How to use
The reflected lamp should be fitted above the head and not side on into the eye.
The lamp should be fitted 10-12" from the bird's head when it is sitting on the topmost or basking perch.
It is important that the Bird Lamp is replaced at least every 12 months
The UV coating deteriorates after each use. The human eye cannot see this reduction but the lamp will be ineffective within one year with average use.
Do not use a glass or protective lens between the lamp and the bird - this will reduce the UV light that your bird needs.
Do not rely on lighting to provide all the Vitamin D3 that your bird needs. Your bird`s diet should also be appropriate.
The suitability of other light sources for birds
Incandescent bulbs, including neodymium types do not emit UV and thus are not suitable for birds. Lamps high in UVB, such as reptile lamps, can cause cataracts, and should be avoided for bird use. Aquarium lamps do not offer the correct red blue ratio, and again should be avoided.
The importance of UV to the bird
A bird kept inside may well be deprived of UV light. Sunlight passing through a window would have had most of its UV filtered out. In addition, normal domestic light sources do not emit UV. Thus, there is a definite need to add UV light, and the Arcadia Bird Lamp range offers this.
Birds feathers reflect UV light. This reflection of the plumage plays a role in the sexual selection of birds. Breeding should be more successful with UV present. Birds such as Mynah birds that appear black to the human eye will appear multi coloured to the avian eye. The same would apply to some white birds.
UV perception plays a significant role in the selective intake of food. Ripe fruit and berries appear as a different colour to a bird. What a bird sees affects their appetite. Reds are redder and greens are greener with UV. A reluctant feeder needs UVA light to stimulate their appetite.
Vitamin D3 synthesis
Vitamin D3 is required by birds for healthy bone development. Many species can synthesize Vitamin D3 from sunlight through their skin. Specifically, it is the UVB light within the spectrum that enables D3 synthesis.
As birds are covered in feathers, they are unable to use their skin in this way. In most birds, the preening gland collects the precursor D3 from the bloodstream, and concentrates it in the gland oils. These are then exposed to UVB light by the bird spreading the gland oils onto their feathers during preening. The bird then ingests the UV exposed material when they preen themselves again, and oil enters the body as pre-Vitamin D. The liver and kidney then convert this to Vitamin D3.
Information
It has been known for some time that regular direct sunlight is very beneficial to a bird`s health. Unless birds are kept in an aviary, this can be very difficult to achieve. Arcadia has specially designed a bird lamp to reproduce the levels of UV light contained in natural sunlight that normal domestic lights just cannot do. The correct lighting can make an enormous difference to your bird`s health, appearance, appetite and breeding behaviour. Try one today and see your bird as nature intended.
What do we mean by full spectrum light?
By full spectrum, we mean a balanced light output across the full spectrum, including the UV segment. Many modern tubes have three peaks of energy that match the three colours that our eyes perceive. Thus the tube`s effective output is maximised to the human eye, and the tube will appear very bright. These peaks do not necessarily match the avian eye, and there would be no UV present.
The use of an Arcadia Compact Lamp emits as much UV as a full length fluorescent tube and is ideal where space is at a premium or if a fluorescent tube won`t look `right`. Available with a screw it will fit in any ordinary light fitting and although it`s only 20w it shines as brightly as an ordinary 100w bulb and will give your bird all the health benefits of natural sunlight. To help concentrate the light the compact screw fitting bulb can be housed with a holder and reflector. Available to buy as a complete kit or as separates.
