Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have heard some confusion as to whether black lights are fluorescent or not. I certainly would never use a black light instead of my uv fixture, but it brought me to wonder when i was looking at care sheets that a black light will work like a uv light. I believe that black lights are possibly uv light, but do not release the amount of uv light that lizards need. So what's up with this???
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Paullywog

If it has scales or smooth wet skin... snatch it!!!

Uv lights contain a special gas that produces the Radiation..
Black lights are just colored glass more often than not,
The black light you're talking about.. I have no idea how it works.. but I do not believe it would contain the same gases.. or with enough black lights, you'd get a tan
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2.4.1 Leos
1.1.13(eggs) Beardie
2.0 Burm
0.1 Common Boa
0.0.1 Sand Fish
0.2 Desert Tortoise hatchlings
Wish for: Candoia Sp, Frilled D, BTS

Theres a link to an indipendant test done with UV meters where all of the top UV lights for reptiles were tested along with a light made for use by vets only, and a regular phillips blacklight. The results were interesting, and Ive tested this by results myself although I do not use UV lights at all other than a comparison Im doing for 1 year on some beardies with a blacklight now. The blacklight produced the same measured UVB output supposed to be needed by reptiles (according to some people) at 6-12 inches away. The reptile UV bulbs including an active UV mercury vapor bulb produced such a tiny minute amount of UVB at 3-6 inches only, with none measurable after that distance. The vet only bulb produced it at up to 36 inches away but has a warning that it causes blindness and retinal scarring if exposed closer than 6 inches. Blacklights have always had UV exposure warnings on them for health reasons, after all UVB is what gives you a sunburn.
Note I do not use any but the temporary use for comparison Ive done for 1 year, the blacklight is a phosphorus light. Something to think about, if you look at a UV sterilizer bulb it is clear glass not frosted as they are high UVB output, if a flourescent bulb is to be used for UV output of any use, wouldnt it too be clear. I use outdoor flood bulbs for basking lights only, they are clear glass bulbs and produce minute amounts of UV therefore since they flourish on them, they must be more than adequete. To see the results first hand is to believe. Besides I once helped a good friend in wholesale purchasing for his petshop as well I help a good friend with his website. Note that in the petshop UV bulbs were used on most animals, in his house none where used, and none to this day, yet he sold UV bulbs which we purchased for $3-$7 each ($7 was actually a retail price for us from another business), they sold for $20 plus each just as all reptile businesses sell them for. The website a good friend has advocates use of proper husbandry and not the use of magic cure all lightbulbs, no animals in his collection period use UV bulbs nor have they ever, yet we breed beardies, cornsnakes, ratsnakes, watersnakes, kingsnakes, and many others as well he used to breed green iguanas and many other reptiles. I keep mainly monitors and have been addicted to them for over 13 years now, but Ive grown attached to the few beardies I keep now, the annoying female I kept lays 21 eggs (except once she layed 18 if I remeber) every 3-4 weeks from 10 months old on, she is now up to 136 in 7 months, she has also grown from 19.5 inches to 21 inches in that time and weighs 600 plus grams. All of my beardies have grown very very fast though.
Just my observations of real reptiles.

http://www.reptilesdownunder.com/reptile/enclosure/uvlightingtestsa.php

I checked the link is still good, I had printed it out a year ago.