In the wild, cockatiels have constant access to sunlight. When flying several miles per day in search of food, cockatiels are constantly exposed to sunlight. Even when they nest in trees, the branches and leaves do not entirely protect them from the Sun. Unfortunately, it is not easy for many homeowners to replicate the natural environment of the cockatiel.
Do Cockatiels Need Sunshine?
Do Cockatiels Need Sunshine? Yes, cockatiel needs sunshine because, in that way, it absorbs the vitamin D that it needs for its body to function optimally. Natural sunlight allows cockatiels to maintain their proper circadian rhythm and, in that way, allows them to get the sleep they need. Every cockatiel needs at least 10 hours of sunshine per day.
Let’s take a closer look at whether cockatiels really need sunlight and a few factors of how the sunshine can adversely affect your cockatiel.
Is Sunshine Good for Cockatiels?
Cockatiels need natural sunlight to produce vitamin D and skin, organs, and feathers health. Although we can try to imitate natural light in captivity, it is still a fact that there is no substitute for real work. It is recommended a much more than 30 minutes of direct sunlight exposure per week for your cockatiel to be able to produce vitamin D in its body, but the more you can give them, the better for them. You can also do this by building an aviary in your yard, or by training your cockatiel to take it out with you on outings, or just hanging out in the yard.
If you do not have predators near your area and if your cockatiel has a solid recall in various settings, including outside, then you can choose to take your cockatiel outside with you without any kind of enclosure. Only as an owner keep in mind that choosing to do so otherwise carries with it a high risk of your cockatiel getting carried off by predators or by a strong wind.
When taking your cockatiel outside is not an option due to extreme temperatures or incomplete training. You need to make sure your cockatiel gets enough pellets (somewhere around 50-70 percent of the cockatiel’s diet) that contain synthetic vitamin D or get enough food that is rich in natural vitamin D. You also need to make sure that the cockatiel lives and plays in rooms with lots of natural light, which can also help them psychologically but will do nothing to help them physically. Window glass also filters out ultraviolet light, which is essential for vitamin synthesis, organ function, and hormone production.
Do Cockatiels Like Being In The Sun?
Cockatiels like the Sun. This not only mimics their natural environment in the wild, but it also enables them to:
- Eyesight
- Process vitamin D more effectively
- Have a balanced and restful sleep
- Perceive light in more constant streams
Eyesight
Prolonged exposure to artificial light affects the mood of the cockatiels. So cockatiels with higher exposure to fluorescent light show similar symptoms to people on the autism spectrum, including repetitive stereotypes and self-harming behaviors. This is mainly due to how cockatiels perceive light.
Humans perceive light in waves. This means that we do not detect constant light unless the waves are fast enough for us to see them as continuous or solid. Cockatiels perceive light in waves as well, but they can detect light faster than we do.
You can also measure the speed of any light waves using a scale called a color rendering index, or CRI. Most light bulbs in our homes produce CRIs somewhere between 60-80. Anything lower than this means that the quality of the light will not illuminate the room properly. We may even see low CRI lights as flickering or unsteady.
While CRIs of 60 to 80 are satisfactory for humans, the same cannot be said of cockatiels. This is because cockatiels perceive light very quickly. Any light bulb with a CRI less than 91 is perceived as flickering instead of continuous and solid light.
If your cockatiel is exposed to this in the long term, then it may develop behavioral issues. That’s why it’s essential to take your cockatiel outside, especially if your windows do not allow in a proper amount of natural light. The Sun has a CRI of 100, which is the most significant number on the scale.
Vitamin D Production
Cockatiels produce vitamin D differently from humans. Because of this, if your cockatiel gets only 30 minutes of direct sunlight a day, it will have deficient in vitamin D. For proper vitamin production, cockatiels need to receive direct sunlight through their skin. However, because cockatiels are covered with feathers, their skin cannot be directly exposed to ultraviolet rays. So cockatiels instead avoid this issue by using their uropygial gland. This is also known as the oil gland or the preen.
When the cockatiel starts to preen itself from the uropygial gland, it gathers the oil that contains the precursor of vitamin D. Then, It spreads this on its feathers. Vitamin D is going to activate in the oil when it is exposed to sunlight. Once the cockatiel preens itself again, the oil is absorbed into its skin.
