With the end of summer rapidly approaching and the beginning of autumn and winter round the corner it is time to begin preparing your aviary and your birds for winter. There are a few amendments that you can make to ensure the safety, security and health of your birds during the harsher weather.
Keeping Your Aviary Warm
Many pet birds within the UK are tropical birds, meaning that they are not acclimatised to the British weather.
Birds can be extremely sensitive to sudden temperature changes, so it is important to be prepared all year round for weather changes.
If it is not possible to move your birds indoors, then you should take measures to ensure that your aviary stays heated throughout the winter months to keep your birds comfortable. There are several products available to measure and maintain the temperature inside your aviary.
Having an indoor section or birdhouse within your aviary is essential. This not only offers shelter and warmth against cold winters and nights, but also keeps your birds safe from predators when you are not around to keep an eye on them.
Your aviary can be prepared for winter all year round by using a thermostat system often used for reptile habitats. These systems continuously measure and maintain the temperature within an enclosed space using bulb heaters or heating mats. This tubular heater also has a built in thermostat helping it to sense and regulate the temperature accordingly. You should also make sure you purchase the guard for this build to prevent your birds from injuring themselves.
Structural Winter Tips
You should plan for different weather changes when designing your aviary as there are structural amendments you can make to keep your birds warm during the winter.
Adding a roof to your aviary can help to keep the rain and snow out of your aviary, however this can also trap heat in during summer, so building your aviary in a shaded area would be best when considering a roof.
When installed tightly enough, ClearMesh is extremely effective at holding snow, preventing it from getting inside your aviary during the winter. If the mesh is installed loosely however, the snow can cause the mesh to bow.
Installing insulation in the indoor section of the aviary can help to keep heat inside. There are also ‘bird tents‘ that you can purchase the the indoor area of your aviary to help keep your birds warm.
ClearMesh is made from stainless steel, making it anti-corrosive and all weather resistant, the perfect material for outdoor aviaries. Stainless is also non-toxic for birds, unlike galvanised steel which most welded meshes are made from. ClearMesh can protect your aviary from the harsh rain of winter and the strong rays of summer. You can order free samples to find which ClearMesh product you would need to use and contact us for a quotation.