I created a parrot sunrise / sunset emulator

Parrots get grumpy when the lighting comes on or goes off abruptly. They like routine. I created a rule where the lights gently rise, like sunrise, starting 30 minutes before we are up for the day. This way we can get the parrot up and feed her before going to work. Likewise, I created a rule where the "sun sets" every day, at the same time, whether we are home or away. This also helps with seasonal changes and time changes to keep our parrot on our work schedule. We have a much more amicable parrot.

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What a great use of home automation... makes me want to setup a new topic to get other peoples uses for their pets... :slight_smile:

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we have a sun conure - not quite a parrot but he thinks he is... anyway I thought the same a gradual sunrise type of light would be better but ya know what pisses him off more than me - any kind of flickering.... so I just have it come on later in the day, we uncover him about 7am every morning, his radio comes on at 7:15 and light comes on at 11am (well after the room has fully brightened from natural sun). You must have found a really good bulb?

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For this I used a standard incandescent bulb. I realize it is not as energy efficient but the light is only on for sunrise until daylight, and in the evening at sunset until bedtime. It also only brightens to 50%.

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When we were having work done and the cats had to be kept in the basement temporarily, I did something similar -- lights would dim overnight, brightening gradually in the morning. Don't know if they appreciated it, they just resented being cooped up, but it made us feel better.

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Explain, please? Shock Jock radio, easy listening, or ? :slightly_smiling_face:

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ha - I should probably put it on classical but its my sons bird so usually his choice, like a top 40 station... i used to just have Alexa play a SiriusXM or local web radio station but it would time out. So we went old school and got a him a tuner radio put it on a smart plug... its funny but a lot of radios and fans these days come with remotes or and/or have digital buttons so its tough to use a smart plug. I had a bose i liked but that gave up the ghost so I went with sangean - not bad

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@blacklab1059 Very cool use of automation!

One thing you could potentially utilise is a colour temp bulb to simulate the warm sun rise and sun set. The Daylights app by @OldChicagoPete even lets you control the brightness at same time as colour temp.

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So I assume the radio provides some sort of entertainment to the birds so it doesn't feel lonely?

Do these types of birds pick up and mimic things they hear? Wondering if you get serenaded by commercials and radio station call-sign call outs. :wink:

Yea that’s the idea - they like a lot of attention

I can’t speak for the OP - a lot of birds do, but ours has never. He just converses with clicks when he’s calm and ear piercing screeching when something pisses him off or he really wants attention.

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I have to check this out - I’ve got a good Kessil LED and controller on my fishtank that does just that but the color temps are for corals and the fixture mount itself is for aquarium use.

Bird lights are lacking- there just aren’t many options.

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