Can birds go into an unheated aviary?

[suzyc1954]

Hi all - I have three young (all a year old and younger) which I need to rehome (due to illness) and because they fly freely round my living room I do not want them to be caged. I have had offers for unheated aviaries but am uncomfortable with this because they are used to the warmth of the home and fear that a cold snap will kill them as they are not acclimatised. I need "expert" advice so that I can reasonably refuse offers of unheated aviaries. Please advise. Kind regards. Sue xx

[Deleted]

There are tons and tons of hobby and show breeders in the UK who have outdoor (unheated) aviaries for their budgies through the winter, I suppose the birds do get acclimatised to the conditions.

Personally I think 60 is cold for my guys here but, there are tons of people all over the world who keep their birds outdoors through the winter, so who knows??

My aviaries are indoor with large outdoor flights, I know for certain if the temp gets below 50 the birds vanish indoors where it is warmer, if it is cold and the sun shines they pop in and out, but don't stay out long.
Our thermostats are set for 65.
Maybe someone with a smaller aviary can let us know more about having no heat at all.

[Marianne Marlow]

I am no expert but I would say that at this time of year they cannot go into an unheated aviary. They're not used to it and have no time to acclimatise.

[skysmum]

No suzyc1954 im afraid they can't. You have to acclimatise, i bring mine inside during the winter and they go back outside in March and even then if it is chilli i have to reduce the heating in the conservatory gradually until its unheated before they go out. Years ago i kept them in the aviary all year round but had a low heat going on inside, being out all year round they become accustomed to it but its to much of a shock to their system's to go from a warm house into an unheated aviary.

[OP]

Think of yourself having to go out and tend to them. When I was in my 50's I wouldn't think twice, but that was twenty years ago.

[skysmum]

Jan 4, 2016 19:58:41 GMT OP said:

Think of yourself having to go out and tend to them. When I was in my 50's I wouldn't think twice, but that was twenty years ago.

That's the other reason my lot come in in the winter OP, brrrrrrrr

[suzyc1954]

Hi - thanks for all your comments - I think I can reasonably argue "acclimatisation" and think that anyone who would take unacclimatised birds has ulterior motives. Feel better about this already and the decision I have to make at saying "no". Kind regards. Sue xx

[Hezz]

I completely agree. To me, to take birds from an inside environment to an outside one in the middle of winter is surely looking for trouble.

[Rachael Kellett]

I have a heated aviary and even I wouldn't allow budgies that are used to living in a house to move into the aviary at this time of year as the temperature is nowhere near the same despite my aviary being insulated and having a heater in there. I have successfully moved house budgies into my aviary in the warmer months though my grandparents handed over their two budgies to me last spring and by summer they were out in the aviary loving all of the flying space