Fluker's "Daylight Bulb" discussion.

[Casperr]

This is all the box says:

FLUKER'S "daylight bulb" -- Incandescent reptile lighting -- full spectrum --Neodymium -- 3,500 hour life -- 75 watt

"Fluker's incandescent light bulbs provide the radiant heat (infrared light) that reptiles need."

... I didn't see it say UVB anywhere on the box, but idk if it has to. So is this a heat light, a UVB light, or both? And either way, is it appropriate for my veiled?

 

[bradley]

It will not give out uv. You want a clear bulb. Not one that gives off a red light. Not sure I this one does but just thought I would say.

 

[Casperr]

Even though is says "Full Spectrum"?

Also, the light itself isn't red.

 

[carol5208]

No it only gives off uva rays. Your chameleon will need both uva and uvb rays to stay healthy. You can use that for a basking bulb if you can achieve the right temps with it, and then you will need a uvb bulb as well.

 

[Casperr]

How can you tell that this one doesn't give off uvb?

 

[carol5208]

It should say it provides uvb on the box. Uva/heat is one of the requirements that some reptiles(including chameleons) need to digest their prey. It says it provides heat. Uvb does not really produce heat as far as bulbs are concerned. I would not feel safe couting on that bulb to provide uvb to my chameleon. jmo

 

[Venutus1]

How can you tell that this one doesn't give off uvb?

Hi Casperr...
Incandecent bulbs do give off some UV A Rays.
(UV A rays are like "black light" rays that make flo. posters glow and "DNA" on CSI "glow".)

But the bulb you are talking to just does not / can not produce UV B because it doesn't have the right substances in it.
It only has a tungsten filament.

To generate UV Rays, you need the bulb to contain mercury vapor gas (In Mercury Vapor bulbs) or mercury in Flo. tubes (like Arcadia's UV bulbs) that ignite at a high enough temperatures to them emit UV B ( and UV C*) rays.


* but you don't want ANY UVC. .. so that is why one must stick to only quality, tested UV bulbs.
The "cheapie" Chinese bulbs and those stupid "e-bay" reptile UV crap can harm, kill or blind your animals.

You see..... in quality UV bulbs, IT IS THE GLASS THAT IS THE KEY!
Because glass of the right composition will filter out the "bad" non -terrestrial UV C and Ulra Low UV B.
And the cheapie make a buck quick bulbs (that are just UV CURING BULBS used in curing paints and things) are the ones that unscrupulous people buy and sell to prey on the ignorance of hobbyists.
And they can have hit or miss results because the glass is not formulated to filter out the bad rays.
So they "may" work without blinding the animals
IF, by chance the batches of glass used to make them just happen to contain enough traces of iron and minerals to filter down the bad UV rays. (without blocking all the good rays).

Or these industrial curing bulbs may block nothing....
showering your animal with ultra burning, cell damaging sterilizing UV C rays.
The same rays that normally get filtered out here on earth 100% by the Earths ozone layer.

anyway,
sorry...
I have gone off on another UV Tangent...
LOL
but I can't help it.

I am so passionate about providing this hobby the RIGHT LIGHT.



The right light makes ALL the difference in the health and lives of the animals. Absolutely no doubt about it.

Cheers and happy Memorial Day weekend to all.
Todd

 

[Venutus1]

It should say it provides uvb on the box. Uva/heat is one of the requirements that some reptiles(including chameleons) need to digest their prey. It says it provides heat. Uvb does not really produce heat as far as bulbs are concerned. I would not feel safe couting on that bulb to provide uvb to my chameleon. jmo

Right On!
Excellent advice Carol.
I had missed your post when I went on my little UV tangent for the day.. above.

Cheers,
Todd

 

[carol5208]

Right On!
Excellent advice Carol.
I had missed your post when I went on my little UV tangent for the day.. above.

Cheers,
Todd

Thanks Todd! Thank you for reinforcing what I "thought" I knew! lol I always try and research before I post, even if it means backing out of the thread and going and doing actual research on a product or whatever the subject may be.