Temperature Concern

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Farhanmazhari
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Hi All, I can see this topic covered many times but I am looking for specific answers. I have just started with Gouldians and they in single pair breeding cage in my backyard under tin shed aviary room. As we are in winter the temperature really dropped to 4-5 degree during night time, to cope this I installed fan heater which is running almost whole night and temp around 18-20 degree in room. Birds spent all night on perch and not in nest box.

Is it alright or I am over doing?
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Rod_L
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Gouldian finches don't sleep in a nest, they sleep out in the open.

As long as the birds have a dry draught free place to live, they can tolerate cool conditions, especially if they are captive bred birds, and everything should be these days.

The problem with having a heater on overnight is the birds get warm air at night and then cold air during the day. This will make them sick and cause them to require medical help.

If you have only used the heater one night, then don't use it again unless the temperature drops to 5C or less. Then try to have the heater set on about 10C.

If the bird cage is made from wood, it is a better insulator and won't conduct the cold onto the birds as badly.

The other option is to bring the birds inside the house during winter and put them back out in spring when the weather warms up.
death to all cats & ants
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Farhanmazhari
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Thanks for the reply, the shed is made up of tin and it gets really cold inside, I put plastic sheet to cover windows and opening to prevent direct wind.
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davlee
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My Gouldians easily survive temps around 5 degrees without any heating. They have wind protection.
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Jessica
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I've been searching and ... I'm trying to figure how warm my room must be if I lose electricity and have to use a propane heater during the winter if I lose power. My plan is to move the birds into my bedroom and only heat that room. I'll have a carbon monoxide detector as well. I'll have a temp gauge on the cage. I realize any eggs or babies MIGHT die but I want to keep my Gouldians alive.

Normally I keep the temperature at 21-22C. Will a drop to 5C hurt them? My dog and family can curl up under blankets but the birds can't!
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finchbreeder
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They live in a country where the temperature drops 10 degrees overnight normally. so no a drop of 5 degrees wont hurt them.
It is the wind chill factor that kills most birds. So no wind indoors = no problem. That means do not use a fan.
The best way to warm anything is with sunlight and good insulation, but electricity is next best.
So a blanket over the avairy to keep the cold out may well be worth considering.
Propane heaters indoors scare the :cloppy: out of me.
LML
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Jessica
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On propane indoors, we live in the high mountains of Oregon. Propane indoors is only used for short bursts when we are awake to watch it. It also shuts off if overturned. We've also invested in solar panels and charger but we're not sure how long it will run a heater yet. We've been two weeks without heat up here in the mountains in late January where it can get to -6c. Thank you!! That puts my mind at ease about the birds! :-)
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finchbreeder
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Solar panels are good.
Sounds like a lovely place to be for 6 months of the year. :thumbup:
But cold blooded people like me don;t like anything under 10 degrees. :silent:
The birds should cope fine with that if they have to. Investing in Hot water bottles is another idea you could try.
Just heat water over a wood fire, fill the bottles (1 for the bird and lots for you) :D and put in the bottom of the cage. Make sure to cover it with paper, then if they are cold they can sit on it, and cleanup is easy.
LML
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Jessica
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finchbreeder wrote: 16 Dec 2022, 10:57 Investing in Hot water bottles is another idea you could try.
Just heat water over a wood fire, fill the bottles (1 for the bird and lots for you) :D and put in the bottom of the cage. Make sure to cover it with paper, then if they are cold they can sit on it, and cleanup is easy.
Incredible idea! We shall!
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Jessica
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I just saw this post on YouTube about freezing temperatures! https://youtu.be/OdhPQW-5Y6E

Of course this isn't Gouldians and it's outdoors. Drafts, as you've all said, seems the worst for birds.
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