Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Leos don't require UV, but this care sheet (link listed below, look up in the "heating" paragraph) mentions that with UV, your leo will be brighter. Is that true? Do any of you guys use UV lighting, and do you see a change in their coloration? Or does it make no difference?

Also, where can you get empty sweater boxes without buying sweaters with them? Is there a store where it gives away empty sweater boxes? And if I'm using a sweater box as my cage, how am I supposed to have a lampshade with heating bulb on the cover, if the cover's plastic?

By the way, here's the site:

The Leopard Venue

Tim

UV lighting really has no affect on coloration in any animals it just appears that way because of the color rendering index (cri). Sunlight has a cri of 100 and as far as I know no man made bulb can match that. incandescent bulbs generally have a cri of only 55 so you can't see all of the colors in the visible spectrum. the UV properties of a bulb have nothing to do with cri either so if you really wanted to you could get any flourescent bulb rated with a cri of 80 or higher to allow you to see more colors but it really isn't woth it because leopard geckos will rarely come out into a bright flourescent light and like most people you will probably not notice a difference.

I have read posts in the last 6-12 months where people have had success getting their leos over the hump as far as illness goes by exposing their leos to sunlight. Nothing about color enhancement though.

As far as the comment about not coming out in bright lights? Well, nearly all of my leos are day active. Some even sleep out in the open. I guess they feel pretty secure in the enclosures.

The sweater boxes that people are talking about are Rubbermaid storage boxes that can be bought at nearly all of the big box and home improvement stores. I use the 14X22X9 high and the 6 high. I also put hatchlings in some that have about half the floor space at 11X14X6. They are usually less than 6 bucks each.
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Steven
Royal Gold Reptiles
Specializing in LV Patternless Albinos for '03 and '04.
Working towards Bell Patternless Albinos for '05.

You know, what can really bring out the color in a leo is a good gutload. My first leos were both dull-colored when I got them from my friend. They were both full grown at the time. I still thought they were pretty, but after having them for a couple of months on a stronger diet, I can see they've improved so much. Now they're gorgeous! You wouldn't think a normal could look so vibrant.
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chickabowwow

You can get "sweaterboxes" at walmart and kmart for around $4 or less a piece. I use 28 qt Steralite boxes for adults and house up to 2 adults in each one(u can house more then this tho) For younger geckos or 1 adult i use a 12 qt. steralite box. they can be heated by 3in heat tape from www.thebeanfarm.com . u can also cut out a square in the lid and put aluminum screening over this area and then put the heat lamp on that. if you have any questions feel free to email me.
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-Bryan

np