UV for Sceleporus undulatus

[Greenmanbacchus]

Hey everyone
My boss caught me a 3.5 " Eastern Fence last September....guess he didnt think I had enough animals LOL Well, he's doing fine...about 5.5" now, some four months later....I'm concerned about MBD and such. He looks great...no problems at all, eats, sheds etc. BUT...he's only got a 15w incandescent aquarium bulb on him...keeps him around 80. So far, none of my LPS have given me a straight answer on UV...they try to sell me UVA...they try to sell me 'Full Spectrum' I know he needs UVB....can someone just tell me what to go out and buy so that he gets all his UV needs met? I mean...tell me a brand name, a bulb type ( incandescent or tube) and a number for the strength of the bulb. Ideally I'm hoping for incandescent, but if I need a tube and a hood and all....I can do that. I actually saw a scientific report that says S. undulatus will do fine without UV....but...I dunno 'bout that. Any help or feedback is welcome!
Thanks!
Greenmanbacchus ( Rick )

 

[MMRR - jif]

I just posted this a few days ago and it should help you. If the lizard doesn't need temps any higher than 80 degrees I'd recommend the 100W PowerSun or externally ballasted MegaRay
http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3002

 

[PuffDragon]

I believe these guys to be sun lovers. I see them basking half the day away all the time here in NJ. I would def. recommend a UVA/B setup. Since you already have a heat bulb on them, you could just get a fluorescent UVB tube light to provide the UVB part which is the only thing missing (see Jiffs page for recommended lights).

How big is the setup? Depending on the size of the enclosure you could try the Mercury vapor bulbs but they might put off too much heat. But the good thing about them is that they provide heat, UVA and UVB so you only need one bulb.

I believe a good basking temp for them in 90-103 F.

 

[Greenmanbacchus]

I just posted this a few days ago and it should help you. If the lizard doesn't need temps any higher than 80 degrees I'd recommend the 100W PowerSun or externally ballasted MegaRay
http://www.tegutalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=3002

Thanks Jiff! I've added that link to my Reptile Links. Short sweet and to the point...that's what I was looking for.These retailers just don't get it...stop trying to sell me a $50.00 bulb, when after five minutes, it's clear that you don't have a clue what my needs are. :hifit I'll spend the money for the right stuff....if only they knew what the right stuff is LOL.
Wait...my mega-chain LPS doesn't know what they're talking
about? Gee...I already knew that, didn't I? :app
Thanks Jiff
GMB

 

[Greenmanbacchus]

I believe these guys to be sun lovers. I see them basking half the day away all the time here in NJ. I would def. recommend a UVA/B setup. Since you already have a heat bulb on them, you could just get a fluorescent UVB tube light to provide the UVB part which is the only thing missing (see Jiffs page for recommended lights).

How big is the setup? Depending on the size of the enclosure you could try the Mercury vapor bulbs but they might put off too much heat. But the good thing about them is that they provide heat, UVA and UVB so you only need one bulb.

I believe a good basking temp for them in 90-103 F.

Thanks PuffDragon I appreciate the quick response.
Question: re:' the only thing that's missing' Am I to understand that the 15w incandescent strip light bulb is providing UVA? ( Didn't know that)
The setup is small for the moment ( 10gal) bc I may yet decide to release
him come Spring. ( Remember, he was a surprise, not a planned aquisition and like everyone else, I need all the shelf space I can get )
As to temp, I use a Cen-Tech Non-Contact Laser Thermometer and I have seen that at 90+ degrees he does a lot of the nasal salt -excreting thing,
so I toned him down to 80ish. Also at the higher temps he spent a good bit of time buried in the substrate (screened potting soil). He appears to be in excellent health in all aspects. I'm old enough to have come up when no one knew of the need for UV, and haven't been heavily into herps for years before we actually knew what we were doing, so I'm playing a lot of catch-up and trying to not look too clueless while I'm at it LOL.
GMB

 

[PuffDragon]

The 15 watt should be putting off UVA but very little at most. Your best bet is to try the mercury vapor bulbs. Up the enclosure to a 20 gallon if you can to get a good heat gradient. The basking spot should be concentrated to a very small portion on the cage and the rest can be in the 80s as you said.

At this point you might want to consider keeping him being as it's been in captivity for so long.

 

[Greenmanbacchus]

The 15 watt should be putting off UVA but very little at most. Your best bet is to try the mercury vapor bulbs. Up the enclosure to a 20 gallon if you can to get a good heat gradient. The basking spot should be concentrated to a very small portion on the cage and the rest can be in the 80s as you said.

At this point you might want to consider keeping him being as it's been in captivity for so long.

Ahhh..OK...more UVA then. He actually has a gradient now...with 80ish being the basking area, down to about 73. For example, right now the temp gun says his basking area and his body are 86. The cool end of the remaining 15" is 82, 78, and finally....74 right now.Mind you the house thermostat is set at 82 also . He comes from a sizable aggregate of S. undulatus that basks on the walls of an old church on the hem of the Jersey Pine Barrens...plenty of habitat, prey items and shelter. Looks like I get to go bulb shopping this weekend Thanks PuffDragon!
GMB