Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i know this is bearded dragon but the uro froum doesnt have a lot of people in it. but this is a uvb question so i felt this is the best place. i just recieved an egyptian uromastyx, the home that he was kept at before did not have UVB for at least 8 months. he seems to be great and healthy but i want to know if there are any other things i can do to up the UVB intake. also would there be any signs of lack of uvb. right now he is a little skiddish but i think its just from being moved into a new tank. right now hes in a 5x2 foot tank but will be moved into a bigger one later on. any help would be great.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Egyptian Uromastyx (Dino)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
0.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Layla, Nubbs, Iggy)
0.2.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Penelope, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

don't up the uvb.. uvb is radiation and can only be taken in so much at a time before it becomes toxic. give it the normal amount. the uvb is just so that it can absorb calcium, not so it can get "levels" of uvb, you can up the calcium. give it the normal amount of uvb and nothing is better than actual sun light, set it in a window sill with the window open to give it the best "levels" of uvb. the most obvious symptom of MBD (the calcium deficiency from lack of uvb) are malformed bones. hard nobs in the long bones of the legs, softening of the bones in the jaw, jerky gait when walking, tremors and twitches of the limbs and muscles of the legs and toes when at rest. severely deficient reptiles tend to be lethargic and may only be able to drag themselves along the ground. but the symptoms of to much uvb is keeping it's eyes closed, not eating, and death... so start it at the normal levels, get the proper light and read the instructions from that light, do not try to get it closer to make up for lost time, you'll do more harm than good.

There is a problem with that response.

There are numerous other reasons to have good UV lighting other than just to absorb calcium, such as activity and metabolism regulation, yearly cycling, feeding cycles, and growth rates. It is unfair not to bring at least some attention to these aspects of providing UV to lizards.

Also, we are talking about a uromastyx, and it is wrong to assume that the rules for lighting a beardie are the same as lighting a uromastyx. They are two different reptiles from two different continents and virtually none of the light manufacturers can give you a good idea of the lizards needs just on the box.

Do some research on a number of uromastyx sites, I also replied to your post on the Uro forum today.

Phil

No offense but it is about the same for every lizard, seeing as how it's the same sun that powers them, but you are correct, the levels for equator dwelling lizards is going to be greater than for those found further north or south but, not by a lot, and putting a uvb light 5" away to make up for lost time for the last 8 months is going to just kill the lizard. uvb lights should never be placed closer than 10". and should always be placed next to another light source so the lizards don't fry their retinas looking at it unknowingly. Though I do apologize for leaving out the list of other benefits of UVB but if he does read the box and properly research what his lizard needs then he should find out those on his own. I was just trying to point out the dangers of overexposure. there are also big dangers with under exposure. don't confuse under UVB'd with underfed. you can fatten up a underfed herp but you can't up the levels of radiation to fix MBD, you can just put them to what their supposed to be.

*******Though I do apologize for leaving out the list of other benefits of UVB but if he does read the box and properly research what his lizard needs then he should find out those on his own.*******

i know what im doing i have dragons i was just wondering if there was anything ELSE i can do.
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Jeff Kearney
Orlando, FL

1.0.0 Egyptian Uromastyx (Dino)
2.7.0 Bearded Dragons (Too many to name)
1.0.0 Mali Uromastyx (Rex)
2.2.0 Ball Python (Ali, Gator, Para, Medic)
0.1.1 Leopard Gecko (Layla, Nubbs, Iggy)
0.2.0 Fat-Tailed Gecko (Penelope, Brownie)
0.0.1 Corn Snake (Not sure yet)
0.0.2 Blue Phase Dumpys Tree Frog (Sticky, Squishy)

Best thing for your uro, is give it a proper diet, use a UVB bulb that produces a good amount of UVB rays, a repti-sun (or repti-glo, two different brand names, but I can never remember which one has 10.0 bulb) tube (not the compact one, the long straight tube) which is about 16" above the basking area is fine. Uros do need a higher ambient temperature and basking area (around 110-120F I think..been awhile since I researched uros... and Egyptians are the larger subspecies being over 2 feet long on average..maybe as much as 3 feet, cant' remember..)

A healthy diet with calcium rich foods, exposure to UVB rays and he will recover over time. Taking him out side to have direct exposure to the sun certainly will allow him to absorb my levels of UVB, but provide a shaded area so he wont' over heat.

If you are worried he has low calcium levels in bones or blood..a vet examination and blood test and/or x-ray can determine this.

The previous owner may also have been dusting greens or otherwise providing calcium with Vitamin D3.

High levels of UVB rays is rarely able to be produced using light bulbs...the problems with some bulbs, like the compact UVB bulbs and some of the Mercury Vapor bulbs, is not so much the actual UVB radiation...but often the brightness of the bulb, the coating used to produce the UVB or other elements. UVB levels outside, under direct sunlight are many times higher than even the highest UVB producing bulbs... The 10.0 tubes produce well, 10 units, the sun on the equator, at noon...off the top of my head...produces about 200-400 units. Most reptiles seek shade or burrows when they are warm enough or things just get too hot for them...the reptile is far better equipped to know when its too hot or has enough D3 produced in its system than we do. What we have to do..is give it choices in its cage.

Also, the spiny growths on bones often is a sign of too much calcium in the body, than not enough..
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PHLdyPayne