Temperature-Handling

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What color of IRN do you think is more pretty?

Albino
2
33%
Yellow
4
67%
 
Total votes: 6

RainbOasis
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 11:05 am

Temperature-Handling

Post by RainbOasis »

Hi, I used to own my own blue mutation IRN. She was a female about 14 months old. One time on a Winter's morning I woke up to see her at the bottom of the cage...dead. :(
I had her since she was about 4 months old, and I tamed her, had a good bond with her and I would take her out each day and she was really healthy as mentioned by a local vet (I had checkups each 3 months). But I still haven't figured out what would have caused her death...the most obvious answer would be that it was too cold for her, being around -5 at the time. But I always had a thick blanket on the cage throughout anywhere between 6 degrees and under.

Now my question is this:
What are the temperature requirements for owning IRN's? Because I'm getting a new Blue Indian Ringneck tomorrow and I live in a place where it can be around -7 degrees at night. I have the cage set up in my room (practically the warmest room in the house) and I'm REALLY! hoping my new bird companion to come won't suffer such a fate until he/she is around 25-30 years old...

Also on a side note- Her name was Trixie, and my new bird will be named Vinyl.
Also I was told birds only poop whilst staying still, in this case. not flying...but I think that was wrong, since last time my bird pooped I was on a chair trying to reach a high place on my wall... :p
Donovan
Posts: 833
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 4:18 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by Donovan »

well... temperature requirements... if it's cold for you.. it's cold for the bird... if it's hot for you, it's hot for the bird.

-5 can kill you... and so it can kill a bird.... This is less about the bird's bare minimum tolerance level as it is just keeping it warm.

So do something else to keep it warm... your last method didn't work out so well...

I don't know the actual answer to your question though
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by MissK »

I'm suspecting we are looking at Celsius degrees here, so 6 would be 42.8 Fahrenheit and -5 would be 23 F. These temperatures are chilly to very cold, but wild Ringnecks living in New Jersey, USA are subject to much colder and survive. They do, however, have freedom to move to the best spot for keeping warm that nature provides them, and they have friends. As Donovan says, what's uncomfortably cold or hot for you is also uncomfortable for your bird.

I also have some question that the temperatures noted are outdoors temperatures. If the bird was kept inside, then inside temperatures would be more meaningful. It would also be worth noting that if the temperature changes gradually, such as it does naturally outside, it is easier for the bird to acclimate. If the bird is inside and the temperature fluctuates in an unnaturally rapid or extreme way - such as turning the heat off at night or finding it off and turning it on high to heat the place quickly - the bird has little chance of keeping up.

Drafts, which you conscientiously sought to prevent by wrapping the bird, are dangerous, as are the fumes of combustion which might contaminate the air of the house if the heating system is not working at peak efficiency. Portable heaters, too, may contain a substance that is toxic to birds once it reaches a certain temperature. Note, this substance is also found in many heatable home appliances, including hair dryers and the infamous nonstick cookware.

In short, there are many ways your bird may have succumbed, and I don't think you may ever find out what did her in. I know what it's like to find a bird dead in the cage, and so you really have my sympathy. I suggest you review the internet and this forum for "household dangers" to birds and see if there is anything you can identify as a hazard to address before the new bird comes home. Remember your Trixie lived 10 months with you, so it's very likely that your house is safe. If you made any changes right before she died, you should examine them carefully to see if there was a hidden danger.
-MissK
RainbOasis
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 11:05 am

Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by RainbOasis »

Thank you, the both of you. This has really made alot more sense to me now.
And yes, the temperatures I noted that were 6 degrees celsius and under, was an average outdoor temperature. And the house would normally always be a positive 10 celsius degrees hotter than outside. so at the time my bird would have succumbed. It would have been around 5 degrees average. in the house, however I did have heaters put on at a moderate living temperature and not to include the thick blanket I had over the bird cage, for me. it wasn't too cold in the house, but i hope in saying this, the bird didn't overheat, not changing to the unnatural-environmental temperatures fast enough as you mentioned @MissK.

