UVA and UVB bulbs

[A.Yaj]

What do you think are the best UVA and UVB bulbs in your opinion? Because I hear the coil UVA bulbs are bad for the tortoises. I just need something that will work very well.

 

[wellington]

I have a leopard. I use the zoo med power sun MVB. The very best is natural sun light. I live in Chicago, so that is not an option for me during winter. However if you can get yours out at least three to four days a week for as long as possible or at least an hour you really don't need artificial sun. Others should be on soon to voice there favorite bulbs.

 

[JoesMum]

Your tort needs UVB to be healrhy rather than UVA.

Coil bulbs have a reputation for damaging eyes. So it's better not to use one of these.

I use a tube MVB light when the UK weather makes natural sunlight an impossibility. MVB is also very good, so either will do

 

[A.Yaj]

I have a leopard. I use the zoo med power sun MVB. The very best is natural sun light. I live in Chicago, so that is not an option for me during winter. However if you can get yours out at least three to four days a week for as long as possible or at least an hour you really don't need artificial sun. Others should be on soon to voice there favorite bulbs.

Oh thank you. But I just needed to know some because The weather where I live changes everyday and it's crazy! So I can't always count on taking him outside.

---

Your tort needs UVB to be healrhy rather than UVA.

Coil bulbs have a reputation for damaging eyes. So it's better not to use one of these.

I use a tube MVB light when the UK weather makes natural sunlight an impossibility. MVB is also very good, so either will do

Yes I know how that is with the weather. And the eye damage is what I'm afraid of so I will hopefully, soon, replace them

 

[Jacob]

Zoomed or exo terra mvbs are great

 

[A.Yaj]

Zoomed or exo terra mvbs are great

Okay thank you for sharing

 

[ascott]

Reptile Vision and UVA Light
Humans see three colors - red, green, and blue. Reptiles see these colors as well, but they can also see UVA wavelength light between 320 and 400 nm. This allows them to see colors and patterns in ways that humans can't.

Seeing UV light allows them to recognize other reptiles of their same species and detect movement. It also stimulates appetite by making food more appealing. The presence of UVA light promotes proper foraging, feeding, digestion, activity levels, social behavior, reproduction, and basking.

Using artificial lights that have been designed for humans or lights that do not provide full spectrum light deprives reptiles of UVA light and causes serious behavioral, physiological, and health issues. Lack of UVA light impairs their ability to interact with their environment and other animals within it, causing unnecessary stress and affecting their overall well-being.

UVB Light and Vitamin D3
UVB light is necessary to maintain proper Vitamin D3 and calcium levels in your reptile's system. When a reptile is exposed to UVB light, the UVB light regulates the synthesis of Vitamin D3 in his skin. It is Vitamin D3 that allows reptiles to properly absorb and metabolize calcium. In fact, UVB light is the primary source of D3 for many reptiles. While you can purchase Vitamin D3 supplements to give to your reptiles, many herps will utilize the Vitamin D3 they make much more efficiently than what they ingest.

Vitamin D3 functions in a number of different capacities in a reptile's body, including:

Metabolism of minerals, like calcium
Regulation of the immune system
Promotion of proper organ development
Reptiles that do not get enough UVB light do not make enough Vitamin D3, and they suffer from chronic calcium deficiency, or hypocalcemia. Lack of calcium can cause painful diseases, such as metabolic bone disease.

While it is highly important that reptiles of all ages get sufficient exposure to UVB light, it is crucial that young and juvenile reptiles get enough. If a reptile does not get UVB light after he is born and during the first couple years, he will never be able to properly use UVB light to synthesis Vitamin D3. He will suffer from calcium deficiencies the rest of his life.

To serve its purpose, UVB light must fall into the proper wavelengths between 290 and 320 nm. UVB light that is too low will not induce the synthesis of Vitamin D3. UVB light that is too high can raise the skin temperature too high, which also impairs the reptile's ability to create D3.

I just felt it is important for folks to know that both uva and uvb are equally important--each for their own important reasons and that one should not be disregarded....

 

[A.Yaj]

Reptile Vision and UVA Light
Humans see three colors - red, green, and blue. Reptiles see these colors as well, but they can also see UVA wavelength light between 320 and 400 nm. This allows them to see colors and patterns in ways that humans can't.

Seeing UV light allows them to recognize other reptiles of their same species and detect movement. It also stimulates appetite by making food more appealing. The presence of UVA light promotes proper foraging, feeding, digestion, activity levels, social behavior, reproduction, and basking.

Using artificial lights that have been designed for humans or lights that do not provide full spectrum light deprives reptiles of UVA light and causes serious behavioral, physiological, and health issues. Lack of UVA light impairs their ability to interact with their environment and other animals within it, causing unnecessary stress and affecting their overall well-being.

UVB Light and Vitamin D3
UVB light is necessary to maintain proper Vitamin D3 and calcium levels in your reptile's system. When a reptile is exposed to UVB light, the UVB light regulates the synthesis of Vitamin D3 in his skin. It is Vitamin D3 that allows reptiles to properly absorb and metabolize calcium. In fact, UVB light is the primary source of D3 for many reptiles. While you can purchase Vitamin D3 supplements to give to your reptiles, many herps will utilize the Vitamin D3 they make much more efficiently than what they ingest.

Vitamin D3 functions in a number of different capacities in a reptile's body, including:

Metabolism of minerals, like calcium
Regulation of the immune system
Promotion of proper organ development
Reptiles that do not get enough UVB light do not make enough Vitamin D3, and they suffer from chronic calcium deficiency, or hypocalcemia. Lack of calcium can cause painful diseases, such as metabolic bone disease.

