Good lighting for a chin?

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Screechy

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2017
Messages
7
Hey guys!

I know chin's should have 12 hours light 12 hours dark, and living in Canada I'm soon getting into the season where we only have ~7-8 hours of light a day. How should I provide the remaining light? Does a lamp work? Squid's cage is in my room so leaving my room light on all day while I'm out isn't much of an option anymore. Does anyone else use lamps? Any recommendations on correct light bulbs? If I do find a lamp should I shine directly at/over the cage?

Thanks!
 
My chins are in my office/computer room, so they just have the room light, with normal light bulbs, from when I get up to when I go to bed, and seem fine with that. I wouldn't shine a light directly on them, but a lamp next to the cage should be ok. I leave the light off if I am going to be gone all day (which is rare), they sleep in their house which is dark most of the day anyway so I doubt they care. I don't think it really matters if they have exactly 12 hours of light and dark, living in Northern Alberta my guys seem fine with it pretty much not getting dark in the summer and dark most of the winter. I think the shortest day has less then 7 hours of light in the winter and over 17 hours of light in the summer.
 
Good to know! I might get an upwards facing lamp then. I live downtown and my room window has a fantastic view of a brick wall. So the natural lighting is rather poor to begin with. I'm often gone during the day in classes or at work and I'm sure a lamp will be much more energy efficient than leaving my room lights on all day every day.

Thanks! :)
 
Lighting is probably the one thing i havnt worried about with chins. - Mine have there own bedroom (given how many i have). The room only has one window. But i keep that covered with a cheaper black out curtain. Im guessing canada is a little different, but here i dont want anything increasing the temperature, such as heavy sun beating down through the window.
For light bulbs, i use the LED natural day light. But thats more so for me. I like that kind a lot better then other ones iv seen. And it helps prevent a few light based migraines that i get.

I dont know for sure, but i would imagine that chins have an internal time system that keeps them in line. Knowing when the seasons change, sun up, sun down, that sort of thing.
 
Looking back at my post said normal light, I meant natural light bulbs. The ones I use are 13w which is equal to a 60w old style incandescent bulb. I just located a box, guess the ones I'm currently using are called daylight bulbs. No brand preference, they were likely just the ones on sale when I bought them.
 
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