Lighting

They have this CFL that is full spectrum, and good for plants. But it also has UVA which it claims is good for your pet as well. So hears the million dollar question: Is UVA good for chams, and if so can I use it in conjunction with my UVB bulb or would this be too much?

brownie64 said:

They have this CFL that is full spectrum, and good for plants. But it also has UVA which it claims is good for your pet as well. So hears the million dollar question: Is UVA good for chams, and if so can I use it in conjunction with my UVB bulb or would this be too much?

Click to expand...

Ahhh....

million dollar question...

is that what I "win" if I answer?
A million bucks?



ooohh.. I am going to pick out my mercedes now...

UVA is the same light (spectrum) that makes fluorescent posters glow.
We know it as "black light"... and screw blacklight bulbs in for Halloween Parties!

UVA IS A NATURAL COMPONENT OF SUNLIGHT AND VERY IMPORTANT FOR Some types of ANIMAL'S VISION.

It is fine Brownie64, to use that bulb.

BUT.. fyi..
some UVB bulbs AND Incandescent bulbs give off UVA too.
To a greater or lesser extent.
You just can't "see" it ....and your 1960's poster don't seem to glow under it BECAUSE it is DILUTED by all the Visible light being given off.

So you probably already have some UVA going on in your set-up already.


Please read and enjoy!
From out friends at Arcadia UK.
They sure do know their stuff.


UVB

Light Most reptiles need to synthesize vitamin D3 in their skin for their healthy growth for which UV light falling within a particular wave band, known as UVB (290-320 nm), is required. Although Vitamin D3 can be commercially obtained from animal sources, and given to reptiles with their food, studies have indicated that dietary D3 cannot replace the D3 synthesized in the skin from sunlight, even in reptiles injected with supplemental vitamin D3. The vitamin D type derived from plants is vitamin D2 and is not suitable for proper calcium metabolism. For the best results, vitamin D3 must be obtained from regular exposure to UVB light, either from natural sunlight or specialist reptile lamps. The Arcadia reptile lamp range has been created in order to allow reptiles and other exotic pets to be maintained without the health problems related to poor calcium metabolism. UVA Unlike humans, who have ‘trichromatic’ vision, enabling us to see only three primary colours - red, green and blue, we now know that many reptiles, amphibians and other species, have ‘tetrachromatic’ vision. This enables them to see the shorter

UVA:

Wavelengths (320-400 nm) of the spectrum that form a part of natural sunlight. Reds are redder and greens are greener – life without UV would be the equivalent of us seeing everything in black and white, only worse. This UVA, or fourth primary, can be critical for behaviour and even affect appetite. A reluctant feeder may need UVA light to stimulate its appetite. UVA is also needed to induce reproductive behaviour. Lizards have been found to possess ultra violet reflectance patterns on their skin, which indicate reproductive glands in particular. Female panther chameleons seek out UV light when preparing to lay eggs. Depriving a reptile of UVA light would be like making it live in a darkened room.

Cheers!
Todd

Thanks

The checks in the mail LOL Thanks for the info, you have been very helpful.

P.S. I hear black goes good on Mercedes.