UV Light for Reptiles and Frogs

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UV Light for Reptiles and Frogs

• Dr Amisha Patel
• Sugarloaf Animal Hospital

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Today's Talk

• 1) Why is UV light important?
• 2) How to provide UV light
• 3) Where to get reliable information
• 4) Summary

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1) Why is UV Light Important?
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What is UV Light?

• Ultraviolet light (UV) -is waves of energy
  particles
• Wavelengths of UV light are too short for us to
  see.

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• UV light is confusing what are the different
  types?!
• Important UV -A and UV -B

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UV

• UV -A responsible for normal behaviours such as
  feeding, basking, mating etc
• UV -B synthesis of Vitamin D which helps to
  process calcium
• (UV -C harmful)?

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Why is UV Important?

• General wellbeing and normal behaviour
• Feeding, mating, daily routines, growth, immune
  function
• Important for muscles, blood, bones and every
  other process in the body!
• Vitamin D conversion allows proper absorption and
  metabolism of calcium

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How Does is Work?

• UV light
• ? skin
• ? vitamin D synthesis
• ? increased calcium absorption from diet
• Complex interplay between calcium, Vitamin D,
  various organs and hormones!

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And if we don't get it right?

• (Assuming that nutrition and temperature are
  perfect....)?
• Too little AND too much UV?
• Brittle bones or softening of bones ? fractures
• Swollen limbs, soft swollen jaws
• Constipation
• Stop eating and emaciation
• Partial paralysis
• Tremors/twitching
• Turtles soft shells
• Burns, blindness, cancer, infections

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Generalisations

• Snakes require UV-B but not high requirements
  (natural diet of whole prey has high levels of
  calcium and vitamin D)?
• Amphibians also do not seem to require UV-B
• Anecdotal evidence of improvement from exposure
• Diamond pythons, lizards and turtles require UV-B
• ALL SPECIES REQUIRE UV-A

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2) How to Provide UV Light
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Source

• 1) Sunlight
• 2) Fluorescent light bulbs
• Species dependent 1-2 hours per day

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Sunlight

• Best form
• Don't expose during hottest parts of day
• Ensure they have a cool, shady area to retreat to
• Need natural unfiltered sunlight

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Fluorescent Light Bulbs

• Heat source should be separate from UV light
  source, but at the same end of the enclosure
• Glass and plastic filter out 95 UV-B rays
• Bulb must be kept inside enclosure!
• Bulbs should be replaced every 6 months
• Wide mesh screens over bulbs to prevent burns
  (aluminium fly screens filter 30)?

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http//www.reptilesdownunder.com/reptile/reptilesA
sPets/enclosure/lightGuard/
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Distance

• Further distance less UV
• Basking spot of 10-12 inches/25-30cm below bulb
  (in enclosure) is ideal
• Not to the side glare
• Gradient so can shelter from UV-B

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Bulb Recommendations

• Fluorescent tube that runs 2/3 of the length of
  enclosure
• Effective at 30cm distance
• Well known brands e.g. Zoo-med, Exo-Terra
• NOT one hit wonders
• Not compact bulbs
• 5 or 5.0
• NOT metal halide or mercury
• NEC T-10 Blacklights

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Where to Purchase

• Pet stores
• Krempins Aquarium and Garden Centre
• Valley Reptile Supplies
• Pet Barn
• The Hydro Shop -Brock
• Internet
• Herp Shop
• Sugarloaf Animal Hospital

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Confusions

• 1) Ratings and numbers
• 5 or 5.0 the amount of UV-B emitted out of the
  total amount of energy- prefer less than 5.0
• CRI equivalent to light spectrum of sun at noon
• 2) Incandescent heat, visible light and UV-A
  (frosted, reflector floods, spots, halogen)?
• 3) Fluorescent visible light, UV-A and UV-B
• (FS-fluorescent sun lamp, black-light (BL)
  fluorescent tubes)?

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Confusions continued

• 3) Basking/spot lights provide heat not UV
• 4) Full spectrum wide spectrum not UV-B
• 5) Compact twisted bulbs UV-B disperses quickly
• 6) Blacklight Blue - eye damage

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3) Where to Get Reliable Information
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Sources

• Internet
• http//www.uvguide.co.uk
• http//www.anapsid.org
• http//www.reptileuv.com/
• Veterinarians
• That keep up to date!
• Clubs/societies

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Warning

• Don't get lost in all of the details!!!!

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4) Summary
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Summary

• Why is UV light important?
• UV- A and B Affects every aspect of health and
  wellbeing
• Painful and life-threatening consequences
• How do we provide UV light?
• Unfiltered sunlight or fluorescent bulbs
• Where to get reliable information?
• Internet, vets, societies