And thanks again, I might have already read the topic on householed hazards but I'll go read it again.
MissK
Posts: 3011
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 3:46 pm
Location: Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.

Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by MissK »

Have another look at your heaters. If you began using them shortly before Trixie passed, then you should seriously consider not using them again. That chemical might be in them, even likely is. I have used an old, well-worn space heater with no ill effect, but I must say I was very careful the place was not sealed up tight, and then I only used it when the heat was not working and it was a last ditch effort to keep us all from dropping too much under 50F. Knock on wood the furnace keeps chugging along!
-MissK
Melika
Posts: 1920
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 9:11 am
Location: Florida
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Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by Melika »

As to your side note: birds DEFINITELY can poop while flying. Most definitely. As anyone who has ever been pooped on by a seagull can attest.

I am not certain how you put the blanket on the cage, but I wouldn't wrap the entire cage if it is inside at your living temperature. I would cover the back and sides though to prevent drafts. You want the warm air to be able to get into the cage too. :) You can also explore lighting/heat sources for the cage and there are even heated perches! I would love a foot warmer in winter myself.

Parrots can survive quite cool weather, with a little precaution and a way for them to get warm if they need to. I remember one breeder talking about her cockatoos abandoning the warm area she made for them and spending the day outside playing in the snow!
Image
Image
I've been called 'birdbrained' before, but somehow I don't think this is what they meant. say:hah-nay
RainbOasis
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 11:05 am

Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by RainbOasis »

Melika wrote:I am not certain how you put the blanket on the cage, but I wouldn't wrap the entire cage if it is inside at your living temperature. I would cover the back and sides though to prevent drafts. You want the warm air to be able to get into the cage too. :) You can also explore lighting/heat sources for the cage and there are even heated perches! I would love a foot warmer in winter myself.
Thanks Melika.
eckythump
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2014 4:18 am
Location: nottingham uk

Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by eckythump »

RainbOasis wrote:Hi, I used to own my own blue mutation IRN. She was a female about 14 months old. One time on a Winter's morning I woke up to see her at the bottom of the cage...dead. :(
I had her since she was about 4 months old, and I tamed her, had a good bond with her and I would take her out each day and she was really healthy as mentioned by a local vet (I had checkups each 3 months). But I still haven't figured out what would have caused her death...the most obvious answer would be that it was too cold for her, being around -5 at the time. But I always had a thick blanket on the cage throughout anywhere between 6 degrees and under.

Now my question is this:
What are the temperature requirements for owning IRN's? Because I'm getting a new Blue Indian Ringneck tomorrow and I live in a place where it can be around -7 degrees at night. I have the cage set up in my room (practically the warmest room in the house) and I'm REALLY! hoping my new bird companion to come won't suffer such a fate until he/she is around 25-30 years old...

Also on a side note- Her name was Trixie, and my new bird will be named Vinyl.
Also I was told birds only poop whilst staying still, in this case. not flying...but I think that was wrong, since last time my bird pooped I was on a chair trying to reach a high place on my wall... :p

ok ive done some research into temperatures and IRN's and apparently the cold is NOT a problem for them, they can cope with the cold temperatures of the himalayas so if your in uk our winters would be like the summer in the himalayas, and they are thriving in southern england....... without blankets and heat regulators, i know it dos'nt give you answer for what happened to trixie it might just be 1 of those things mate, just rest assured you did everything u could have, as for vinyl..... good luck and may you have many eventful years together :)
AJPeter
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Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2013 3:17 pm
Location: Birmingham England
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Re: Temperature-Handling

Post by AJPeter »

I used to wrap Billie's cage tightly with a blanket and used clothes pegs to keep it in place, but she was always trying to bite through the pegs or push them off. So l took the hint before Christmas and did not peg her blanket, since then she has not tried to bite her blanket. But she does like to hold it in the morning while l fold it.

She has two fleece blankets and a mat.

I read somewhere that our birds should be kept at 75 f inside temp but that is too hot for me. In the morning Billie does not move around much until the temperarture reaches 68 f. If the outside temp falls to low below 64 l turn on the gas heater and increase the flame if the temp falls belore that so in the morning is it nice and warm for her.
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