hello, I am thinking about getting 2 parakeets (either blue and/or fancy ones) and keep them in my room. I have done research on all of the things I need and put them on a list but I am still wondering if my birds need an uv lamp. also my room does not have a very large window and is mostly covered by black out curtains. anyways I would really like to know if I needed an UV lamp and if so what kind?
Hi,
First, if you want a tame bird, you should only get one bird. When you cage two birds together, they will usually form a bond and no longer seek human interaction, even if the birds are different species or the same sex. Birds will choose their own over a human – this is just an instinctive behavior. Even the most tame birds have gone back to being wild when sharing a cage with a companion.
As for the lighting, there have not been any studies on UV lighting and pet birds so it is really not known if they help. There are no standards on this. There are some full spectrum lights that are specifically sold for pet birds. Any full spectrum lighting should never be their only light source as there are concerns about eye damage. Also, they flicker and while we can’t see this, the birds can and this can be stressful. Apparently there are some newer lights that do not flicker. These lights should not be too close to your bird, and should only be used anywhere from 4-6 hours per day.
Thank you for asking Lafeber,
Brenda
