Fluorescent strip lights

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GeoTerraTestudo

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I use a 48" fluorescent strip light set up over my tortoise pens, both for illumination and UVA/UVB, and replace the bulb annually. For the past year I have been using the ZooMed Repti Sun 10.0 bulb successfully. When I switched it out a couple weeks ago, I tried the ExoTerra Repti Glo 10.0 bulb instead. The color is more bluish, and I noticed the tortoises are hiding more often now. I don't know if this is because the light is hurting their eyes, or because it's the end of the summer and they want to burrow more.

I'm going to go back to the old bulb and see if the tortoises come out more. I'll let you know what happens. But what do you think? Is the ZooMed Repti Sun 10.0 better than the ExoTerra Repti Glo 10.0, or are they similar?
 

StudentoftheReptile

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Interesting...

I currently use a 18" Repti-Glo 5.0 on my redfoots, and they don't seem to mind it. I wonder if it is just the 10.0s that are too bright.
 

Edna

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Madkins007 said:
Tortoises can almost certainly see into the UV range, and it may well be that the extra UV makes it a lot brighter to them than it is to us.

Based on a study done on geckos, my next indoor habitat is going to rock long tubes with low levels of UVB. (http://www.reptileuvinfo.com/docs/artificial-ultraviolet-exposure-chameleon.pdf )

How low? Are you going to do 5.0 or 2.0? Just curious.
Another question: Is the light from the long tubes ghastly? I didn't like the light from the CFL UV I used, but the light from the MVB is OK.
 

StudentoftheReptile

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Edna said:
Another question: Is the light from the long tubes ghastly? I didn't like the light from the CFL UV I used, but the light from the MVB is OK.

I never found the tubes ghastly. Remember that the light is distributed more evenly along a long tube, compared to a tight, compact coil like the CFL. Only the T-5s and possibly the desert series / 10.0 may be more brighter.
 

GeoTerraTestudo

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Well, I switched back to the old ZooMed ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent bulb, and my torties are out again, so I'm thinking the bluish ExoTerra ReptiGlo 10.0 was freaking them out. Hope it didn't hurt their eyes too much. Do you think two weeks under that bulb was harmful? :(
 
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