Reptile & Amphibian Forums

still working on care sheets for the pet store i work at.. and it has occured to me to print one out that explains WHY reptiles need uva and uvb lighting... so i am looking for a website that has a good, easy to understand explanation of what the lighting does and why its important for reptiles... ive searched google, but i keep coming up with pages that are selling a specific brand of lighting.. if anyone can direct me to one that is accurate and easy to comprehend (keep in mind, this is usually for someone who has never had a reptile).. i would be much obliged...

thanks in advance!
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my pets: clown treefrogs, reed frogs, big eyed treefrogs, tiger leg monkey frogs, gray treefrogs, milk frogs, cuban treefrogs, whites tree frog, green treefrogs, squirrel treefrogs, blue webbed gliding treefrog, chameleon treefrogs?, mossy treefrogs, dusky salamanders, tiger salamander, veiled chameleon, box turtles, mud turtle, map turtle, yellowbelly slider, florida softshell, two saltwater tanks, four cats, two chinchillas, and a boyfriend.

Contact Dr. Ken Harkewicz via the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians website. He'll have some information to give you, and if you request, he can probably give you the exact studies done.

visit www.arav.com

Keep in mind that the standard reason for using full spectrum lighting is the sythesis of vitamin D3 so the animal can regulate it's calcium absorption and metabolism. There are many less documented reasons for it's use. Behavioral and psycological health have been apparent to many keepers who have used lights, and gone without. I'm not sure if Dr. Harkewicz will have any laboratory studies on this aspect.

Good luck with your search!

Ian

>...anyone can direct me to one that is accurate and easy to comprehend

Comprehension? We are talking physics after all.

This site, www.uvguide.co.uk, has the consensus of current
research; another UV site is www.reptileuvinfo.com.

Hope this HELPS...
Posted by: streamwalker at Sun Jun 26 06:12:08 2005   [ Email Message ]

A wild a boxie's diet consists of greens loaded with calcium. Ounce for ounce, the common dandelion has more calcium than milk. Most of a boxies diet are calcium-rich; including slugs, earthworms, and berries.

Calcium is but one link in a Boxies health. The other two elements are Vitamin D3 aquired from Ultraviolet B light, and Phosphorus. An imbalance in the link will cause :

- too much D3, calcium, or phosphorus**Hypercalcemia

-a lack of D3, calcium, or phosphorus****Hypocalcemia

So too much phosphorus can throw the balance off as well as too little D3, or too little access to Ultra B wavelengths.

Just when we think we have it; nature throws in a switch.

Many foods touted for their calcium content also contain calcium oxalates that bind calcium. These foods include spinach, carrots, collards, chards, and a few other thick leafy greens. Calcium oxalates render all dietary calcium unavailable for boxie use. It binds the dietary calcium in foods and in nutritional supplements. So use the foods with Oxalates very sparingly...or avoid them.
Ric