No uvb for adult tegus ?

[TeGu1213]

Was told the other day while purchasing my uvb by a reptile breader shop in calgary ab that only breeds reptiles so are very trusted but seemed to tell me my adult tegu did not need a uvb that its fpr babys mainly . I wont be taking her uvb away but would like peoples input on thisthanks

 

[TeGu1213]

Was about to purchase a florescent tube when i was informed about not needing a uvb for an adult tagu . This is what i chose to stick with till i get some input from some experienced keepers .

 

[dpjm]

No, they need UVB for their entire life. I would reconsider any other information that person gave you as well. Look it up in these forums instead of relying on what you heard from that breeder to avoid other potential mistakes.

Also, that 13 Watt UVB lamp going through a screen top from that height won't cut it. The screen reflects a ton of the UVB and the 13 Watt is weak. Try a 26 Watt.

 

[TeGu1213]

Perfect thanks for the info ! I knew not to take away the uvb but wasn't sure and i think im going to go with a florescent light .

 

[TeGu1213]

Dont know if it makes a difference but i have a homemade top so instead of a real screen its chicken wire , think it would make it through better having larger gaps ?

 

[dpjm]

Yes better, but I would still find a 26 W bulb.

 

[TeGu1213]

What kind of tub florescent light wojld be good for making it through the chicken wire

 

[dpjm]

Tubes will have the same issue as compacts. I'd try to cut out the section of the chicken wire where the light shines through, is that possible?

 

[TeGu1213]

I was actually thinking about that the other day will probably cut it down around the fixture and wouldn't the tube provide a longer uvb range in the tank ?

 

[Roadkill]

Here's the thing: all animals can get some Vitamin D3 through diet alone, and they can all get Vitamin D3 through UVB exposure. Some animals seem able to get sufficient quantities through diet alone, others don't seem able to. It would appear though that no animal can actually regulate proper Vitamin D3 levels without UVB exposure. You need good Vitamin D3 levels for proper calcium metabolism. In order to have proper calcium metabolism, you need good bone formation and a balanced diet. To get the best nutritional uptake in the diet, you need good Vitamin D3 levels. In other words, it all circles back on the Vitamin D3 at some point. Looking at what we see with doctors and their concerns about bone health and proper calcium/Vitamin D3 levels in elderly humans.....let's just say that claiming that because they've reached adulthood and are no longer really growing so they really don't need UVB for Vitamin D3 synthesis is foolish. But let's be honest, you also don't NEED to exercise, eat good, nutritionally balanced food, or breathe clean air. It sure helps keep you healthy and better able to meet life's challenges, but it isn't necessary. Personally, my view is if this is the way one approaches husbandry with their pets (oh sure, it's good for them, but do they REALLY need it?), then one should really really be re-evaluating why they have pets.

With tegus, it is very apparent that they can quite easily slip from healthy to unhealthy even with supposedly good diets. To me, this indicates that perhaps they are not the best at uptaking all their Vitamin D3 needs from their diet alone. It's not worth taking the risk.

As for UVB exposure in enclosures, the best is to have lights unobstructed. In other words, nothing between the source and the recipient other than air. Especially with some tegus, this can be difficult, as some seem prone to jumping at the lights. The further the light source is from the tegu, though, the weaker the UVB intensity is, and it drops FAST. Mere inches mean a lot. This can be enhanced through the use of good surface reflectors and making sure you have high output bulbs. I don't have enough data to strongly make this claim, but just from some anecdotal evidence I've observed, the higher the efficiency of the bulbs, the higher the UVB output (yeah, I know, duh, seems like a no-brainer but bear with me). What I mean by "higher efficiency" is the T value of the bulbs, which basically is observed by the thickness of the bulbs. T12s seem to have the lowest output, T10s/T8s better, and T5s appear to have the highest UVB output. However, at least by my experience, there is a significant trade-off. It appears T12s have the longest life, and at least with the T5s I've used so far, the T5s burn out in really short times. The so-called mercury vapour bulbs have a much greater intensity and so can project UVB further. They also seem to have some handicaps from what I've seen: they don't handle vibrations well and pretty much must be mounted completely vertically. From what I've seen angled mounting or vibrations severely shorten their lifespans.