Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
There is an opinion that UVA is essential for tortoises, because it enchances their color vision, affects feeding behaviour and overall activity.
The typical lightning setup for temperate and desert species includes three components:
1. Incandescent bulb: visible light and some UVA, on for 12-14 hours a day.
2. Fluorescent tube: intensive UVB/UVA and fair amount of visible light, on for 2-4 hours a day
3. Ambient LED light: visible spectrum, 12-14 hours a day.
These three light sources and their timings closely mimic natural sun spectre distribution over the day (UVB peaks at noon, while UVA and visible light remain more or less constant from dawn till dusk).
However, for tropical species, like redfoots, incandescent bulb is usually omitted (since they don't bask a lot and we try to avoid the "hotspots"). And as such all-day UVA light is not provided (only coupled with UVB for some hours a day).
Is the deprivation of all-day UVA a valid concern? Does it really affect tortoise behaviour, circadian rhythms?
The typical lightning setup for temperate and desert species includes three components:
1. Incandescent bulb: visible light and some UVA, on for 12-14 hours a day.
2. Fluorescent tube: intensive UVB/UVA and fair amount of visible light, on for 2-4 hours a day
3. Ambient LED light: visible spectrum, 12-14 hours a day.
These three light sources and their timings closely mimic natural sun spectre distribution over the day (UVB peaks at noon, while UVA and visible light remain more or less constant from dawn till dusk).
However, for tropical species, like redfoots, incandescent bulb is usually omitted (since they don't bask a lot and we try to avoid the "hotspots"). And as such all-day UVA light is not provided (only coupled with UVB for some hours a day).
Is the deprivation of all-day UVA a valid concern? Does it really affect tortoise behaviour, circadian rhythms?