While it is highly important that reptiles of all ages get sufficient exposure to UVB light, it is crucial that young and juvenile reptiles get enough. If a reptile does not get UVB light after he is born and during the first couple years, he will never be able to properly use UVB light to synthesis Vitamin D3. He will suffer from calcium deficiencies the rest of his life.

To serve its purpose, UVB light must fall into the proper wavelengths between 290 and 320 nm. UVB light that is too low will not induce the synthesis of Vitamin D3. UVB light that is too high can raise the skin temperature too high, which also impairs the reptile's ability to create D3.

I just felt it is important for folks to know that both uva and uvb are equally important--each for their own important reasons and that one should not be disregarded....

Thank you for posting this up! It will become very helpful and has become very informative!

 

[tortoisefanatic]

Reptile Vision and UVA Light
Humans see three colors - red, green, and blue. Reptiles see these colors as well, but they can also see UVA wavelength light between 320 and 400 nm. This allows them to see colors and patterns in ways that humans can't.

Seeing UV light allows them to recognize other reptiles of their same species and detect movement. It also stimulates appetite by making food more appealing. The presence of UVA light promotes proper foraging, feeding, digestion, activity levels, social behavior, reproduction, and basking.

Using artificial lights that have been designed for humans or lights that do not provide full spectrum light deprives reptiles of UVA light and causes serious behavioral, physiological, and health issues. Lack of UVA light impairs their ability to interact with their environment and other animals within it, causing unnecessary stress and affecting their overall well-being.

UVB Light and Vitamin D3
UVB light is necessary to maintain proper Vitamin D3 and calcium levels in your reptile's system. When a reptile is exposed to UVB light, the UVB light regulates the synthesis of Vitamin D3 in his skin. It is Vitamin D3 that allows reptiles to properly absorb and metabolize calcium. In fact, UVB light is the primary source of D3 for many reptiles. While you can purchase Vitamin D3 supplements to give to your reptiles, many herps will utilize the Vitamin D3 they make much more efficiently than what they ingest.

Vitamin D3 functions in a number of different capacities in a reptile's body, including:

Metabolism of minerals, like calcium
Regulation of the immune system
Promotion of proper organ development
Reptiles that do not get enough UVB light do not make enough Vitamin D3, and they suffer from chronic calcium deficiency, or hypocalcemia. Lack of calcium can cause painful diseases, such as metabolic bone disease.

While it is highly important that reptiles of all ages get sufficient exposure to UVB light, it is crucial that young and juvenile reptiles get enough. If a reptile does not get UVB light after he is born and during the first couple years, he will never be able to properly use UVB light to synthesis Vitamin D3. He will suffer from calcium deficiencies the rest of his life.

To serve its purpose, UVB light must fall into the proper wavelengths between 290 and 320 nm. UVB light that is too low will not induce the synthesis of Vitamin D3. UVB light that is too high can raise the skin temperature too high, which also impairs the reptile's ability to create D3.

I just felt it is important for folks to know that both uva and uvb are equally important--each for their own important reasons and that one should not be disregarded....

Thank you for posting this up! It will become very helpful and has become very informative!

Is there any reason to use such a bulb in the summertime if your tort can get outside several times each week? Or do you simply just use a normal light bulb for those days when they stay indoors?

 

[ascott]

Is there any reason to use such a bulb in the summertime if your tort can get outside several times each week? Or do you simply just use a normal light bulb for those days when they stay indoors?

If your tort gets plenty of outside time then a heating element or light would be good for indoors if the temps warrant a boost in the heat....

 

[Madkins007]

UVA is beneficial- but any bulb that emits UVB ALSO emits UVA automatically, so the only reason to have both bulbs is because of the way the pet industry markets them.

There is some debate as to the benefits of 'long tube' fluorescent and MVB bulbs. Part of the issue is to make sure you get a GOOD long bulb (http://www.russiantortoise.org/uvb.htm ) One study with breeding chameleons found that they got the best overall breeding success with low-output long tubes- the MVBs were better in some ways, and high output long tubes were better in others, but for overall success, the low-output long tubes won.

I can see the logic here. Captive reptiles do not get the chances to hide that wild animals do- they cannot 'photoregulate' as much, thus the lower output. Also, in the real world, light=UVB, so any light that hits the skin offers UVB (and IR heating). A long tube and decent heat options simulates this better than a spotlight or offering separate light, and UV options. (Source: http://www.megaray.co.uk/downloads/artificial-ultraviolet-exposure-chameleon.pdf )

It would be nice to see a real long-term study done on tortoises, but until we have it, I like this study.

 

[A.Yaj]

UVA is beneficial- but any bulb that emits UVB ALSO emits UVA automatically, so the only reason to have both bulbs is because of the way the pet industry markets them.

There is some debate as to the benefits of 'long tube' fluorescent and MVB bulbs. Part of the issue is to make sure you get a GOOD long bulb (http://www.russiantortoise.org/uvb.htm ) One study with breeding chameleons found that they got the best overall breeding success with low-output long tubes- the MVBs were better in some ways, and high output long tubes were better in others, but for overall success, the low-output long tubes won.

I can see the logic here. Captive reptiles do not get the chances to hide that wild animals do- they cannot 'photoregulate' as much, thus the lower output. Also, in the real world, light=UVB, so any light that hits the skin offers UVB (and IR heating). A long tube and decent heat options simulates this better than a spotlight or offering separate light, and UV options. (Source: http://www.megaray.co.uk/downloads/artificial-ultraviolet-exposure-chameleon.pdf )

It would be nice to see a real long-term study done on tortoises, but until we have it, I like this study.

This is very interesting indeed. Thank you for sharing this information.

 

[mtlove1492]

I use the zoo med power sun

 

[A.Yaj]

I use the zoo med power sun

Ok thanks!