Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Every time i read a care sheet the lizards REQUIRE UVB with the exception of monitors. Now do they absolutly need uvb if the calcium poweder gives them vitamine d3 any ways or do you have to have uvb. it just somthing iv been wondering for a long time now

Hi,

I do not have much time now, so forgive me if I just quote one of my posts to a Gecko mailing list.
Hiere it is:

I do keep and breed P. mad grandis continuously since 1984. Initially I was using the Ultravitalux, a very recommendable UVB emitting high wattage bulb for 30 minutes every other day.
By chance I found out, that I still HAD to siplement the diet with Vitamine D. Than I raised a couple of hatchlings ± UVB and each group was subdivided into two sungroups which either received a Vitmimne D supplement or not.
Only the animals which received extra dietary D3 grew up healthy and without problems. In both othewr groups, independent from whether they received UVB irradiation or not, I had cases of MDB, slow growing and lethargic individuals.
Since the early 90s I do not give any extra UVB to my P. mad. grandis, but supplement their diet with carefully calculated amounts of Vitmaine D4 given as a mixture of Calcium citrate, honey, Vitakalk (A mineral /vitamine dust) and a liquid D3 preparation. I take care that animals can choose how much to take from that but I try to prevent them from an intake of more than 100 IU/(week*kg animal). With only these supplements my Phelsuma do very fine. In the early 90s I again did some experiments using conventional fluorescent lights, halogen lights and Metal Halide lights (HQI/NDL) as light source. My conclusion was that light intensity emitted by the HQI metal Halides improved overall health, agility, fertility and growth statisitcally significant. These metal halides do emit a low amount in UVB BTW, but its not mucgh, since most of it is absorbed by the doting of the bulbs and by the security shield glass.
Anyhow, these days I do have metal halides installed in all my enclosures I use for Diurnal herps, not only for my Phelsuma. So I keep and breed Veiled Chameleons, Basiliscs, Jewelled Lacertas and more species (even Uromastyx) without any UVB source under metal halides and with carefully selected suppmenets.
I do never experience MBD in hatchlings of any species. Back to my Phelsuma mad. grandis: My animals are colourful, healthy, prolific and live long under the conditions described. I have a breeder male which I hatched out in 1989 and today he is still as agile and healthy as all those years before. This year I had 46 fertile eggs from 3 grandis females. Two double eggs=4 eggs total fell down and crushed. The rest successfully hatched.
Thats my 2 cts on the topic

Hope, its informative

Ingo

UVB Flourescent lights emit UVA & UVB Wave lenghts and have a Kelvin Rating. It is absolutely necessary for UVB lighting with Calcium supplements in the diet. UVB is critical for the synthesisization of D3 and Calcuim metabolism. This is done by the UVB wavelength interaction with Keratin in the Lizards' skin and Blood/Cellular chemical reactions & exhanges. UVA effects how lizards: visualize their environment (food espcially),and effects their behaviour. CRI ( Colour Rendering Index) is how the Fluorescent bulb will show the true colors objects within its range of illumination. Use a good Calcium supplement and Herp Vitamin supplement with a good UVB/UVA Fluorescent light. Halogen a bright lights which stimulate activity and not especially UVB/UVA specific for species requirements. A basking/heat emitting light is what it is. I hope this helps. If you get the opportunity pick up a Herpetology book for Zoo Book Sales and you will learn more details. I keep an extensive Libarary and have been Keeping/Breeding Lizard species since 1974; I can offer my experiences and you will need the data from other sources to other "Quality of Life" to your Lizard.