Circadian Rhythm
The circadian rhythm of the cockatiel is determined by the amount of sunlight it receives for hours. Therefore, its body will get confused if it’s kept in the dark or only if exposed to flickering lights. As a result, it will not sleep so profoundly or peacefully. It may also have tended to wake up more often during the night, making it harder to regenerate its cells and keep Its brain healthy.
Cockatiels come from Australia, where they have a tropical climate for most time of the year. This location gets more sunlight, so cockatiels are used to a healthy dose every day. In contrast, cockatiel, which is kept as a pet, is usually forced to live in areas with a different light cycle instead of what they have in their nature where they come from. This can result in sleep disorders and confuse mating or molting signals. Exposing your cockatiel to more sunlight will help to return its circadian rhythm to its natural environment. Once it does, the rest of its system will also rebalance. This will cause it to return to more natural sleep, hormone, and molting patterns.
How Much Sunlight Do Cockatiels Need?
Cockatiels need much more than 30 minutes of sunlight a day to activate vitamin D in their body. Therefore, while any amount of the Sun will be appreciated, too little will leave your cockаtiel unbalanced and deficient in vitamins. After reading this, you may be tempted to place your cage close to the window. This will allow your cockatiel to have almost constant sunlight.
Can Cockatiels Get Sunburn?
Cockatiels are protected from the Sun’s rays by their feathers, which is why they need to spread oil from their preen gland. This allows them to reap the benefits of sunlight, even though minimal Sun touches their skin. Excessive exposure to sunlight or the wrong type of sunlight is bad for your cockatiel. Depending on the temperature at where you live, exposing your cockatiel to direct sunlight can cause it to overheat.
When temperatures are high, provide shade that will not completely block the Sun. This will allow your cockatiel to retreat if it gets too hot in the Sun. After that, it can be quickly returned to the sunlight to absorb vitamins and warmth.
In addition to the risk of overheating, too much sunlight can cause skin cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is a common issue that can affect your cockatiel. This can appear around their beaks, eyes, wingtips, and on their toes. In contrast, wild cockatiels are usually protected from trees and are not exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore, give your cockatiel a chance to regulate its sun exposure.
Sun Lamps for Cockatiels
Sun lamps are a good way for your cockatiel to get the necessary exposure to ultraviolet light. Of course, this can not replace direct sunlight, but it is better than not getting enough. To make sure it is practical, consider the following:
Placement
It would help if you placed sun lamps 12 inches above the cockatiel’s cage. Any further, the light will not be adequate, or closer risk is more harmful because it can overheat your cockatiel.
Sunlamp Type
The best sunlamps for the cockatiel will emit UVA light, not UVB. With UVB, it will be much hotter for them, which can be too intense for your cockatiel. Many pet stores have UVB lamps for reptiles, which benefit from that intensity. In contrast, UVA rays are more penetrating. This means it can have a more significant effect on your cockatiel’s cells. In addition, vitamin D processing will be easier with UVA.
Exposure
Keep the Sun lamp on for at least 12 hours during the winter. However, it would help if you only used a sun lamp to give your cockatiel extra light during the rest of the year, which it cannot get from your window. If possible, allow your cockatiel to get natural sunlight during the day. Turn on the solar lamp only a few hours later in the evening. When it is time to go to bed, turn off the lamp completely, as exposure to sunlight at night will disrupt your cockatiel in:
- Sense of time
- Sleep schedule
- Circadian rhythm
- Biological functions that take their cue from light cycles
Signs That Your Cockatiel Enjoys The Sunlamp
Owners who take sun lamps for their cockatiels will enjoy the benefits in the first few days. However, by exposing your cockatiel to the UVA rays, you can expect the following changes:
- Healing from injuries sooner
- Reduced levels of sickness
- Willingness to try new foods
- Less biting
- Increased activity
- Vibrant feathers
- Improved mood
Sun lumps may also be used for another purpose, such as physical therapy. For example, a sun lamp can help with your cockatiel’s healing process if injured or recovering from surgery. Cockatiels need more sunlight than humans. Let your cockаtiel to enjoy in UV rays through your window because, in that way, it will better synthesize vitamin D, be physically healthier, improve its mood and sleep soundly.
