Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Until recently, I never really bothered with critters that supposedly need UV light. Now, I have a Uropplatus, and researching its needs has led me to a variety of conclusions regarding UV lighting for reptiles:

1. You must use the fluoresecnt full-spectrum lights soldat reptile/pet stores, such as ZooMeds Reptisun.

2. By contrast, a grad student at Virginia Tech told me these bulbs are worthless. They used blacklights together with fluorescent bulbs for their Anolis bahoerucionsis (and several of the lizards ended up with eye tumors, especially the males, who tended to bask closer to the lights). This is the same thing a guy I met at herp show in Bristol told me: he raised emerald boas and some turtle species. In his opinion, only mercury vapor lamps were really useful in terms of UV for reptiles.

2. The other school of thought: UV lights are worthless. A guy I know who raised beared dragons NEVER used UV light for them, but he put them outside in summer. He also told me of a close friend of his who did the same thing with chuckwallas in NC: outside in summer, no UV all winter. Both lived in the Mid-Atlantic states and could only keep their animals outside from mid-May to early Fall.

My opinion: I don't want mercury vapor lamps in my house, and I'm iffy about blacklights. I think I'll tank my chances on skipping UV light indoors and put my critters outside in summer.

HI Ive been a reptile keeper for around seven years and I havent started using UV lights but a year ago and after I saw how it helped I went out and bought 1 for almost every cage.also since you have a uroplatis I would advise you not put him outside.Where do you live.It depnds because they are not like beardeds and chucks that love to bask for hours and hours.
nick

I am a herper since > 30 years and I have followed the UVB Discussion from the very beginning. Also I have done my own experiments.
I do breed several species of diurnal and nocturnal lizards.
To make it short: You do not need any UVB fpr any mainly nocturnal lizard and you can fully supplement for UVB for any diurnal lizard, including desert animals liek Uromastyx. I guarantee for that.
Take care to give D3 dosed twice weekly at a dose of 25-75 IU/(week*kg) and use an oily suspension since D3 dust is poorly absorbed.
Even if you use UVB bulbs or direct sunlight for a limited time of year, you HAVE to supplement D3.
So you can fully replace UVB by supplementation but never fully replace supplementation by UVB.
Measuremnts have shown that all kinds of fluorescent bulbs do use most of their UVB output within a few WEEKS, even if they appeasr to be as bright as on the first day. Also overall wattage of UVB output is low and light is fairly diffused. Metal halide bulbs are a MUST for dirunal lizards due to theri high light output. You can comensate for UVB, but you never can compensate for light intensity. Our tanks ara alwayys dim in comparison to natural light and light regulates a lot of behaviour and metabolism in humans and herps. In herps the epiphysis itself is still light sensitive (parietal eye), which should make us think about the iportance of light.
Metal halides do have a small percentage of UVB output, but even if its low, 2% of a 150 W metral halide still ismore than 8% of a 15 W fluorescent bulb and light density is much higher.
Blacklights are only safe if they do not extend into the UVC part of the spektrum and only applied from directly above.
Radium based bulbs are a relatively good UVB source and they combine UVB with relatively brigth visible lights. Hence powersun UV active heat UV etc are a good choice.
But upüon all these endless UVB discussions, too many people forget, that light intensity is a much mor eimportant point to carefully adress, since it is not possible to supplement for it, whereas its easy to supplement for UVB.

Thats my 2 cts on the topic.
Ci@o

Ingo