What is the difference between UA and UV lighting?????

[NewTurtleMommy]

I am major confused. I have a Zoo Med 75 watt basking light. the box says it contains UA. I was told by the guy at the pet store (I know, I know) that I didnt really need any other lighting for my box turtle. Normally he is outside but since this is my first year with him we are keeping him inside for the winter. I am so confused! One website says all you need is one light, another says you need 2...HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pongpagong]

I am major confused. I have a Zoo Med 75 watt basking light. the box says it contains UA. I was told by the guy at the pet store (I know, I know) that I didnt really need any other lighting for my box turtle. Normally he is outside but since this is my first year with him we are keeping him inside for the winter. I am so confused! One website says all you need is one light, another says you need 2...HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Basically when you keep your turtles inside during the winter time,they need a basking light or heat lamp and the UVB lamp that facilitate the photo biosynthesis of vit D3.It is Vit D3 that allows reptiles to properly absorb and metabolize calcium.You can buy a lamp or bulb with everything on it for basking,UVA and UVB. If the bulb say UVA only then you need to get another one with UVB..

 

[Madkins007]

OK, let's start with the light spectrum.

You know that the rainbow is red, orange, yellow... and ends in violet. There are 'colors' you cannot see past both ends of the rainbow- infra-red on the red side, and ultra-violet (UV) on the violet side.

Ultra-violet actually covers a lot of invisible 'colors'. You can think of them as 'violet, just past violet, past violet, and way past violet' if you want, but we call them violet, UVA, UVB, and UVC.

All UV light has good and bad points- some common bad things include skin cancer, eye damage, fading colors, making plastic brittle, etc. so we do not want to overdo the UV stuff.

UVA helps in a lot of subtle ways. Reptiles can probably see this as a color, and that probably affects basking, mating, and other behaviors. It also suggests that raising a reptile without UVA would be like raising a child with no blue or violet lighting- just wrong to do.

UVB can be converted in the skin to form vitamin D3, a key nutrient most animals and all reptiles need and cannot easily get from their diet. There is some question if adding vitamin D3 in the food or as a vitamin helps enough. D2 is another option. It is a less powerful form of the vitamin that may be obtained from some food items but is not as helpful as D3 is.

To make things worse, the exact 'color' that skin needs to do this is the 260nanometer range- that would be the shade of 'past violet' that was closest to 'really past violet' or UVC.

UVC is pretty dangerous (it kills almost any germs and many other life forms) and most of it is blocked by the sky. Few UVB lamps emit much UVC because of that, and because it is harder and more expensive to do so. For that reason, many UVB lamps do not help with D3 production.

The best lamps seem to be the mercury vapor bulbs that emit UVB, like the T-Rex Active UV Heat Bulb. Almost all UVB lamps emit some UVA, and appear to offer enough that you do not need a separate UVA bulb.



NOW- it has been a rather common practice for many keepers, retailers, etc. to say that you really don't need UVB, that dietary vitamin D (either D2 or D3) is enough, that some reptiles don't really get UVB in the wild, or other variations on this.

It is true that many reptiles seem to live and reproduce adequately without proper UVB lighting, it is also true that they almost always seem to do better under the right amount of good UVB. Poor UVB/D3 is a key factor in Metabolic Bone Disorder and other health issues.

Some reptiles, Box Turtles and Yellow-foot Tortoises for example, do not need a high dose all day long. A good UVB bulb that was on for a few hours a day, and still allow them shade, hiding places, etc., would probably be perfectly fine.

 

[NewTurtleMommy]

OK, let's start with the light spectrum.

You know that the rainbow is red, orange, yellow... and ends in violet. There are 'colors' you cannot see past both ends of the rainbow- infra-red on the red side, and ultra-violet (UV) on the violet side.

Ultra-violet actually covers a lot of invisible 'colors'. You can think of them as 'violet, just past violet, past violet, and way past violet' if you want, but we call them violet, UVA, UVB, and UVC.

All UV light has good and bad points- some common bad things include skin cancer, eye damage, fading colors, making plastic brittle, etc. so we do not want to overdo the UV stuff.

UVA helps in a lot of subtle ways. Reptiles can probably see this as a color, and that probably affects basking, mating, and other behaviors. It also suggests that raising a reptile without UVA would be like raising a child with no blue or violet lighting- just wrong to do.

UVB can be converted in the skin to form vitamin D3, a key nutrient most animals and all reptiles need and cannot easily get from their diet. There is some question if adding vitamin D3 in the food or as a vitamin helps enough. D2 is another option. It is a less powerful form of the vitamin that may be obtained from some food items but is not as helpful as D3 is.

To make things worse, the exact 'color' that skin needs to do this is the 260nanometer range- that would be the shade of 'past violet' that was closest to 'really past violet' or UVC.

UVC is pretty dangerous (it kills almost any germs and many other life forms) and most of it is blocked by the sky. Few UVB lamps emit much UVC because of that, and because it is harder and more expensive to do so. For that reason, many UVB lamps do not help with D3 production.

The best lamps seem to be the mercury vapor bulbs that emit UVB, like the T-Rex Active UV Heat Bulb. Almost all UVB lamps emit some UVA, and appear to offer enough that you do not need a separate UVA bulb.



NOW- it has been a rather common practice for many keepers, retailers, etc. to say that you really don't need UVB, that dietary vitamin D (either D2 or D3) is enough, that some reptiles don't really get UVB in the wild, or other variations on this.

It is true that many reptiles seem to live and reproduce adequately without proper UVB lighting, it is also true that they almost always seem to do better under the right amount of good UVB. Poor UVB/D3 is a key factor in Metabolic Bone Disorder and other health issues.

Some reptiles, Box Turtles and Yellow-foot Tortoises for example, do not need a high dose all day long. A good UVB bulb that was on for a few hours a day, and still allow them shade, hiding places, etc., would probably be perfectly fine.

Wow-thank you SO much for taking the time to explain that to me. For a new turtle owner, the lighting issue can be quite daunting! I am currently keeping my turtle outside during the day, because I am in Texas and even now in the fall our lows are 84. Next week when I get paid I will pick up a UVB light for him and make sure we keep it on him, as you suggested, for a few hours a day. I am keeping him inside this winter since we just got him, and if all goes well, he can hibernate in his newer, bigger, enclosure next year. thanks again!!

 

[Yvonne G]

That's a great post, Madkins! Thank you so much.

 

[Scooter]

Mark, that is a great post, thanks so much!

 

[Madkins007]

(Holsters smoking gun with a twirl and a flourish)

Shucks, ma'am. Tain't nothing. Just happy to help.

(Rides away into the sunset)