Parakeets need sunlight to remain healthy. If your parakeets lack sunlight, they quickly fall sick and get emotional issues. However, too much sunlight is not suitable for them.
Like humans, your parakeets get vitamin D from sunlight, enabling them to obtain calcium for proper brain, nerve, and muscle development. Enough sunlight also helps bone and egg formation, balances acid bases, and metabolizes protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
But does your parakeet need direct sunlight? Let’s find out.
How Much is Direct Sunlight Beneficial to Your Parakeet?
Direct sunlight benefits your parakeet depending on how much it’s exposed to the sun. You may have your bird’s cage accessing some considerable light, but that doesn’t mean it’s getting enough sunlight.
To ensure it gets enough beneficial sunlight, expose your parakeet to direct sunlight for at least five minutes per day in hot weather so it benefits from ultraviolet rays. During low temperatures, allow your parakeet more time outside as you supervise.
Effects of Too Much Direct Sunlight on Parakeets
Your parakeet requires direct sunlight, but you need to be careful as it can overheat quickly. Birds can rapidly suffer heat stroke in direct sunlight.
You must watch out if your parakeet starts to pant and spread its wings, as these are signs of heatstroke. The bird may begin to get agitated and change its facial expression.
If your parakeet suffers from heatstroke, immediately remove him from the heat and soak him in water with an ambient temperature of about 20°C. Avoid using cold water as it can cause shock.
Heat stroke can result in fever, convulsions, and death if left untreated.
Effects of Low Sunlight on Parakeets
If your parakeet doesn’t get adequate sunlight, it presents various symptoms, including;
- It causes barbering, plucking, and other destructive feather behavior.
- It increases biting and aggression.
- Poor feather texture- Direct sunlight helps your bird to synthesize Vitamin D3. Since feathers cover birds, it’s not easy for sunlight to penetrate their skin. Exposure to sunlight helps them to obtain Vitamin D and enhance their ability to absorb other nutrients.
- Calcium deficiencies and malnutrition: Your bird gains vitamin D from the sun, which is responsible for the absorption of calcium, minerals, and vitamins, without which it doesn’t get adequate nutrition.
- Poor immunity
- Increased depression and anxiety
- Increased screaming
- Impaired vision- UV light helps to improve your parakeet’s vision.
How to Avoid Overheating
To avoid overheating your parakeet, you should always leave him in an adequately aerated room in hot weather. Also, avoid leaving your bird outside in the scorching sun or direct it to a glass window pane.
To cool off your bird, you can hang a damp cloth over its cage so as evaporation takes place; it takes the heat off the bird’s body. If you have to leave your parakeet in a room, ensure you spray it with a flower sprayer or spray bottle with room temperature water.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Parakeets Like Light or Dark?
Parakeets need light during the day. Ensure the cage is well-lit or has a full-spectrum light for them to have normalcy.
At night, they love it dark so that they can sleep well.
Where Do Parakeets Like to Be in the House?
Parakeets feel comfortable at all temperatures. Your bird may suffer if adequate temperatures are modified to be hotter or colder.
Ensure your bird’s cage is away from direct sunlight or drafts as it poses them with health problems. Avoid keeping their cage near a vent or window.
How Often Should You Let a Parakeet Out of Its Cage?
Your parakeet needs time off the cage to fly out every day. You can set it apart for at least one hour daily to watch it as it plays and enjoys the sun.
How Do You Keep Your Parakeet Safe Outside Its Cage?
When you let your parakeet outside your cage to play, it can easily escape or move to places with potential hazards. To ensure it’s safe, you can initially train your pet bird to adjust to a regular fly time as you monitor.
If you let them off the cage into the house, ensure you close windows and doors, so it doesn’t fly away.
If you want to let it into an open space and watch from outside, you can build a play area with free space to be safe while it plays.
Final Word
Parakeets need Vitamin D from sunlight for their excellent health. Although there are various ways to simulate natural light in your parakeet’s cage, nothing beats direct sunlight.
To produce Vitamin D, allow your bird to spend time in the sun. A maximum of 30 minutes of direct exposure to the sun is adequate to keep your parakeet healthy.
However, keep your parakeet exposed to enough sunlight to avoid heatstroke. If it suffers from overheating, treat it immediately to prevent adverse effects.
