i just recently purchased a full spectrum lighting bulb for ross....ive read where ppl have theirs right on top or a foot or two away....anyone w/some advice on this???????

Hmm... good question.. We've been wanting to get one for Kiwi.. hope some others come along to share pics of theirs!!!!

Me too! Where do you get it? Petco or Petsmart maybe? And how do you set them up. Someone must have answers...lol.

I know there is online retailers that sell them.. we were going to do that..

Not sure about pet smart.. i dont tihnk ours has it in store..

I've had spectrum lightning on Harley for about 3 years now and I keep it about a foot from him in the cage....I leave it on about 8 hours every day....Below is where you can order them....Hope that helps you to decide if you would like to use it or not....


Full Spectrum Replacement Lamps | Bird Lighting Systems & Supplies | Bird - ThatPetPlace.com

My birds are here, most of the day.

Do I still need f s lighting?

Paula,
"they" say you still need full spectrum lighting because windows block out too much (if not all) of the UV rays which is what birds need.

Do you use it?

We have one for our guys but tend to not have it on all too often, I am afraid to leave it on when we are not home because it really doesnt seem that sturdy. We got ours through the Dr.s Foster and Smith catalog. you can see how far away it is from his cage in this video...but i can't find a picture of what it looks like as a whole so I found the link to the website.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uy8jAxQdSRw
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=16712

we use full spectrum lighting in the whole bird room (flurecent lights ) I have them on all dfay they are good for people too..

To have some affect the full spectrum lighting needs to be within 2 feet of the birds cage. It also shouldn't cover the entire cage so they have a spot in their cage where they can get out of the light ...

As I understand it .. the important issue in full spectrum for birds is to imitate natural light at noon .. The CRI should be around 91/92 and kelvin at around 5000 to 5500 .. anything lower isn't full spectrum and anything higher isn't beneficial as it relates to the needs of birds as it is no longer imitating natural light at noon ...

I'll just pass on a few points from my vet and the Atlantic Vet Hospital/Exotics Division about full spectrum ..

• If the manufacturer claims full spectrum and doesn't identify the CRI and kelvin then chances are it is not truly full spcectrum at least at the levels required to be a benefit to a bird. The CRI must be at least 91 and the kelvin should be 5000 .. this imitates the sun at noon .. anything less isn't helping at all. Buyer beware were his words .. and what is being sold for reptiles doesn't provide the proper UVA/UVB balance for a bird. I think he referred to the color rendering part wasn't adequate but I could be mistaken here ...
• Full spectrum lighting aids in the synthesis of Vitamin D which also helps in the proper use of calcium .. however, because this can also be dealt with in the diet our vet felt that more importantly full spectrum lighting allows the birds to see the colours as intended and helps with physical and mental health to allow for a daily cycle. In the winters it gets dark so early but with full spectrum lighting the bird continues to get the full advantage of daylight.
• What is good for one is not necessarily good for another .. Perk (our CAG) only gets full spectrum for 6 hours per day now so as not to encourage breeding behaviours. When we rescued him he was plucking under his wings .. our vet feels this is now habit related to prior sexual frustrations .. The lighting plays a part in encouraging and discouraging breeding behaviours .. Sméagol on the otherhand gets 8 hours ..

We currently have full spectrum lighting in the overhead fixture and each bird has a fixture within two feet of their individual cages. The individual lights are on different timers to ensure Perk gets 6 hours and Sméag gets 8 hours.

Although a bird can get sunstroke through a window they do not get the full affects of the UV as it is being filtered.

I just touched on the specifics as best I could remember them and only the areas that related to my birds ...

Hope this helps ...

These are what I have hanging about 2 ft from each bird cage..Dodger has 1 and each of the macaw cages have one hanging on each side of the cage.They are set on timers to go on at 9am and to go off at 5 pm.As it winter gets closer they will be dropped down to 4-5 hours a day.
Here a few good articles about lighting
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article....38&aid=1015
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article....03&aid=1186
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article....03&aid=1536

Yes. I didn't at first until I started reading up on it. But once I set up a light between both cages, the birds' feathers seem nicer and the bird's themselves seem a little more "chipper"

i have mine 'bout a foot away from the cage at an angle so he get away from it when he wants too, and i have mine set to a timer for 8hrs a day (recommended by my vet) and there very good for us too!

I buy full spectrum bulbs from walmart (yes they do now sell true full spectrum bulbs) that fit into a regular light fixtures and I use them through the whole house. I LOVE them!! As stated above they are good for people too and I definately get a feeling of refreshment when I walk into my house. Griffin has lived under them all day every day for the past 6 months with no problems what so ever!

What we did for nessie was get a clip on desk lamp
(almost like a students desk lamp but it has a clip bottom) and
we put the globe in and put it on her cage, just make sure though
that the globe or lamp isn't anywhere your bird can peck at it,
you may need to adjust the length of the clip somehow