warm?

[TheHolisticNanny]

heated perches?
heat pads?
raise the ambient heat?

winters don't get TOO cold here and I am one to put another layer on instead of raise the thermostat above 67-68.. in the winter..

I noticed that last few nights have been kinda cool, and when i get mo out of his sleep cage his little feet are cold, altho i cover his sleep cage with a dark flanel sheet and then a sleeping bag. :-(


what do you guys use>?????

[ThreeX]

Nothing actually. I have seen macaws and sulphur crested 'toos in local bird park outside in sub-zero temp (centigrade) breeder friends keep their birdhouses at maybe 15-16 degrees c in the winter. They have down overalls fercrissakes! ;)

[TheHolisticNanny]

Originally Posted by ThreeX

Nothing actually. I have seen macaws and sulphur crested 'toos in local bird park outside in sub-zero temp (centigrade) breeder friends keep their birdhouses at maybe 15-16 degrees c in the winter. They have down overalls fercrissakes! ;)

Sorry, what a down overfall? and HOLY crap!!!!.... I couldn't even imagine keeping my SO used to posh living conditions grey in temps that cold :-)

[ThreeX]

Get a load of this: Weather and Climate - Republic of Congo
(and relax ; )

QUOTE: "nights generally in the 60s F/16-21 C."

[ThreeX]

Ignore - double post, sorry

[TheHolisticNanny]

interesting...............BUT.............I can't help but think that our fids are VERY acclimated to indoor living, AND aren't near as hardy as their wild counterparts! ..........We've crippled them in a sense with air conditioning and heat, just as humans are..... Just as I put on layers inside in the winter, I also can't help but think that Mo might need a little help too. Do birds grow "winter coats"?????? More down>?

So the lack of replies with what every one uses, means that most use nothing?

[sodakat]

You do realize 3x is talking celcius, right? So when she said 16 degrees she meant about 60 farenheit. Someone had this discussion recently and it turns out that there are a lot of people on the board that keep their homes in the 60s in the winter and their birds are fine.

I guess you could do a test by placing a heated perch in the cage and see if it gets used!

We have one of those low-slung radiator-type portable eclectric heaters that my husband plugs in near the bird cages whenever HE gets cold. I do hear my birds set their feathers overnight if it is quite cool, but that's what they are supposed to do.

I just had a thought. Would a plucker let more feathers grow if they were too cold?

[ThreeX]

Originally Posted by TheHolisticNanny

So the lack of replies with what every one uses, means that most use nothing?

Yeah i'd guess so, but don't quote me on that.
When local birdpark get new birds they let them out in springtime, and by fall/winter they've acclimatised/grown more down.
Personally i believe one can pamper kids/pets "to death" making them more fragile/vulnerable than they would have been otherwise..

[TheHolisticNanny]

Well, I completely agree about the too much pampering thing..... I guess I just didn't realize that they would grow more feathers....DUH, every OTHER outside creature does!!!!!

Originally Posted by ThreeX

Yeah i'd guess so, but don't quote me on that.
When local birdpark get new birds they let them out in springtime, and by fall/winter they've acclimatised/grown more down.
Personally i believe one can pamper kids/pets "to death" making them more fragile/vulnerable than they would have been otherwise..

[kristy29]

I've been wondering this too. It is getting cold here at night but it is too soon to turn the heat on. We've just been wearing layers to bed, and last night we used a space heater since it went to the 30's here. But that was in the bedroom and Meadow is in the living room. When we get up in the morning the house is in the 50's, and I feel like she must be very cold overnight but I don't know what to do for her. Her cage is quite large and not really movable so I can't bring her in the bedroom.