Is this a good UVB bulb

JoesMum

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It could be a serious problem. Time and again we get people on here with Torts that have eye problems. Turning off the coiled UVB has fixed the problem too often.

There are people who use them successfully, but personally I will always recommend a tube UVB as the best choice (if only for durability and long life). Mercury Vapour bulbs don't seem to ause eye problems either, but they're expensive and the UVB output declines long before the bulb blows, typically after 6-9 months.
 

wellington

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They have caused problems in the past. We don't recommend them, why risk your animals eyes. If you insist on using it, hang it properly which is side ways. They are not meant to hang pointing down.
 

Gillian M

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A warm welcome to the forum, @Tortoise lover 2000 .:)

Coiled bulbs are never recommended. Please do not use them.

Any pics of your tort and his/her enclosure? ;):D
 

ZEROPILOT

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It seems as if you are trying to assure yourself that it will be ok.
Blindness is not something that goes away. Not every tortoise goes blind from every coiled CFL.
But we recommend not using them because a chance exists that they can be harmful. And better, safer options, like a strip florescent are just as cheap and have no reported instances of eye issues.
This has been a hotly debated issue in the past.
How you proceed is up to you. But you asked and the answer is that they do not cause issues every time in every circumstance. But they are linked to eye issues and that is enough for most of us to not use them. I find them not worth the risk and that the strip florescent actually broadcasts the UV in a wider, less bright pattern. Perfect for my small Redfooted tortoises who dislike bright lights altogether.
 

JoesMum

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As I explained in my first post, they're fine with regard to eye damage, but they don't last long.

A UVB tube will last for years with little deterioration in the UVB output.

A Mercury Vapour Bulb stops giving out UVB after 6-9 months. The bulb will carry on working and is still fine for basking, but there will be no UVB. This means it must be replaces even though it looks like it is still working.
 
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