How hot is too hot?

[Steve]

With summer approaching I thought I'd ask this. I have a temperature monitor so I always know how hot it is in Izzy's cage. I also know the warning signs of it being to hot (open mouthed breathing, unable to find a comfortable position). Also, these birds are from southern Central America as I gather and so I imagine they can take quite a bit of heat but I just want to know what to watch out for as my house can get kind of hot some times. How hot is too hot?

[chapala]

It never gets over the low 90's (and dry during the two hot months) here, so I don't have experience with any higher temperatures. We do have two parrots kept outside on a covered terrace and they are fine with low 90's. Cello goes outside in his cage a couple of times a week for some morning sun, and he has never shown any heat stress. Course most of the year it's beautiful here with very moderate temperatures.

[Sally]

I keep it cool in the house all the time. I know they are from warm areas, but if they are hot i the wild, they can look for comfortable places to be. Water, shade, breezes etc.

Our summers are hot, I love to be cool and my little dog does too. I get really ill when hot. Chipper does great in the same environment.

[LovelySydney]

I allow for some sunlight in Olly's cage but also a lot of shade is provided if it gets too warm for him. My house stays relatively cool, at a temp. that is comfortable for myself so I figure if I am OK, so is Oliver. If it became to hot for ME to bear, I would probably make some changes for Olivers cage as well. I would just play it by ear, watch out for overheating signs (the ones that you mention in your post).

[Steve]

it's not that it's the sun, it's just that the house gets kind of hot and Air conditioning isn't really an option at the moment. I live in a pretty temperate area, so it doesn't get into the triple digits at all. I was just wondering if anyone actually knew the actual number of how hot it can get before it starts being uncomfortable for the bird.

[chapala]

The heat index varies with other conditions, so it's hard to say a temperature that is the upper limit for Parrotlets. Humidity, breeze, fans, etc., all contribute to how hot a particular temperature feels. Best idea is to watch the bird for any signs of heat stress, open beak, feathers lifted, panting. Birds in outside cages or aviaries need to have access to shade out of direct sun. I'm not a good source because as I said it never gets hot enough here to bother the birds. Low 90's and low humidity for two months of the year and never any heat stress with the parrots.