# Full spectrum light bulbs



## Marlie (Jan 27, 2011)

Can I use any full spectrum light bulb for my bird or does it have to be specifically for birds?


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Needs to be specifically for birds or "bird" safe. Some FSL bulbs have a teflon coat which gives off those fumes that can kill a bird.


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## Marlie (Jan 27, 2011)

do you know how long I should have it on during the day?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You can put it on a timer and have it timed to being on during the outside daylight hours.

The reason why either acess to real sunlight (not filtered thru a window) or Full Spectrum Lighting (FSL) is important is that is that birds absorb the light into their skin which converts it to vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, which is required in the intestines to help absorb calcium to regulate important blood calcium levels which as the hen is forming the shell in the uterus the calcium is drawn from the bones via the blood stream.

This form of vitamin D3 is far safer than supplementing with vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin, which gets stored in the body, and if supplementing in excess from vitamin can create a toxicity in the body. It can cause hypercalcemia (too much calcium in the blood) which affects the heart, other organs and cause liver toxicosis, calcification of the kidneys and gout.

Therefore when feeding pellets, they do contain D3, you should never give additional vitamins (D3) and calcium because the diet is designed to provide what the bird needs. 

Whereas FSL and sunlight access are natural forms of sources for D3 and are safer and more easily assimilated than from artifical sources.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Does anybody know of a brand that is bird safe and doesn't have Teflon? Because I've never seen FSL lightbulbs for birds sold in the petstores I go to.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

I just go to Home Depot and buy the Sunlight flouresant tubes. I've used them for several years (prior it was Vita lights) and saw no difference between them and the bird specific ones.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Oh thanks, there not Regular bulbs though. I was thinking of replacing my ceiling fan lights with FSL lights for the birds.


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## Marlie (Jan 27, 2011)

I live in florida so I don't want to take him from the air conditioned house into the heat. I'm guessing he could get sick from that. How far do you keep the light from the cage?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You can have it about a foot away from the cage.


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## Eileen (Mar 11, 2011)

srtiels said:


> I just go to Home Depot and buy the Sunlight flouresant tubes. I've used them for several years (prior it was Vita lights) and saw no difference between them and the bird specific ones.


Is this what you are talking about?

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...27X-_-100687001&locStoreNum=8552#BVRRWidgetID

Well shoot...my link dosen't work. It just takes you to thier home page. Anyway, I found these at Home Depot:

EcoSmart 14-Watt (60W) Daylight CFL Light Bulbs (4-Pack)


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## leeisme (Feb 4, 2011)

your link does work... i use those bulbs. They work fine for me. They are the ones in the lights I use in the photo album below. I had recently lost a beautiful female lutino (Enya) to a severe case of egg binding and I vowed she would not die in vain. I was one of those uneducated people who have bred tiels for years and thought that the light they were getting through the window was fine. 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...&type=1&theater&pid=662673&id=100000336320604

ps they are not that bright. It only looks that way in the pics from the glare of the flash


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## Debbie05 (Feb 9, 2010)

Ya I'd like to know if those are good. The link worked for me.


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