The Caique Site
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The Caique Manual
8. Lighting Caiques are creatures of the day. Give them plenty of light, but provide a shady place to escape to if they receive direct sunlight. If they receive too much sun and heat, they will lift their wings, open their beak and pant. They do this to increase their surface area to dissipate heat. If the bird is overheated for an extended time, it could have a heat stroke and die. Overheating is not a typical problem for pet parrots kept in your home. They tolerate the same or higher light levels as humans. I recommend placing your bird's cage in a bright spot in your home. If you live in the north and must endure long dark days in the winter, extra light should be provided. Nearly every breeder in the northern part of the United States and in Canada provides extra light. The broad-spectrum fluorescent fixtures are the light sources of choice. These should be placed directly above the cage, but take care to arrange the cord so it is inaccessible to the bird. Some vendors tout the beneficial effects of ultraviolet light for parrots and are selling lamps with greater UV output. Given what we know about the effects of UV light on humans, one must question this. This may also be a problem for older parrots. Elderly macaws (Clubb, 1998) that have lived their whole lives outdoors in sunny Florida at Parrot Jungle develop cataracts. This is also the case for humans who live most of their lives in sunny locales. These cataracts are thought to be due to long term exposure to UV light. Thus, while there may be short-term benefits, like a nice tan on a human, there may be long-term consequences. My advice is to wait until more is known about the effects of UV light on parrots before buying one of these lights. More information about lighting for parrots is available at the Birds and Lighting website. |