# FSL question



## angelmommy24 (Nov 20, 2011)

What type of lighting do you use and can my husband get this at Homedepot I provide cuttlebone greens seeds and such although she will not being having anymore clutches this year I want to provide the best for all my tiels what would you suggest? Also do I keep the lighting on all day or just a few hours a day? He's heading to homedepot in the morning


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## green parakeet (Oct 20, 2011)

There is a search button up there. If you search Full spectrum light you should be able to find all your awnsers


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## green parakeet (Oct 20, 2011)

i went and searched full spectrum lighting for you. http://talkcockatiels.com/search.php?searchid=1016467 That link should provide you with all your awnsers


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## angelmommy24 (Nov 20, 2011)

Thank you very much!!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

We added a sticky thread on full spectrum just yesterday:
http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?p=244926

Home Depot doesn't have a big selection of full spectrum lights. This one is the right color temperature: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 but I can't find out what the CRI is. It's probably in the neighborhood though, most FS bulbs with that color temperature have a CRI of 88-90.

The other choices are 4-foot fluorescent tubes, and the best way to use those is in a hanging shop light like this one: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 The bulb that I like best at Home Depot is this one: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 It has the right color temperature, a CRI of 92, and it's cheap as these things go.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The Philips 950 series is considered to be the very best for birds since it has a CRI of 98. The company only sells them in cases of 25 but there are a few sellers out there who'll open up the case and sell you a smaller number. They're not cheap though. I want to get the 2-foot bulb at http://www.amazon.com/Philips-221549-F17T8-Straight-Fluorescent/dp/B002CZ35HG/ but it's amazingly difficult to find an appropriate 2-foot shop light that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. The 4-foot lights are cheaper and much easier to get.


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## angelmommy24 (Nov 20, 2011)

Thanks tielfan my husband got everything from homedepot now do I keep the lightening on all day?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

That's a matter of opinion, and the opinions are all over the place on how much is appropriate. Most sources seem to recommend a fairly small amount (2 to 4 hours a day) for small birds like cockatiels, but others think it's OK to use it all day. I can't find the thread right now but I think srtiels says all day is OK. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

For the benefit of anybody reading this thread: I've been looking more into the Philips 950 series and can't find any evidence that it provides ultraviolet light - apparently some "full spectrum" lights are only talking about the human visual spectrum. The 950 series' reputation is based on Patrick Thrush's findings in 1999 or earlier and things might be different now than they were then.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

As to the question of how long, I have had the lights on timers from sunrise to sunset.

I have also used simple Sunlight/Plant Grow bulbs from Home Depot with birds (passed shelless egg) with an existing problem and by the next egg the shell was normal. I had used Vita lights in the past and the sunlight bulb was just as effective.


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