Here is a quote from my post



They do not need it, but there is a benefit to having it



I did not say that the only benefit was mine. There is no question that they benefit from it. However is it absolutely needed NO. With all the misinformation out their provided by pet shops. And all the bulbs that are crap, and there are lots of them that are, if dragons absolutely needed UVB there would be many many more cases of MBD. It does happen, but not every case is from lack of UVB, the lack of active D3, insufficient calcium. There are many places that calcium absorption/blood levels can go awry. It is a very complex proccess that has many steps, and many hormones/protiens involved in sustaining proper blood levels. It isn't just have uvb, have enough calcium in the diet and you are good. Not even close. Lack of cholesterol can cause D3 issues. Thyroid issues can play a role. Poor husbandry with good UVB can lead to it. There are just way too many things that can lead to MBD, one of which is lack of UVB, but UVB is not the sole cause. It is just the easiest cause to point out. This is certainly something I can see that may have a genetic cause. Maybe some dragons are prone to it because after they are born or after some age the dragon stops all deposition of calcium to the bones. Something similar happens to human females. After age 25-30 there is no more deposition of calcium to the bones. This is why in the later years of life females are so prone to osteopersosis. Just because a dragon has MBD doesn't mean that it didn't have enough UVB, it could mean that. But the complexity of the physiology of blood calcium levels is very complex. And please stop misreading my posts.



Because I do not enjoy having people say that I say you can breed a dragon at any age. Or that I say dragons have no benefit by being exposed to UVB. I do not believe either of these. What it is that I do believe is that dragons can mature before 18 months. And also that a dragon can survive and thrive without UVB. It does happen, trust me. If you don't agree with me fine, but do NOT make me look like an idiot becuase you do not read my post or do not have the ability to comprehend what I am saying. It is a huge pet peeve of mine.
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Derek Affonce

DeKeAff Exotics

dekeaffexotics.com

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