How Much Light Do Budgies Need?

Though they need more sleep than humans, budgies keep similar hours -- they sleep at night and they̵7;re awake during the day. These birds are used to living in lighted areas, so don̵7;t keep your bird in the dark unless it̵7;s bedtime.

  1. Daylight Hours

    • Budgies spend their days awake, and they̵7;re sociable creatures, so yours shouldn̵7;t be left alone or in the dark when he̵7;s up. The cage should be in an area that gets natural light, but if you don̵7;t have that kind of space, ambient artificial light won̵7;t harm your pet. Don̵7;t put him directly in the path of a lamp̵7;s shine, but otherwise, just make sure he gets between 10 and 12 hours of light per day.

    Sleeping at Night

    • Budgerigars love to sleep; when it̵7;s time to get some rest, you should hit the lights. Budgies can sleep as long as 14 hours per day, which means you may need to cover his cage during months when the sun stays out late and rises early. Covering the cage helps him get the sleep he needs without being frightened or distracted by things like other pets or car headlights that flash in the window.

    Adjusting to Light

    • When you spend a prolonged period of time in a darkened room, sudden exposure to bright light can hurt your eyes. Your budgie is no different. If you crank the lights as soon as it̵7;s time to wake up, his vision can̵7;t adjust, and you may inadvertently cause him some discomfort. Bring the lights up slowly for your bird -- you may even experiment with transitioning from total darkness to a room lit by a nightlight, then turning on the lights or opening the window.

    Direct Sunlight

    • While budgies in the wild are used to living outside under the sun, they̵7;re also able to seek shade when they need it. Your bird will appreciate being kept in a room that gets natural light, but you should never leave the cage in direct sunlight. Your budgie can get too hot, which leads to irritation, severe stress, dehydration and other potential problems.