# Heat/UV Lamps



## Kerry78

Hey All,

I was thinking of getting a heat Lamp or UV Heat Lamp for my Tiels to keep them warm im not with them 1 night a week and even though I do have Oil Filled radiator for them I was thinking the Lamp would be better as I can place it on a timer,

The temps here in the UK have become extremely cold and I didn't want my birds to suffer, oviousey when im with them the heating is on for them but only in the evenings when it's at it coldest!

has anyone here got these lamps?
are they are hit or a miss? 

Reply below 

Thanks


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## tielfan

Based on a VERY brief web search, I get the impression that UV heat lamps are made for reptiles. Reptile UV lights aren't recommended for birds because the reptiles need a much higher level of UVB that's hazardous for birds. You're probably better off to get a plain heat lamp without the UV. Just plain infrared, in other words.

If you want to get fancy and don't minding spending a lot of money, there are infrared heat panels made for birds: http://www.avitec.com/Avi-Temp-Infrared-Heat-Panels-p/ihp.htm


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## Kerry78

I was abit concerned with a normal lamp dis-rupting there sleeping pattern though,
they need 12 hrs of darkness right those normal lamps are lite up,but the UV ones aren't!

I do like that flat panel for the birds maybe i'll look into one of those to


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## Renae

I've seen photos of cage set-ups with UV lights on the top of them. (more Cockatiels set-ups than anything)

When I went to the Petbarn not long ago, the people did say there that you shouldn't and they often have people coming in wanting to buy the heat lamps for reptiles for their birds.

I have a touch lamp for my birds, there's dim light, low light, and then bright light. I always have it on dim when the birds are put to bed.


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## Mythara

We have our heating on a timer - on at 4pm off at 11pm, on at 6.30 am off at 7.30 am for the past year and a bit, and our birds are all fine with it. We cover them at night and they're happy. We've had no problems with them acting cold, even though we have very little insulation in the house just now (it's an old building, and some walls we won't be able to insulate anyway). I'm pretty sure it's colder up here than down where you are


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## cheekyboy

I honestly think the birds will be ok without it (but dont let me deter you if you want one!). I was always worried about that in winter too, but reminded myself later that they are birds.. who would survive the coldest of winters in the wild all by themselves  And then add the fact they are indoors, and have heating on for part of the time.

But thats just my thoughts.. how cold are your winters over there (I'm in Aus.. where I live it doesnt snow but gets to below zero at night sometimes).


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## tielfan

> I was abit concerned with a normal lamp dis-rupting there sleeping pattern though,


A normal lamp and a UV lamp would definitely disrupt the sleep pattern. However they say that a plain infrared lamp doesn't. Infrared waves are what creates the heat and they're outside the visible spectrum. They're a lower frequency than visible light and are perfectly safe. Here's a link to an example: http://www.nextag.com/Hagen-Heat-Glo-Infrared-517368355/prices-html


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## Kerry78

Hey mythara, right now almost 3am and it 5.7F you wonder why im not asleep lol
ive been putting my radiators on since they were installed earlier on in the year but gas prices are ridiculous over here at the moment and ive got a rubbish prepay meter which ive gotta put up with till march next year as my supplier in the meantime wants £75 to change it 

I do have a oil filled radiator it lives by the birds atm it's theres I think,
I have lost the manual and im unsure how to set the thing so it comes on and goes of,

im concerned about Teallie really he has been sneezing I know they do so but he's is older then my other 2 and he's bound to feel the cold more luckily imaway from my birds just 1night a week, they have a thick blanket on there cage halfway and the curtains are alway closed with a little gap and the door is shut there is a little warmth when I return but these last few days have just gone freezing!

I wish i could buy the heat panel above seriousley but it will have to wait,
aswell as that im changing my Tiels diet cos my current brand of seed suxx and ive been hearing so many good comments on Tidymix so there getting that


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## fluoro.black

Hmm :hmm:, with Australia it gets down to 0 or below celcius in Victoria, would I need a heat lamp for that? Thanks for posting this btw haha, I was wondering the same thing.


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## Mythara

Kerry78 said:


> Hey mythara, right now almost 3am and it 5.7F


Are you sure you've got that temperature right? That would be -15C and I know it hasn't been that cold anywhere in the UK yet. The best thing to do is get an outdoor minimum/maximum thermometer and put it next to the cage. That way you can see the lowest temperatures the room, even when you're not there, the pins will show what the lowest it got down to was. If the three of them start sharing perches and cuddling up together (if it's something they don't already do), then I'd worry about them getting cold, but until then I wouldn't worry too much.

Another option is something like the cosy pocket or peekaboo tent. They both need your bird to perch, rather than the happy huts which have a proper base, so they're much less likely to stimulate nesting.

http://www.24parrot.com/Cosy-Pocket-P37906/
http://www.24parrot.com/Peekaboo-Perch-Tent--3-Sizes-P346130a/


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## Raven2322

I don't know if anyone here has one of these and I'm not even sure how well they work. However I've these heated perches for sale and you could always look into something like this too. I've heard cockatiels loss most of their body heat through their feet. So you could check this out too. 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=10899


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## xxxSpikexxx

I would be worried that the perch might over heat. Spike's breeder was asked if they would be safe at the parrot club meeting and he said that they should not have been invented :blink:


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## Kerry78

Hmm well ive just hadto put my central heating on timer it's become chilly now,
many parts of the uk has snow but none here yet!

I had ice on my windows this morning though inside


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