Coil Bulbs.....
- Thread starter Minihuey
- Start date
Dez
Chamalot Chameleons
I actually raised my first veiled, Daigan under a 5.0 compact light until he was about 8 months old...(when he was upgraded to a larger cage) with no ill effect. He is now 2+ years old.
I also raised my first panthers male and female under a compact light until they where 7 to 9 months old with no ill effects.. They are about a year and a half old now.
This was way before I ever read the danger compact bulb report.
I still have a compact bulb... Ill try the sunburn thing. I also have fair skin so if it burns anyone it will burn me. ha
I also raised my first panthers male and female under a compact light until they where 7 to 9 months old with no ill effects.. They are about a year and a half old now.
This was way before I ever read the danger compact bulb report.
I still have a compact bulb... Ill try the sunburn thing. I also have fair skin so if it burns anyone it will burn me. ha
Dez
Chamalot Chameleons
oh I would like to ad I did try a POWERSUN bulb for a few days but found that my veiled would hide from it at the bottom of the cage when it was on.... It also bothered my eyes when it was on and it was behind me while I was at the computer.
I got rid of that bulb fast. Powersun was like $80!
I got rid of that bulb fast. Powersun was like $80!
Dez
Chamalot Chameleons
OK!
I just took a 5.0 repti-glow coil bulb and placed it over the back of my hand for 15 min... I also put a little piece of tape on my hand to see a 'tan line' if there was any.
So I sat with the light on my habd for 15 min. and..... I have not noticed any type of sunburn or tanning or discomfort on my hand.
I will admit the bulb is not brand new but was used for at least 6 months.
I'll let you guys know if a sunburn appears on my hand in the next hour
I just took a 5.0 repti-glow coil bulb and placed it over the back of my hand for 15 min... I also put a little piece of tape on my hand to see a 'tan line' if there was any.
So I sat with the light on my habd for 15 min. and..... I have not noticed any type of sunburn or tanning or discomfort on my hand.
I will admit the bulb is not brand new but was used for at least 6 months.
I'll let you guys know if a sunburn appears on my hand in the next hour
"The mercury vaporizes and forms a medium which when excited by an electrical current emits ultraviolet light (very energetic short wave invisible light - the kind that gives you a sunburn at the beach). "
http://energyzarr.typepad.com/energyzarrnationalcom/2009/01/trouble-in-cfl-land.html
"Word is that prolonged exposure, especially at distances of less than 30cm (1 foot), can cause sunburn!"...
http://lowerfootprint.blogspot.com/2009/02/do-cfls-pose-uv-risk.html
"Research from the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency (HPA) shows that certain CFLs can emit ultraviolet radiation higher than international guideline levels. In excess, this can damage skin."...
http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/article.html?article_id=47727
http://energyzarr.typepad.com/energyzarrnationalcom/2009/01/trouble-in-cfl-land.html
"Word is that prolonged exposure, especially at distances of less than 30cm (1 foot), can cause sunburn!"...
http://lowerfootprint.blogspot.com/2009/02/do-cfls-pose-uv-risk.html
"Research from the United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency (HPA) shows that certain CFLs can emit ultraviolet radiation higher than international guideline levels. In excess, this can damage skin."...
http://www.bottomlinesecrets.com/article.html?article_id=47727
chameleon97
New Member
If it doesnt work....
Blame Syn!
Blame Syn!
cushcameleon
New Member
I did not see spots in my vision after looking into a reptisun 5.0, I only had spots in my vision after looking at the coil bulb. But then again both lights are emitting UV rays
. But the whole point is that when you look into a reptisun 5.0 you feel no pain, it only looks bright. But when you stare into a coil bulb, there is a defiant sensation of pain in your eyes. Keep in mind that a chameleon has to sit underneath that light for up to 12 hours everyday, I only asked you do to try it for a few minutes. Even when you look in the general direction of a compact you can feel some pain/tingling in your eyes.
dodolah
Retired Moderator
Hence, i see more and more reason why we as chameleon keepers should have one of this (assuming we have the financial mean to get one):
With this we are able to know how high exactly we should set our uvb lamp from the cage.
MV bulb is ok as long as we know how to set it up right.
and, yes, i do have one chameleon in the past that got eye problem from CFL.
Although the company deny it in the site, but one of those bulb talked about in Dr. Baine's site actually emit UVC (correct me if i am wrong, Dave). UVC should not even naturally occur on earth since our atmosphere protect us from it.
With this we are able to know how high exactly we should set our uvb lamp from the cage.
MV bulb is ok as long as we know how to set it up right.
and, yes, i do have one chameleon in the past that got eye problem from CFL.
Although the company deny it in the site, but one of those bulb talked about in Dr. Baine's site actually emit UVC (correct me if i am wrong, Dave). UVC should not even naturally occur on earth since our atmosphere protect us from it.
