Do Budgies Need UV Light? (Benefits and Drawbacks)
After getting a pair of budgies for myself, I started studying more about them – what they like, their necessities, needs for survival, and food requirements. And of course, they require sun too, so – do budgies need UV light?
Quite apparently, they do. They are tropical birds after all, and it is a crucial source for their vitamin D intake. So, a daily dose of UV light should be good for them. But do they need it to survive?
At first, I thought, just like any other organism, they will surely need sunlight to survive. However, there are some more insights regarding this that should be known to make sure that they are getting what they need.
Fortunately, I have done all the research and given my insights right here – so start reading and choose what’s best for your budgies.
The Benefits and Dangers of UV Light for Budgies
Do budgies need UV light? Yes. Should they get direct UV light all the time? Absolutely not. The absence of UV light alongside the excessive access to it is equally harmful to budgies. And why is that? Well, we will be discussing both the dangers and benefits of UV light for budgies right here.
Benefits
Humans, plants, and most animals require sunlight – why? Because sunlight contains vitamin D3, which is essential for all organisms. And the same can be said about budgies.
The deficiency of vitamin D can also cause budgies to have low calcium levels in general, this can cause several diseases and soft eggs – surely a little bit of sunshine every day can easily prevent that.
Drawbacks
While sunlight does help, excessive sunlight can do more harm than good. Budgies only need a certain amount of sunshine throughout the day to absorb in the bloodstream.
The moment the sunlight becomes too much, budgies try to find a shade for themselves because, without darkness, they cannot maintain their circadian levels. Moreover, they might feel too hot as well under direct exposure of UV light.
For How Long Should You Keep Budgies Under UV Light?
In the previous section, we talked about how sunlight is necessary but only to a certain extent. So, now that we are on terms with the fact that budgies should not be directly exposed to UV light for too long, how long should it actually be?
In general, keeping your budgies under the sun for 30 minutes to 3 hours should be enough. And you should definitely ensure that they are not kept in a spot where getting sunlight throughout the day is imminent.
Too much sunlight can cause them to get overheated and might result in them developing irritations and diseases as a result. Hence, you can take their cage outside for a certain period and then again keep them back in within 3 hours.
Getting a UV Bulb for Your Budgies
As we have discussed the importance of UV light for budgies, it is important to note that there are some regions where sunlight is not always available; or there are some seasons when you might barely get a glimpse of the sun.
It is definitely not ideal for depriving your budgies of what they require, and hence, you can get them a UV bulb so that they can get their fair share of sunlight from an artificial source, if not a natural one. However, if you do have access to direct sunlight, then getting a UV bulb is definitely not necessary – natural UV light is way better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can budgies die without UV light?
Is sunlight a necessity for budgies to survive? Not necessarily. But with its absence will they develop enough diseases to die early? Well, that is surely a possibility. Hence, if you want your budgies to be in good health, do make sure they have access to sunlight every day.
How much UV light do budgies need?
Any bird, including budgies, requires about 1-3 hours of sunlight every day. 30 minutes of sunlight can also suffice for some. However, if you are using a UV bulb as a source, then they might require more light than natural.
Do budgies require UV light at night as well?
Budgies only require UV light for a small amount of time throughout the day. Hence, it is not necessary to provide them with UV light during the night as well; in fact, this can turn out to be more harmful to them.
Is it ideal to keep budgies under UV light all the time?
As we have discussed previously, keeping budgies under UV light all the time can be harmful to them. They can overheat, their circadian rhythms will be interrupted, and they will develop irritations within no time.
Should budgies get UV light inside their cage or outside?
Budgies can get UV light both inside and outside the cage if you can ensure that they will not fly away and get lost in the process; this might result in their deaths.
Final Words
Do budgies need UV light? The answer to that is always going to be a tad bit complicated. But in short, they do need sunlight to remain in good health, a small amount of sunshine every day will let them thrive.
But should they get it 24/7? Absolutely not. So take your bird out for sunlight showers every day, and they will have fewer chances of developing diseases!
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