Reptile & Amphibian Forums

whats the cheapest place to get (either in person or online) uvb hoods and lights? or does anybody sell bulbs that work in regular fixtures?

i have found LLLReptile to be reasonable, their website is www.lllreptile.com it will be under cage supplies i beleive....

i would also take a look at www.reptiledirect.com and compare prices and shipping etc....

also, what percentage uvb do they need?

reptisun 5.0

Exo Terra has an 8.0 bulb. If you can go to a show they are cheaper. I got a couple for $17. at the Orlando show. For individual cages I still think Mercury Vapor is the way to go but for my baby racks, I use the 8.0 with household spot bulbs for the heat.

Joel R

I think these guys like it.

$34 bucks for the 100 watt

even know there was an 8.0 round here they carry the 5.0 and the 2.0...anywhere to buy those online?

In a study that was done, and I think the chart was on melissa kaplan's site, the reptisun tested the best out of the standard fluorescents. I believe the repti glo 8.0 was on there and it did not test as well. The mvb's are all different as well, depending on brand, but no the one that puts out the least amount of uvb was rated right near the reptisun 5.0. The reptisun 5.0 is the most trusted and proven bulb. Chris Allen

Here is the chart, I found it, I just didnt think it was up anymore. The repti glo/exo terra bulb tested one of the worst(tied for worst). I am not positive if the 8.0 was the current model when the testing was done, but its the same company/bulb. I also knew of someone personally that their vet did an independant study and the reptisun tested the best for the standard fluorescents. Chris Allen
link to chart

The 8.0 is a newer bulb and all the "Literature Cited" was in the latest,, "90's" We sure could use an update on that study. A lot of those bulbs have probably been improved by now.

It does say last updated 2002 but it doesn't say what was updated.

Joel R

The old Hagen Repti-glo bulb which was included in that chart was discontinued a few years ago. The Exo-terra product line by Hagen, including the new "Repti-glo" bulbs was just released sometime last year. Keeping the same name has caused alot of confusion! The new bulbs were developed by the same technical advisor who produced Zoo-Med's UVB bulbs. He currently works for Hagen.

T.B

I wasnt sure if it was the current model. I will see if I can dig up the email that was sent to me and the study was done by a vet. If I can find it I will post which bulbs were tested.

i did remember that study that CheriS a long while back had posted and said it was the reptisun 5.0 that was the best. I might give those MVB's a try....

which do you think is a good brand? i mean highest UVB output also i have heard of ones zonking out within the first week. i think i might switch over, do they run on the ceramic fixtures? o and one more question for a 4X2 what wattage would be good? well its either invest in bulbs or build those outdoor cages...it is SoCal afterall....hrmm...

thanks a bunch...........

For my 4x2x2 1 Powersun 100 watt bulb gets a basking spot of 104 down to room temp on the cool side. The inside of the cage is white so one bulb lights up the whole cage. Zoomed powersuns in my opinion are the best, and they are garenteed for one year. They are good about replacemnets too. Reptile direct has the best price for them $33.95 for the 100 watt. When you buy a bulb you fill out the garentee and send it to zoomed if that bulb blows they will sent you another bulb good till the end of the origanal garentee. So if the bulb blows in 3 months they will garentee the replacement for 7 months. So no matter what you are getting a years worth of light for 33.95

mnp

I think everybody handled the UVB bulb question. For fixtures, the best place to go is hOme Depot or similar type hardware store and buy a flourscent fixture. Word of caution, make sure there are UVB tubes that are bit enough for the fixture you want to use.