Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Alright guys!

There was a huge battle over my last question....but heres my next. Who uses full spectrum lighting? It has been shown on various herps that using full spectrum lighting increases activity, feeding, breeding, and other more natural bahaviors. I was wondering if any of you turtle keepers in here have experimented with full spectrum lighting with your turtles and do you feel that it has had any better effects on your turtles health?

Thanks,

Chris
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Chris Law
U.A.P.P.E.A.L. (Uniting a Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League)
Herpetoculture Element Representative

View my website: www.herpfanatic.com

unless you have an outdoor enclosure for them, full spectrum lighting isnt even an option, it i sa must. without it your turtle will get metabolic bone disease, softshell, horrible colors, all that stuff. as far as i know there is no argument either way for this one. UV lighting is a must. if you dont give your RES or other water turtle UV lighting, you might as well not even keep them in water. it is required for proper metabolism of Vitamin D3 which is required to use calcium.

I have 2 aquarium lights substituting until I can get a UVB. Turtles need them to live(unless outside habitat) to digest there food properly. Without it they cannot absorb calcium or D3. Most desert species in my opinion don't need it. Which sounds kinda wierd now that I think about it, but sand boas, leos, viper geckos, and a couple more don't need them, however if you provide it they might bask. However, the bearded dragon needs it for absorbing D3. Which leads me to another question( if any of you by chance know) do pinkies cause impaction for beardies? I think that covers your question.

UVA/UVB IS A MUST. NOT AN OPTION. If you cannot provide it for your turtle, then maybe look for an animal that doesnt require it.

About the pinkies and beardeds. They need to be adults before you try to give them pinks, and even then, they are to be used as special treats every one in a while (no more often than once a week) Then you should be golden.

pinkies shouldnt cause any problems as long as they can swallow them easily. i have one guy that i work with who breeds beardies, he will feed his big ones hoppers to keep them well-conditioned.

some things are nocturnal and therefore do not need any special lighting(like the leopard geckos). that alone make stheir setup and maintenance costs down.

I agree and completely understand that turtles require UVA/UVB lighting in order to live. My turtles do have basking ability. I am not asking whether you provide a basking spot for your turtles. If not....please find them a better home. If you are confusing my question of full spectrum with the standard basking lights that is incorrect. Standard basking bulbs sold in most pet stores are NOT full spectrum. They do provide UVA however. Most however, lack UVB. Without UVB they have no Vitamin D3...in which case that can be offered in the form of a vitamin supplement with their meals. So no full spectrum lighting is not technically "necessary" however, I am sure it can add some delightness to your turtles lives. I am personally experimenting, and I feel it they do behave more naturally to some extent. However, as I balanced their meals and provided vitamin supplements to make up for what was lacking, they have been healthy for quite some time with no troubles. They are both very active, feed well, and behave normally.

I guess my overall curiosity, is whether full spectrum lighting has any further benefits that just the Vitamin D3 supplementation can offer.

Thanks for your responses.

Chris
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Chris Law
U.A.P.P.E.A.L. (Uniting a Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League)
Herpetoculture Element Representative

View my website: www.herpfanatic.com

how long exactly have you been doing this with good results? i was thinking about that too, the UVB is to provide them the ability to produce vitD3 on their own, but vitD3 can be provided in their diet, including many or rather most commercial diets that have it as one of their ingredients. and i was thinking you could just give it to them that way. until some more conclusive and reliable studies/experiments are done on the subject, i am playing it safe and providing them with diet, temp, and uvb lighting. even if a light has UVB, it may not be intense enough to be of metabolic use for vitD3.

Actually, more important than lighting is a correct diet and the temperatures necessary for your animal to properly use the food that you are giving it. People have raised animals with little or no exposure to UV and still produced healthy animals. In tortoises, another sun worshipping animal, there is a school of thought that pyramidal growth deals more with issues of improper environmental conditions such as heat and humidity. I'm not saying that UVA/UVB can't be a benefit but I don't think it's an absolute necessity.

I have heard of people keeping their animals on just standard incandescent bulbs or CHE's and just providing them an excellent diet. Those animals lived years and with no health problems. According to some of the literature I have read, it also supports that as well. I still offer basking lights to my turtles but have just recently started experimenting with Full Spectrum lighting. Thus far, I have seen no major benefits of having it. Regardless, the turtles still behave perfectly normal.

Chris

>>Actually, more important than lighting is a correct diet and the temperatures necessary for your animal to properly use the food that you are giving it. People have raised animals with little or no exposure to UV and still produced healthy animals. In tortoises, another sun worshipping animal, there is a school of thought that pyramidal growth deals more with issues of improper environmental conditions such as heat and humidity. I'm not saying that UVA/UVB can't be a benefit but I don't think it's an absolute necessity.
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Chris Law
U.A.P.P.E.A.L. (Uniting a Proactive Primate and Exotic Animal League)
Herpetoculture Element Representative

View my website: www.herpfanatic.com