Customer Reviews

Zoo Med Avian Sun Deluxe Floor Lamp

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I think the IDEA of the lamp is great. I like the different points of articulation. But the lamp is cheaply made out of plastic. And the on/off switch broke the first time I turned it on.
I turned it on, but when I flipped the switch, it wouldn't turn off.
I have to unplug the lamp now to get it to turn off.
And, like I said, a BIG disappointment was the fact that it was made out of plastic that was painted to look like metal. I think that was a bit deceitful on their part.
The manufacturer is supposedly sending me a replacement. But, unless it is made better that this one, I don't see how that will fix the problem. The new one will probably break in no time.
If it hasn't broken after using it for 6 months, I will come back and change this review. But for a product to break right out of the box, it deserves this review.

This lamp was much more inexpensive on Amazon than it was in the store for the exact same lamp. Shipping was extremely fast but the quality of the lamp just seems very cheap. This is not the fault of Amazon, its the lamp contruction only. Sometimes the bulb goes off and stops working, then it turns itself back on. However, the lamp is critical for the care of birds, especially for African Greys. They need the UVB lighting that they can't get outside during a Cleveland winter.

Although the lamp looks like brushed metal, many critical pieces are made of silver colored plastic. My advice is to put it in a position you like and then NEVER attempt to adjust its height or position again. When I tried adjusting it one of the plastic pieces popped off and the whole lamp arm came apart. It took 15 minutes to figure out how to pin it back together, and I got the distinct feeling that the whole assembly was ready to break again if I gave it the slightest touch.

I would have been willing to pay $20-30 more for this lamp if it had sturdy metal parts instead of cheap plastic. Unfortunately there seem to be few options available for this type of lamp. The lamp would rate 4 or 5 stars if it didn't fall apart to the touch!

I had to return this item to Absolutely Pets. When I opened the box it clearly had been out of the box. Few of the wire ties were just laying in the box. Only some parts were wrapped in plastic. It came scratched and a few pieces of the arms were bent. And it did not work. According to Absolutely Pets they never send used products so that would mean the manufacturer sends out used products as well as does not test working condition. Save your money for a FeatherBrite Swag lamp.

Cons

VERY cheaply constructed (probably will break soon and I've only had it for a month)
Not as tall as expected so I have to keep it on a stool just to tower my cage
My switch is broke so I have to plug it in and unplug it all the time
Cord is short (2 1/2 feet) so I have to have a small extension cord


Pros

Save $ by buying off of Amazon
required for your birds health

****UPDATE****
My lamps are less than 1 year old, on is flimsy and crooked, and the other just died on me last week. VERY CHEAPLY Made and they dont last long. I will be better off buying a different brand next time since these do not come with any warranty. NOT RECOMMENDED!

This item is cheaply constructed and like another reviewer stated the switch broke not long after purchase. I had to unplug the unit to turn off the lamp. Now the unit does not work at all after less than six months. I will not buy this product again nor do I recommend anyone else purchase this unsatisfactory item.

There are a lot of reviews complaining about the quality of the lamp. I've had one for three years now and never had a problem with it. True, it is made of plastic and it doesn't feel like it is the highest quality but consider the cost. For the price it is a great lamp. The bulbs are where the majority of the cost comes from. The bulbs are $20. Overall I'm very satisfied.

I have owned this lamp since September 2007. Today, it finally gave up the ghost.

First, thanks to the poster who mentioned the Featherbrite lamp that I now plan to buy as a replacement for this lamp [...]. After rereading my own review, it's clear that buying another ZooMed lamp is a bad idea!

The pros: This type of lamp is the closest viable substitution for natural light for birds who do not spend much time outdoors. My bird likes it and will go to the top perches in her cage to be near it. It is not expensive, but note that you have to buy the bulb separately (about $20), and replacement is recommended once a year.

The cons: As others have commented, this lamp is cheaply made. It is plastic, lightweight, tends to come unscrewed at the base, and wobbles. In fact, it is so wobbly that I will not leave the lamp on if I am not home to monitor it, for fear it will flop over onto the cage and overexpose my bird or burn her. It turns on and off erratically, meaning you frequently have to jiggle the cord, bulb, or neck to make it come on. The cord is too short.

Other info: There is a breakin period for the bulb where the lamp has be farther away from the bird to avoid burns. This is well documented in the leaflet they send, but just a word of caution.

I have an 11 year old African Grey and purchased this lamp in an attempt to reduce his feather picking behaviors. My vet had actually recommended a different light manufacturer, but all of them required the type of fluorescent housing that you would hang from the ceiling. That's not an option in my apartment, so I went with this lamp. It seems to be the only type out there. I agree with other reviewers that it is deceivingly made of cheap plastic. I've only had this for a week, so I don't know how it's going to hold up long term. I do adjust it daily, depending on whether my Grey is inside or outside the cage; I worry a bit though about the tightening screws, as I have to get it to the "just right" position to keep it from suddenly dropping. I can angle the light to shine directly down on him when he's in the cage, but it's a bit trickier to do when he's out of the cage. I try to avoid having it shine directly into his eyes (the packaging also warns against this) but it's hard to do when he sits on the branch outside of his cage (I have a 32x24" California cage--total height from top to bottom is 63"). If you have a bigger bird like a cockatoo or macaw, I'd imagine that you'd have a much bigger cage and this lamp would be inadequate for that, both in terms of its light output and height.

All of this to say that while my human gripes are valid, my bird really seems to love this lamp. He was scared of it at first (but then again, what Grey isn't scared of new things?) but it only took him about 2 days to adjust to it. Now I find him crawling around his cage to sit under it. When he's out of the cage, he'll climb up to the top to sit near it for 30 minutes and then climb elsewhere until he's ready to come back for more light. When he's in the cage, he plays with his toys more frequently. I find it all fascinating. After reading online that birds are basically colorblind without this type of lighting, I would never deprive him of it again. His chest is basically bare from 5 years of feather picking, although a few feathers have come in during the last week. It remains to be seen whether he will let them grow or just pick them again.

My final recommendation is that this is a decent lamp if you live in a smaller place and/or are unable to install the type of lighting that would hang from the ceiling. Given recent research on the need for full spectrum lighting for birds, it seems imperative to provide your pet bird with some type of lighting. This lamp will fill that need for limited budgets or difficult living spaces.

The best thing I can say is, the bulb works. I don't mean in terms of parrot health, because I've only had mine for a month. All of the negative remarks are true. I have to rest the lighted segment on the top of the cage because it won't stay up. I also have duct tape on it, and that isn't helping. I only bought this because I have a suspended ceiling which is too weak for the lamp I wanted.