Reptile & Amphibian Forums

iam thinkin of gettin a beardie soon and was wondering is ther a light bulb that will give off good uv rays plus lots of heat so he can both bask and get uv rays from it? if no i have a uv light and a basking bulb but if i can get it all in one it woudl be much easier on electric bills etc.. my paernt dont wanna pay super high becasue of two lights but if i cant get oen then i will sue two

I believe you're talking about an MVB - mercury vapor bulb. They emit both UVB and heat, but they'll run you around 35-45$ a piece. I know that www.reptiledirect.com has them, I believe the one they carry is the "powersun".

HTH
Melissa

Do these mercury vapor bulbs give off the same thing as the ReptiSun 5.0 with the exception of more heat from the mercury vapor? I noticed I haven't seen any of these with a number like 2.0 or 5.0. Is there something else I should look for if I were to buy one? Also my veterinarian told me with the ReptiSun 5.0 that the uv wears away and to replace it every 2-3 months. Would the same go for the mercury vapors?

I'm pretty sure that MVB's put out a LOT more UVB than florescent tubes. You have to keep them at least 12" away from the basking area. I think you also have to replace them after about 6 months (which is what I heard about the tubes as well) but I'm not 100% sure on that. There has to be someone here w/more MVB experience than me, LOL. You can try asking over at www.reptilerooms.com too

Mercury vapour bulbs are not rated with 2.0 etc like florescent tubes. They do give off about 10x or more the uvb of any florescent tube. They also give out heat. MVB should be mounted at least 18" above the dragon's basking spot as if they are too close, the intensitv of UVB could be harmful. Also, make sure you mount them straight, they can't be at an angle as this often causes the bulb to burn out very quickly.
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PHLdyPayne

i heard the MVB's or at least some of them were guaranted for a year...i though tyou only had to change them once in a year...

regular tube UVB lights typically need replacement every 6 months or so.
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1 Thoroughbred
1 Mali Uromastyx
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Corn Snake
1 Milk Snake
3 German Shepherds
2 Birds (Conure and Cockatiel)
2 Rabbits
4 Fish tanks (SW and FW)