Tube Heater.

[harrishawker]

Hi guys
Over here we have extremes of weather mind you i expect some of you guys have worse extremes so this is a question more for you guys.
I bought a rather expensive tube heater with thermostat etc etc.
I have yet to fix it in my aviary and to be honest am wondering why or if i should bother.

I have 3 HH's and a totally enclosed section of 12X 4 ft section with an outdoor section which is totally roofed but open on 3 sides of about 10X6 ft and then a small section of about 6ft sq of totally open space.
My slight problem is due to restrictions, all the enclosed and partially enclosed is only about 6ft high but the totally exposed is about 10ft high.

Our temperatures range from 38C down to a bad spell of About -8C in the winter but with HH as many will know specially over here is its the Frost that is the Killer for them not the extreme temperatures.

At present and with Bert (my MHH coming back) they will all have to be tethered......Now that's no more than 2ft?
I guess i have it so why not use it but i have tested it and boy does it burn up the Electricity.
Is it really needed.
I would love to hear you guys with extreme temperatures With HH your views on this especially those that have Snow frost etc etc.
I know RT's are like Tanks and are OK but HH are a little more susceptible.
What are your views guys to enlighten this old boy

[manok]

Get rid of the harris hawks, get a red tail or pay your lecky bill & be done with it !

[falco]

This is a little perch design i thought up. Materials are a piece of 2inch pvc pipe, reptile heating tape, and and stadium astro turf. Wrap the pvc in the heating tape, cut a hole in the pvc to allow the electrical cord to run the inside of the pipe. Wrap the taped and cut area with the astro turf. install so the electrical cord can run through the wall with the raptor having access to it. I think it would work well because the whole reason HH get frosbite is that while 1 foot is tucked up to reheat the other is exsposed, no with this perch, the other is on a heated perch. What do you guys think?

[harrishawker]

manok said:

Get rid of the harris hawks, get a red tail or pay your lecky bill & be done with it !

;D..That's so amusing.

[harrishawker]

falco said:

This is a little perch design i thought up. Materials are a piece of 2inch pvc pipe, reptile heating tape, and and stadium astro turf. Wrap the pvc in the heating tape, cut a hole in the pvc to allow the electrical cord to run the inside of the pipe. Wrap the taped and cut area with the astro turf. install so the electrical cord can run through the wall with the raptor having access to it. I think it would work well because the whole reason HH get frosbite is that while 1 foot is tucked up to reheat the other is exsposed, no with this perch, the other is on a heated perch. What do you guys think?

Now you are Talking!...That's great and very constructive.
Thanks Falco i will look into it

[redtailnut]

Neil forbes (Avian Vet) shows little evidence of HH problems with free lofted birds almost all problems of WTA due to frost is with teathered birds so if you need to teather then you would be wise to raise the air temp so it does not fall below freezing

IMHOP

[Falcon Boy]

Be careful with heated perches. My sponsor bought a FHH that was kept on a heated perch which i think was ceramic? and when he recieved the bird it had bad burns on her feet. When the temperature of the perch was measured, it came out to 120degF. If you do use a heated perch, BE VERY CAREFUL!

[morganf]

admin said:

Be careful with heated perches. My sponsor bought a FHH that was kept on a heated perch which i think was ceramic? and when he recieved the bird it had bad burns on her feet. When the temperature of the perch was measured, it came out to 120degF. If you do use a heated perch, BE VERY CAREFUL!

if they are anything like lizards (with scales and all) they can't feel temperature they just know it's warm not how hot it is.

[HawkingRage]

if i had a harris hawk id do it just like my sponsor does. GH the bird in the winter. he has a room in the house that is his work room and there is a bow perch set up for it. great set up and stellar work by a great falconer. Protect those harris hawks, they need it. they will repay you later with all the kills and beautiful flights.

[manok]

harrishawker, I wasn't trying to be amusing, I was serious.
Next thing I'll hear is that you need to put heaters in dog kennels !!!

[falco]

The heater tape only heats up to 20 degrees warmer than the ambiant temp so it would be perfect. I would never use a ceramic or rock heater for something like that.

[Ryan]

In Training Birds Of Prey, they have what looks (to me)like a great set up (,but what do I know). It is a shelf perch with a tube heater like FB descibed mounted 2 or 4 inches underneath.