Full spectrum lighting & Pionus

[Amanda]

Mrs.Birdy, did you read the latest BirdTalk magazine (October issue)? It has an article about the Pionus. I was so excited to see that there's an article about the "Pionus" ... so I bought the magazine (I don't usually subscribe or buy this magazine). Anyway, I learned something new about the Pionus and full spectrum lighting. Here's what the article says:

"Preen Gland
Like Amazon parrots, Pionus lack the uropygial gland, which produces various secretions responsible for water-proofing, feather and bill condition, and vitamin D production. Since this gland is not pesent in Pionus, you must be careful that adequate vitamin D is included in their diets. Parrots with uropygial glands must be exposed to sunlight so that the secretions can be used by the bird to manufacture vitamin D3. Sunlight exposure is not as vital for birds lacking this gland."

The article was written by Russ Shade and is 5 pages long! I'm so happy to see that there are more things being published about the Pionus parrots! :)


P.S. If there are other Pionus owners here, I'm sorry for not mentioning your name(s) (as I have with Mrs.Birdy). From what I remember, there were only 3 of us on this board that is owned by a Pionus.

[Jenny]

Amanda, I read that too and thought it was very interesting. Thanks for sharing it! :)

[Mrs.Birdy]

Ah yes Amanda...I also spotted the mention of the Pionus article on the cover of BirdTalk and bought it. I read through today and saw the part about vitamin D. I was so surprised to find out they dont have the preening gland. Marcel did get a lot of sun when I was taking him outside everyday, but since the scare we had with the hawk, I don't take him outside much anymore. I am considering getting him a full spectrum light and will do more research...will let you know.

Thanks for thinking of me and Marcel and I will tell Bonnie (pionuspassion) because she has a blue headed pionus too. Her name is Fiona.

Thanks again.

Roseanne

[crazeemama]

I didn't know that was how birds manufactured Vitamin d3, only that they did. Did they recommend lighting for other birds? if so, which kind?

[Amanda]

Hi Crazeemama, I didn't know either that not all birds have the preen gland. Anyway, the article didn't mention what kind of birds need the full-spectrum lighting ... it just said that birds who do not have the preen glands do not need sunlight or full spectrum lighting. Maybe if you know that a certain type of bird has the preen gland, then you would definitely need to expose them to sunlight or have the FSL.

[peteybird]

I also read the article on Pionus and was very excited to see that they had an article on them.

[Mrs.Birdy]

Amanda and Crazee: Do you think I should go ahead and get Marcek a full spectrum light even though the article says he doesn't need it. I was thinking it wouldn't hurt.

[crazeemama]

especially in the winter months. It may help with attitude. But they are pricey so it just depends. I definitely need some here! I have been looking for awhile and have become confused bythe variety of bulbs and claims. Some say reptile lightingis ok others say not. Even alot of confusion over various full spectrum bulbs!

[Amanda]

Mrs.Birdy, Rio & Bijou have FSL right now. But as crazeemama has said, it might help with their attitude -- which is something I have not even considered. Currently, I have a FSL for Rio & Bijou ... but it's the one from my son's sudan-plated. According to the instruction on the box, it is recommended to change the bulb every 6 months (even if it still works and gives off light, the UVB & UVA aren't very strong after 6 months) so whenever we buy a new bulb for Lizz, I recycle her 6-month old bulbs and use it for the birds.

Crazeemama, what attitude changes can occur if the birds are not given FSL?

[crazeemama]

About the same as for us ......
When we are deprived of sunshine. Cannnot make D3, d vitamin deficiency, depression, plucking,etc. I think it is one of the MOST OVERLOOKED pieces of the aviculture puzzle.
Birds EXCEPT THOSE WITH NO UROPYGIAL (SP) GLAND, need at least 20 minutes of sunlight a day to munfacture the d3 and other things.
Most of us live in climates not suitable for outdoors sun a large part of the year, at least not where exotic birds are concerned. It doesn't matter how light the room is as the UV stuff the birds need is filtered out by the window glass.
i have also heard that it is bad economics to use the bulb from the reptile cage. there are some great links about the lighting and debates on www.holisticbird.org do a search for lighting and you'll see them.
I have been reading about them for quite some time and i beleive it is a very necessay thing, right up there with the correct food! I think alot of the 'moodiness' and perhaps a large amount of behavioral problems can be correected with the lighting.

[Amanda]

Thanks for the info & link, crazee. I'm going to look it up and if I'm not suppose to re-use the reptile FSL bulb, then I'll just throw it out the next time we change the bulb.

