Helping Pet Birds Thrive in Winter

A parrots body is adapted to flourish in tropical rainforest conditions that are hot and humid where the average temperature is about 77° Fahrenheit.  The rainforest climate has very little temperature variation and the light cylce.  Likewise, the length of daylight is 12 hours and varies little.  Many regions in the U.S. and Europe haved distinctly different temperature, humidity and light cycles than a rainforest.

Humans can adjust to harsh winter conditions easier than a caged bird.  For instance, if we have dry skin, it is easy to use a humidifier, apply soothing in bath oils, slather on lotion, and drink more water.  A caged bird may have no choice but to suffer dry, itchy skin, dry eyes and nasal passages and feel dehydrated.   Winter cold is a major source of physical stress to our parrots.  Long term dry, cold conditions may leave your bird vulnerable to illness.

To help our birds weather winter it is important to manage variable temperatures, humidity and light.  Our parrots need us to provide stable, warmer temperatures, bathing despite the cooler temperatures, increased levels of humidity, and regulated lighting from full-spectrum bird lights.  With that in mind, some of the most useful bird supplies you can purchase to help your parrot weather the winter includes the following bird supplies:

1.  Bird Bed: Your bird will appreciate a snuggly bird bed that hangs from the top of the bird cage. The bird bed traps body heat in a confined space allowing your bird to conserve energy.  Placed near the high in the cage and near bird cage bars for easy access, your bird will be able to tolerate cooler night time temperatures.
2. Heated Perch:  A heated perch, such as the Thermo-Perch, offers parrots a stable source of soothing heat. The heated perch works by passing warmth through the feet, a body part where parrots lose a lot of body heat.  Keep your bird’s favorite perches in the cage too, but put the Thermo-perch in the bird cage in the winter months or when your bird is ill. Be sure to manage the electric cord so that you parrot is unable to chew it.
3. Bird Lights:  Full Spectrum bird lights provide important health benefits for birds that can't get 12 hours of sunlight a day.  These bird lights duplicate natural sun light allowing even captive parrots to enjoy the benefits of sunshine.  While many bird light brands proclaim to simulate natural sunshine make sure to buy bird lights that are recommended for parrots such as Featherbrite Bird Lights.
4. Specialized Bird Bath Sprays are developed with a bird's sensitive skin conditions in mind.  Bird Bath spray rinses dust and dander off of feathers and restores essential skin softening oils.  Clean feathers and supple skin are essential for winter bird care.  Birds with itchy skin may resort to feather plucking to cope with the irritation. A new bird bath spray from Natra Pet contains both Alovera and natural bird preening oils to sooth itchy, dry skin and bring the color out in your birds feathers. Your parrot will feel so much more comfortable with the soothing effects of Alovera and the skin softening of natural preening oils.  You know how uncomfortable you feel when your skin is dry.  It makes you feel cold and itchy.  Natra Pet Bird Bath and Alovera help soothe itchy skin, promote healthy preening and reduce dander.
5. Humidifier:  Just like people, birds need to breath and live in moist air. Birds thrive with moist skin, nostril’s, and eye tissues. Dry skin and nasal passages leave parrots to health problems.  Supple skin withstands minor scratching, bumps and bruises while keeping toxic agents outside of the body.  It stretches and flexes, whether it is our nostrils, eyes or body skin.