Dez
Chamalot Chameleons
Ha ha I was..bored and curious. Although it was hard to sit still for 15 minuets
I sacrificed burning my skin for the forum, for the good of science! ..so everyone could know. haha
(Still no burn by the way)
I can't wait until we get our greenhouse built and not have to fuss about uv bulbs anymore
YoshiTheVeiled
New Member
My cham was perfectly fine when I got him. Put him in my cage, within a week his eyes shut and he stopped eating. Switched out my powersun for a linear. Within two weeks he was back on his feet. No other "variables" changed.
dodolah
Retired Moderator
Did you put the powersun directly on the screen top?
how far is it from the basking branch?
Dave Weldon
Avid Member
Howdy,
There are some UVB products out there sold for reptile use with spectral content that, if not reaching slightly into the UVC portion of the spectrum, do go beyond the desirable UVB limits and enter the more biologically active portion of the spectrum that does not naturally occur in sunlight reaching our chameleons.
Not all UVB CFL products are downright deadly. Some name brand units are safe when positioned properly. With that said, there has been enough past and present problems to "tar them all with the same brush" just to make sure that keepers are "safe rather than sorry". There are a number of factors that make UVB CFLs, in general, less than desirable for chameleons when compared to linears. Poor spectral content is just one of the issues with some of these units. The fact that they have a high energy density by design due to their tight coils means that it is more likely for those keepers without Solarmeters, that they may position them at unsafe distances more than with standard linear 5.0 tubes.
Another thing to remember is that you can't easily compare one brand/style of UVB source to another even (especially) with a Solarmeter 6.2 unit. This is because our meters do a great job of showing the "good" UVB spectrum level but don't give us any insight into the "bad" UVB spectrum that is heading into the overly biologically active portion of the spectrum. Other instruments are needed to characterize that portion of the spectrum.
There are some UVB products out there sold for reptile use with spectral content that, if not reaching slightly into the UVC portion of the spectrum, do go beyond the desirable UVB limits and enter the more biologically active portion of the spectrum that does not naturally occur in sunlight reaching our chameleons.
Not all UVB CFL products are downright deadly. Some name brand units are safe when positioned properly. With that said, there has been enough past and present problems to "tar them all with the same brush" just to make sure that keepers are "safe rather than sorry". There are a number of factors that make UVB CFLs, in general, less than desirable for chameleons when compared to linears. Poor spectral content is just one of the issues with some of these units. The fact that they have a high energy density by design due to their tight coils means that it is more likely for those keepers without Solarmeters, that they may position them at unsafe distances more than with standard linear 5.0 tubes.
Another thing to remember is that you can't easily compare one brand/style of UVB source to another even (especially) with a Solarmeter 6.2 unit. This is because our meters do a great job of showing the "good" UVB spectrum level but don't give us any insight into the "bad" UVB spectrum that is heading into the overly biologically active portion of the spectrum
. Other instruments are needed to characterize that portion of the spectrum.
Minihuey
Established Member
I did not see spots in my vision after looking into a reptisun 5.0, I only had spots in my vision after looking at the coil bulb. But then again both lights are emitting UV rays
This is the same logic as the sun. Animals sit under the sun all day... you look up and it hurts your eyes.
jojackson
New Member
In response to Quote By cush in #34,
That to my mind is akin to having a torch shone in your eyes directly, as opposed to simply toward you. CFL's project a narrow concentrated light beam, rather than the more gentle broad light beam (much wider, less focused) of the linear tubes.
Yeah But Huey, were talking about an aborial species that spends most of its time among dense frolige that greatly reduces glare from the sun. Small pockets of direct sunlight would be all that gets through, and therefore all that is 'suffered' from 'looking up'
whilst climbing.
Caged animals, even in densly planted cages, dont have much opportunity to escape from glare, especially if you consider, nearly everybodys basking place is right at the top of the cage, where theres no glare reducing frolige.
Wild chams may bask on lower branches that get direct sun through gaps in the canopy.
That to my mind is akin to having a torch shone in your eyes directly, as opposed to simply toward you. CFL's project a narrow concentrated light beam, rather than the more gentle broad light beam (much wider, less focused) of the linear tubes.
Yeah But Huey, were talking about an aborial species that spends most of its time among dense frolige that greatly reduces glare from the sun. Small pockets of direct sunlight would be all that gets through, and therefore all that is 'suffered' from 'looking up'
whilst climbing.
Caged animals, even in densly planted cages, dont have much opportunity to escape from glare, especially if you consider, nearly everybodys basking place is right at the top of the cage, where theres no glare reducing frolige.
Wild chams may bask on lower branches that get direct sun through gaps in the canopy.
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Fearaffect
Avid Member
U'd think with all the probs from these CFLs that the manufactures(who claim to care about the health and wealth fare of the animals) would stop making them or correct them so they arent damaging......
I stopped using them for my Beardies, but still using one for my monitors.....they tend to bask on the ground which is about 7 inches or so from the lights, while the Beardies would get up on the rocks and be 2-3 inches from the fixtures.
I stopped using them for my Beardies, but still using one for my monitors.....they tend to bask on the ground which is about 7 inches or so from the lights, while the Beardies would get up on the rocks and be 2-3 inches from the fixtures.
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