When raising Lovebirds, it is crucial that every owner install lights in their living spaces – particularly lights that are used for full spectrum breeding. These lights mimic natural sunlight and is helpful to maintain their overall health.
On average, full spectrum lights for Lovebirds consists of 5500 kelvin (or 20 degrees celcius) in shade temperature. This specific requirement mimics the natural outdoors’ living conditions, that would ease their adjusting period from the wild to domestication. Furthermore, be sure to shut off the lights at night.
Though this may seem elaborated, regulating the lighting within your Lovebird’s habitat would help them grow into fertile adults that could reproduce numerous offsprings (around after mating season). Regardless, the settings for a habitat’s lighting should be adjusted to the different needs. If you’re new to your Lovebird journey, be sure to read through this article and learn to find the right lighting settings for your lovebirds!
For Healthy Lovebirds
When your Lovebirds are in a healthy condition, most owner would only require to regulate the habitats briefly – which is to turn on and off the lights during necessary times. Having the lights on during unusual hours of the night might confuse your Lovebirds into thinking that it is still day time. As a result, Lovebirds might tire themselves the next morning from singing during these unusual hours.
For Breeding Lovebirds
In terms of reproduction success, around 70% of it depends on the appropriate lighting that has been installed in their habitat. This is because appropriate lighting has a direct correlation to adult Lovebirds’ overall (reproduction) health and will provide the right temperature for their eggs to harvest and hatch.
For Sick Lovebirds
Sick Lovebirds would generally require a warm habitat to warm up their body temperatures. Therefore, it is wise to install lights with a higher watt level during these times. On certain occasions, some owners would opt to cover several parts of their habitat with a thermal blanket as well. This is to mimic night time, that would encourage these birds to get some rest whilst maintaining the warmth from the lightbulbs.
For Nursing Lovebirds
To maintain the overall health of nursing mothers, monitor their habitat’s overall temperature with adjustable lighting. The requirements may be different for each bird, so play close attention to what each bird might need: Nursing Lovebirds showing signs of being cold may need stronger light in their habitats.
For Most Lovebirds
Though the requirements may vary to different Lovebirds, previous studies have came up a general rule of thumb in regards to their conditions. A study conducted by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, and Wageningen University has once proven that Lovebirds who are exposed to white lighting have a higher level of kortikosteron in their blood. Kortikosteron is a hormone that increases when Lovebirds experience stress.
Moreso, a separate study has proven the distance between their nests and and the light source plays an affect to their stress levels too. Most Lovebird would have higher levels of kortikosteron when the distance between the two are shorter.
Taking these two studies into consideration, it is wise that owners invest on a yellow tinted light bulb instead of a neon light; and install them at a safe distance. As for adjusting to night time, where owners are advised to shut the light source by 21:00 – 22:00, it is encouraged that the owners dim the light gradually to avoid stress.
So there you have it! These are just basic tips to find the right lighting settings for your Lovebirds. However, it is worth reminding that these are just general tips and prior research is strictly advised to avoid any potential harms in the making. No Lovebird is the same, so it helps to fully grasp what your Lovebird’s needs and capabilities are. We hope these basic information could be of good use and we wish you the best of luck!