Hi Lou… Hey I personally do not like Mercury Vapor bulbs for UVB/UVA lighting and heating with my Collareds. I’ve been raising and breeding them for nearly 11 years now and as desert dwellers they do need the proper desert heat with good strong/intense UVA/UVB lighting. I stick by the 10.0 Reptisun UVA/UVB fluorescent bulbs along with the incandescent heat/light bulbs for indoor/artificial lighting/heating. I recommend a minimum 7.0 but prefer 10.0.

The closest distance from the bulbs that I allow my lizards to get on average is about 6” from the bulbs. It will vary between about 6” and about 15” or 16” away depending on where they are in the enclosures – I’ve never had any issues with their eyes, MBD, burns, blisters or any of those types of issues with using Reptisun 10.0 or 7.0. I believe the type, age and intensity of the bulb, the size of the enclosure, the exposure time the Collareds are active in the lighting (for example I use a 13 hr daylight/heating cycle and 11 hour nighttime lights/heat off cycle), and the average distances of the animals from the bulbs, the placement angles of the bulbs (my lights are placed on top/at top of tanks pointing downwards into enclosures NOT pointed at angles), etc., all come into play with using the bulbs to provide the proper UVA/UVB for the Collareds.

But as I said I don’t like Mercury Vapor bulbs or even some types of fluorescent bulbs because the intensity can be too strong for most indoor setups where the animals will be too close to the bulbs and could possibly be over-exposed to UVB and too much heat. Very large, deep tanks are recommended where the MV bulbs are placed several feet away from the animals (that is based on recommendations by the manufacturers to avoid possibly causing burns, blisters, internal organ damage, eye problems, over-heating, etc. Mercury Vapor lights in my opinion are not designed for small enclosures for reptiles to be exposed to the bulbs by only a few inches from the lights, especially the higher intensity/wattage ones. I have tried Mercury Vapor a few times in the past and to this day I believe using an MV contributed to the death of one of my Collared’s many years ago. I used it on a young female for about 6 months and she developed and died from liver-cirrhosis – back then I wasn’t knowledgeable enough on the proper use of MV. My tank was also too small for the MV and I know the bulb was placed too close to her on a daily basis. So after she became sick and died I stopped using MV and since then I have never had that problem re-occurring. Now MV bulbs are supposed to be manufactured with better technology, and with proper use as recommended by the manufacturers they are supposed to be the best artificial UVA/UVB lighting/heating bulbs.

Using natural sunlight for UVA/UVB exposure is recommended for the best natural results and is by far the one recommended when it is practical for the keeper and the climate permits. (I do give my Collareds some natural sunlight when the climate permits it and I have time on weekends). But again I’m not sure if I’ll ever make the switch to MV because it’s hard to change a practice that really works. Especially when it has to do with one of the most important health husbandry issues such as providing Collareds the proper UVA/UVB for good health, longevity, and their well being. Just some ideas from my experience for you to ponder, and good luck in your continued success with your Collareds and your other reptiles.

Jeff

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