Info on the New 100 Watt T-Rex UV Heat MVB (not Active UV Heat)

[tortoisenerd]

This site says that the new 100 Watt T-Rex bulb that is sold at a lower price has a LOWER UVB output, "The less expensive T-Rex 100 Watt UV lamp has a lower output of beneficial UVB, more akin to what may be available to a reptile in shade on a sunny day. This is fine for forest or shade loving species."

All the web sites that have seen selling the new bulb besides LLL Reptile did not mention that this has lower UVB. Josh from Josh's Frogs told me when I asked about the low price that the only reason the price was low was it was new and they (T-Rex) were trying to sell it.

I wanted to post this as a warning so people don't think this new one is the same high-output UVB bulb, as there isn't much info out on this new one at all. So, when shopping for your T-Rex bulb, if you want the high output one get "T-Rex Active UV Heat", and if you want a lower output one get "T-Rex UV Heat". I haven't seen UVB output info on exactly how much lower it is. I hope http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercuryvapourlamps.htm does a study on it.

I could understand that a lot of people think the output of the strong MVBs is too much, so a lower output bulb could be very desirable. Anecdotely, I like the higher output bulb for my tort as I see such a difference when replacing it at the year mark (actually earlier since both times mine has blown at 9/10 months), showing he likes the high output that is closer to midday sun.

If anyone has additional information or anything that contradicts this, please post it, as this is the only information I have been able to find. Since I posted maybe a month ago questioning why a new T-Rex bulb was being sold for approx. $25 (Josh's Frogs website was the first one it was noticed being sold at), there have been quite a few questions about it on the forum. (Sorry if this was posted already--haven't been able to read through everything lately.)

http://lllreptile.com/store/catalog...bulbs/-/t-rex-100-watt-standard-uv-heat-bulb/

 

[Angi]

Thanks for the heads-up. I would have been thrilled to find a cheaper bulb than what I have been buying. So I am glad to know what to look for and not just buy the cheap bulb. Although I have to say the sells people are always helpful with finding me a heat buld that they insist I need and cost arould $60. or closer to $70.

 

[moswen]

oh wow i haven't read this- i have my babies under this lamp. that's very upsetting news! i'm currently wrestling with a "slight soft shell problem" (as my vet put it) with ayana and safina, as they have had slightly soft plastrons since i recieved them at 2 & 3 months old, and this may very well be partially the culprit. i was told when i bought this bulb (and i was so excited to get it!! i actually posted all over the forum how awesome the new price was!) that trex was just trying to get their new bulb out into the eyes of the public. this is very very upsetting to me! thank you so much for posting this. i hope everyone on the forum reads it. this is really important information especially for baby tort owners who really need hardened shells and owners of torts that live in the heavy sunlight areas (i.e. sulcatas and leopards!)

 

[tortoisenerd]

If this info on LLL Reptile is correct, then I think the other sites selling the bulb are mis-informing the customer by not saying this is a lower output bulb. I wonder if they don't have the info, as I wouldn't think they would purposely mislead people...these are smaller web-based reptile supply companies, not chain retail pet stores like we usually have issues with.

Rebekah-So sorry to hear about you soft shell torts. How old are they? Shells of hatchlings should have some give to them, but over time they should harden, not stay the same of get softer. Do they have any symptoms? I say this as sometimes vets don't realize how soft a hatchling's shell can be (they are used to dealing with wild caught adult torts, or not familiar with torts as much) so they think its an issue when its normal. Thought I'd mention it as a possibility if they are otherwise healthy, the shells aren't softening more, and receiving UVB and calcium.

From the statement on LLL Reptile, it seemed like this lower output T-Rex bulb is still better than a tube bulb, but the tort would have to bask longer to get the same effect.

 

[moswen]

Thanks tortoise nerd, I'm not sure if I believe it is a small problem, I'm giving them plenty of exercise, they eat an extremely varied diet, they get several hours of outdoor sun every day plus this bulb all day, I've got cuttlebone in their enclosure with them, I'm pre-mixing everything I feed them and either bagging or boxing up all their foods and shaking it with so much calcium powder with d3 (so that it doesn't just fall off like when I sprinkle it on the leaves) I just honestly can't figure out why they still have soft shells! It's a slight give but it just seems soft to me. They are close to 6 months now. I've even begun in the past month mixing in pieces of cuttle bone around all the roots of all the plants I'm growing to get the plants higher in calcium! I'm at a loss. It could be normal as you said though, I don't know I've never had babies before!