Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i am interested to know how many people use uvb lighting and how many dont. do you notice a difference with or without
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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)

I dont. and this guy might not like it either

so i would be okay to keep mine without. what is your feeding schedual like and can you send a pic of you set up.
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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)

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about the benefit of ultraviolet radiation in leopard geckos(i'm sure their side will be heard soon) so i wont go on and on about how i believe it has no benefit to their well being because i am not a gecko. Not using uvb is in no way compromising good husbandry though. I feed crickets dusted with reptocal every other day, as much as they want to eat without leaving uneaten crickets in the cage. i also leave a shallow dish of calcium for them to eat as needed. Aside from that they have a big box with moist bed a beast to hide, drink condensation, and lay eggs. here is a silly small picture of my caging setups

UVB or any full spectrum form of light is generally argued to be a psychological benefit for animals. The cure for cabin fever if you will. However my geckos seem to be quite content without UVB light. They are always very alert and seem to be in good spirits. Just last night my male was motorboating all around his enclosure following me to and fro as I walked around the room he has loads of personality and is super healthy.

Personally I don't think nocturnal creatures require UVB however benificial it may be. Meaning I don't use it. I believe proper husbandry is the key to good health. A big enough area for good thermoregulation with a wide range of temps, humid and dry hides for security and help in shedding and lottsa food .

Quig

I'm sure in the wild, they do come in contact with ultraviolet light since they are mostly at dusk and dawn, but the ultraviolet ray is very weak during these times. Leopard gecko have very thin skin compared to diurnal reptiles, which have thick skin, to protect them from UV ray, so low intensity UVB light may be added since the skin is easily penatrable. Whereas in diurnal reptile you would something stronger. However, leopard geckos absorb the vitamin D3 from the food they eat, unlike the green iguanas, and dusting the food with vitamin supplement should be done with plain calcium supplement. I dust the food with vitamin supplement like once a week and with calcium about 2 times a week since my leos are adults already. With younger babies and juvies you should dust it more often. By dusting the food, I don't use the UVB light for my leos and my leos are big and strong with no bone problem.

Now to hear the other side. I have kept leopard geckos with and without UVB. When it has been added to the enclosures of geckos that I've seen, they have appeared to perk up, become more active, etc, so based on my admittedly small sample size, it seems to me that there is some benefit to it. I can't quantify it exactly, and I won't say bad things about anyone who keeps leos w/o UVB, but all of mine going forward will have it.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

It's good to hear from somebody that does/has used them. Gives us an accurate view of the other side of the coin, so to speak.

Quig

Well, I'm just one dissenting voice compared to what, so far, at least, seems like a crowd of people who do not use UVB. Like I said, I'm not about to condemn people for not using it, but I feel there is a benefit, so I use it.
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0.1 Albino Leopard Gecko - Tigger
0.1 Crested Gecko - Pooh-Bear

I'm one of those that don't use it, but I'M not about to condem those who use it and benifit from it either. There are obvious good points to using it.

Quig

Wow, this is definitely one of the nicest UV or not to UV conversations yet. I usually see it very heated. (No pun there.)

I do use a UVB and it comes from my own experience. I had a poor little guy who wasn't doing well. After trying everything else on the planet to make him more comfortable, I figured I'd do my own experiment on the classic discussion and bought a cheap zoo med 40W with UVB. Three days later you'd think I gave him a B12 shot! He ate better, moved better, and just seemed to wake up. He was still a very sick gecko come to find out months later, but the difference was enough for me. We dust with a multivitamin powder, calcium dish always available, and have stuck with the UVB light. We have always kept albinos so plenty of hides, but on the other hand our current girl likes to get up in the middle of the afternoon, do a gecko lap or two, get a drink and walk back to a hide. Who knows.

For me personally, that is evidence enough... I won't condemn anyone who doesn't use UV light, I may suggest they try once to see if they do see a difference, especially if they are having problems. I would say, light or no light, multivitamin supplementation is of the highest priority.

Here is my 3 year old, brought up with UVB light, no giant genetics, but she's a full 9 3/4" long and too fat and happy to sit still on the scale anymore:

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0.1 Albino Leo Gecko
0.1 Crested Gecko
1.0 Dear Boyfriend
Departed: Harvey and Spock

i have a gecko that the previous owner used uvb on, she is mostly blind and has no aim... i cant say for sure it was the uvb, but since they are nocturnal, it is a safe bet to say it contributed to her semiblindness
on a brighter note it is funny to watch her chase crickets... she would starve it it wasnt for superworms they are too slow lol