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Reptiles have a chemical in their blood that, when exposed to UVB wavelengths, changes into vitamin D3. This vitamin is essential for reptiles to metabolize calcium. UVB also helps reptiles maintain their metabolic needs in other ways as well. Without frequent exposure to UVB, they will develop a condition called metabolic bone disease and eventually die.
Studies have shown that when an animal’s body is exposed to UVB light, it makes exactly the amount of D3 that it needs. There is no way of knowing without very precise scientific measurement how much D3 to supply pet reptiles and the amount would also vary depending on growth rate, age, food, etc and over supplementation of this vitamin can be deadly. It has also been shown that reptiles are able to make better use of the D3 their own bodies produce versus vitamins that are supplemented.
are nice for reptiles that need lots of heat as well as UVB. These are the only bulbs that put off both heat and UVB. They tend to be expensive bulbs, however, it meets all your daytime lighting needs in one and some of them, such as the Zoomed Powersun, come with a guarantee. These bulbs also extend UVB over a large area and the rays can reach at least five feet so they can be mounted in taller cages.
are a nice option as they light the entire tank. The UV rays only extend within 18-24 inches depending on the type you choose, so you need to provide climbing areas for animals to get as close to the bulb as possible. You will need to provide another bulb for heat as the fluorescents do not put out heat. The amount of UVB rays that are put out by these bulbs wears out after awhile and they have to be replaced once a year. There are also many different UV outputs available in the form of fluorescent tubes. 2.0 bulbs are mainly for lighting purposes only. Reptiles that don’t actually need UVB such as snakes and a few nocturnal lizards can use this light to help bring out colors but that’s the best benefit it offers. 5.0 bulbs are middle ground. They’re good for older animals who are not growing much and need less UVB. 10.0 bulbs put out the most UVB available in a fluorescent. They are recommended for higher UV needs such as fast growing baby lizards like bearded dragons, chameleons, iguanas, and water dragons. Turtles and tortoises also need strong UV output.
offer the same benefits as the tube bulbs but they are more focused and designed to fit into the regular basking light fixtures that your heat lamps go into. The same considerations should be taken when choosing a compact fluorescent. There are cheap versions out there that some people opt for because of the price but they are extremely low output and many animals will not get the benefits they need from these cheap bulbs. In general, the cheaper the fluorescent, the weaker it is.
Reptiles are ectothermic, which means that their body temperature is dependent on their environment. This means that they need to regulate their temperature in order to accomplish certain bodily functions such as digesting food, molting, and fighting infection. All reptiles should be provided with a warm area and a cooler area so that they can go back and forth as needed and thermo regulate. Most common reptiles need a basking area that gets at least into the upper 80s Fahrenheit and some even need it over 100 degrees. It is always best to research the type of reptile you plan to buy to be sure you know what temperature ranges they require.
Hot rocks have been the topic of much debate in herpeteculture for good reason. The number one reason for discarding your hot rock is this: reptiles lack the nerve structures in their bellies to detect if they are being burned. Most reptiles receive heat from above (from the sun) in their natural habitats and it is unnatural for them to be absorbing heat through their bellies. They detect the temperature of their surroundings from above. Therefore, if the hot rock should malfunction or if it has any hot spots, the reptile will continue sitting on it trying to get its body the correct temperature while its belly is being severely burned. Any heat source used for reptiles should heat the air in an area, not a single spot on the floor of the enclosure. Many reptiles spend a lot of time sitting on their hot rocks because it is impossible for them to reach the correct temperature through this source. If the heat in your cage is correct, you should notice your reptile moving back and forth between the warm side and the cool side and most reptiles will actually spend a lot of time on the cooler side when not digesting or otherwise requiring the basking area. If you have a hot rock and your reptile “loves” it, it is probably because it is never able to get warm enough and it can’t spend much time off of the rock since the rest of the enclosure is too cool.
are the most common way to provide heat to pet reptiles. There are day bulbs, nocturnal bulbs, and ceramic heat emitters which all fit into this category. If your house is fairly warm, a day bulb is usually enough. It should be turned off at night to provide your reptile with a day/night cycle. If your house is cool, you can use a nocturnal bulb at night. These are bulbs that the reptiles cannot see and they can be used 24 hours a day. Some people choose to use a day bulb for basking during the day and a nocturnal bulb at night, with both fixtures set on a timer. Ceramic heat emitters do not put off any light whatsoever. They can be used 24 hours a day as well. They tend to cost more than normal basking bulbs but they also last longer than a bulb so they may turn out to be more economical in the long run.
can be considered for reptiles that do not need much heat such as rough green snakes or day geckos. They can be left on 24 hours a day and are mounted on the outside of the terrarium, usually to the glass on the bottom of the cage. You should be sure that substrate covers it half an inch to an inch thick to be sure your animals do not get burned. They work well for animals that do not burrow and have low temperature |
