When does this bulb expire?

[hunterk997]

I have the Zilla strip light 17 watt bulb. It's a 17 watt T8. It says on the instructions that it has a 12 month warranty. But I know everyone says here that they only produce UV for 6 months. Does the warranty mean it produces UV longer than 6 months?

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[Tom]

Those things will run for years, but the UV output drops off significantly over time. I think a good strategy is to buy a new one in the fall when your tortoise will be inside over the winter, but keep on using it for spring and summer when your tortoise is going outside for real sunshine. Doesn't matter if the UV output is nil if your tortoise is getting real summer sun a few times a week. If your tortoise never sees the great outdoors, you should probably buy a new one every six months... And re-evaluate your sunning strategy.