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| Zoo Med AvianSun Compact Flourescent Full Spectrum Bulb | | Tell a friend |
| Item #: | ZM34505 | | Price: | $29.97 | | | |
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Bring the sun indoors !
Replacement bulb for Zoo Med AvianSun Full Spectrum Lamp.
26 watts
5.0 UVB
UVA + UVB = True Full Spectrum Light
The Whole Truth about Full Spectrum Lighting and Why Your Bird Must Have It
by Dr. Greg Burkett, Certified Avian Veterinarian
The sun is the ultimate source of full spectrum lighting. Light has three components: Visible light, Ultra-violet - A (UV-A), and UV-B. Visible light can be refracted with a prism to give us the colors of the rainbow, which are the colors that humans are able to see. Ultra-violet light is not visible by human eyes. It is, however, visible to birds.
The retina of the eye contains two types of cells responsible for color vision. These are the rods and the cones. Rods are responsible for allowing visibility in low light. Birds have very few rods, and are therefore unable to see in dim light. Cones are responsible for color vision.
Humans have three different types of cones, each one being sensitive to a different wavelength of light. From these three types, we make up our entire color spectrum. If one of the types of cones is missing or defective, that person is colorblind; for example, humans that are red/green color blind lack the third cone type, and have only two types.
The avian retina has four different types of cones, the fourth being sensitive to UV-A. This gives birds a fourth “primary color”, to make up their complete visible color spectrum. UV-A plays a role in species recognition, mate selection, and food recognition, for example, a fruit will reflect a different wavelength of light when it is ripe. This allows a bird from a great distance to observe if the fruit is ready to eat. Realizing that UV-A provides birds the ability to see a fourth color, without UV-A, birds are experiencing a condition similar to color blindness in humans.
UV-B is as important as visible light and UV-A. It is a necessary part in the process of vitamin D3 production in the skin of humans and animals. Vitamin D3 is essential for calcium metabolism. Birds have a unique way of producing vitamin D3. The oil for the preen gland contains a precursor to the vitamin. Birds spread the oil containing these precursors over the feathers. The precursor is activated and transformed into vitamin D3 by UV-B light. When birds preen they ingest the vitamin D3. Birds that do not have a preen gland can convert the precursor in the exposed skin of the feet, legs, and face.
Birds are not able to go outside everyday and benefit from the natural UV light from the sun. And, since UV light is filtered by glass, sitting inside in front of a window is not sufficient. Given that UV light provides so much to a bird, such as preventing calcium and vitamin D3 deficiencies, and allowing them to see better, we feel that providing a true full spectrum light is vital to maintaining the health of our indoor companion birds. It has also been suggested that the psychological benefits of UV light, in particular UV-A, can reduce and eliminate abnormal behaviors such as feather damaging disorders, screaming, phobias, self mutilation, nail biting, and aggression, among others.
The AvianSun 5.0 provides UVB and UVA in levels that are comparable to what would be received in the shade outdoors. Zoo Med has found that this is a safe and effective level of exposure, and can be used to provide birds with a normal photoperiod, without providing too much UVB. If the level was the same as that of the sun, the lamp could only be left on for short periods of time. This lamp can be used for 8-10 hours per day to provide true full spectrum light – visible light, UVA and UVB.
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