[dlaura]

Amanda,
What type of FSL fixture did you get for your birds? I looked at some on a site Jenny was having a sale. I liked the clip-on one for the cage which one could use a bulb or a heat type of bulb.
Since you have your light already - what would your recommendations be for someone considering a purchase?

Thanks.

[Amanda]

Hi Diane,

The fixture that I'm using for my birds are the ones that you attach to the wall. I have it mounted on the wall about a foot away from the top of their cages. Since I have 2 cages (side by side to each other), I thought that the wall-mounted bracket for the FSL bulb would work better for me. The bulb that I am using is about 4 feet long so it covers both Rio's and Bijou's cages. If you are going to use FSL for one bird/cage, perhaps the ones that attach to the cage would work better for you. I find it is more economical for me to have a longer bulb attached to one fixture for both birds.

Hope this helps,
Amanda

[Jenny]

The more I read about it, I think I will go ahead and buy the $40 FSL cage-mounted kind that was in the Foster&Smith catalog, and attatch it to Mortie's cage, since he's the feather plucker and who knows, maybe it will help some. I know either way that it's good for them and all the birds spend some time in Mortie's cage so they'll all benefit.

[pionuspasion]

I hate to question everyones opinions but, I have read that ( I'm not quite sure how to put this and I do not know the technical terminology ), birds can see more flickers of light per second than we can, so what looks like a solid light source to us, looks like a series of flickers to them. In agreeance with this, wouldn't flourescent lighting bother the birds more than benefit them? As soon as I heard this I stopped using any form of artificial lighting in my bird room and just kept the blinds open. What do you think? Has anyone else heard this? I read it in a general wild bird book at a local college library. I'll have to take the book out again and reread, but I'm pretty sure I'm not mistaken. Thanks for any input.

[Jenny]

Hmmmm, interesting point~ and don't bother questioning, that's how we all learn and look at both sides of an issue! I don't know, I'm not even 100% sure it's necessary for birds to have FSL because I know many who live to be old w/o it. I think of it this way though: I could live well in a house all my life with little exposure to the actual sunlight. But, being outside in the real light affects my overall mood quite a bit, and I'm for the most part happier, and more depressed when I'm sitting in my room with four fake little light bulbs turned on attatched to the fan than when I'm outside soakin' up the sun! I know that has nothign to do with flickerings...but anyway. I really don't think any flickerings would bother the birds, either that or they just adjust to it after a short period. My birds in artificial lighting/non-FSL don't seem to be bothered at all, and I know of a b&g macaw wiht a FSL fixture attatched to his cage and he's fine too...no stress caused by "there's too much flickerings, I just can't stand it here!" or anything like that, lol. I'd be interested, did you notice any changes in your birds once you stopped using the artificial lighting?

[pionuspasion]

My room gets sunlight from sun-up to sun-down, so there have been no changes in behavior. I only have one little incandescent in my room anyway. I just stopped using it. My birds go outside often, and besides, one of the two windows in the room is screened in so it is always open. I believe that they get plently of UVA/UVB from the natural sunlight that way as well. I always try to go the natural way tho, it's just my nature. Flourescents bother my eyes as well, so I try to avoid them personally. Whatdya think?

P.S. I'm looking for that book now.

[Jenny]

I just visited the BirdTalk website, and found an interesting article by Margaret Wissman. If you want to read it, go to "Reader Stories", then "Bird Tales", then finally click on "20 thigns you must know about nutrition" Anyway, the interesting part was that she says that if your birds are on a pelleted diet, they don't need the natural light (full spectrum), since the vitamin D is already added to the pellets. Still though I know most birds enjoy going outside, however knowing that may keep some of you from worrying so much (like me!) about your birds getting the right light if that really is true.

[crazeemama]

Never regret questioning an opinion! That is what these boards are for. I appreciate everyone throwing their info out there so we can see if it stands up or what. i also wondered about the flickering. there are so many pros and cons. I still think especially if you have problem birds OR you cannot take your birds outside year round then maybe it is a resourse to try. I still want to get a couple of those lamps, and see if t here is any improvement in say olivers plucking, for instance. Another lamp i would like to put in a place where i could put a bird under it to play for an hour or so.
I will do more research especially with regard to the 'flickering' and see what i can find that addresses that issue.It may be these lights are made differently and the flickering is at a minimun. i know there are certain types of ballasts they aren't suposed to be used with.
I have been looking into these for quite some time and there is so many confictlng info that i think a person probably needs to try one and just see if there is any chnage for the better.
Anyway, your opinion IS apprecciated as are ALL the others.