Lighting/Heating questions

[Abrimel]

Okay, so I've not truly 'owned' or 'cared for' my own skink long term. My professor had one in my zoology class that I took home for a month during break and she was an absolute joy to have. I've heard and read much on the lighting issue but being as I'm getting my first baby I'm a teeny bit anxious to make sure everything is perfect. Firstly, I would like to ask opinions on ceramic heat emitters? Yay or nay for Blueys?

I've also been doing some reading up on UVA/UVB, I know A is supposed to be good for mental health and B helps with vitamin D and prevents metabolic bone disease. However, I've heard that no reptile at all can survive without a UVB light. Is that true? Zoo-med's little pamphlets often have charts on them when you buy a bulb or lamp fixture. I've heard people safely raising critters of all the scaley types with and without UVB lights. I currently don't have them for my ball pythons but if it is true that they need it of course I'd fix that right away. I have the bulbs already I was just uncertain if I should put them in the tank.

Lastly, I wanted to ask the opinion of under tank heaters. Currently, in my set up I have reptile carpet on the bottom, covered with about 2-3 inches of shredded aspen and a pvc hide on the cool end with a slate tile topped box for the basking and hide on the hot end. Should I put a small, low grade mat underneath (outside) the bottom of the cool side as well to keep a nice ambient temprature? Currently the cool side is around 80-75f and the warm 100-95f on average. Mind you, theirs no bluey in there yet, s/he comes tomorrow morning.

[Fatal_S]

I'm at work so I can't really reply much, but I'll quote my own summary of UVA/UVB from another post:

I consider UVA to be a useless topic. UVA is found is any normal white lights, so just providing some form of light during the day covers this. Companies that use this as a sales point for bulbs just annoy me (ex: "buy this air, ours has oxygen, needed for survival!").

UVB on the other hand is a bit more complex. I'm not sure if you know the info behind it, so I'll just go into all the details as I understand/use them.
- Animals need both calcium and vitamin D3 to have healthy bones. Calcium is obtained in the diet, but can't be used without D3. So even if an animal eats tons of calcium, it will still have problems without D3. Too much calcium is not really dangerous.
- D3 can be obtained either through supplements, through food-sources, or through exposure to UVB lighting. Any/all can be used. Too much D3 can be dangerous (though no ill effects have been noted in BTS). Supplements are effective, but easiest to overdose with. Food-sources (fish, organs, etc) are not very effective. UVB lighting can be self-regulated by reptiles, but fake UVB sources may not produce the needed amounts.
- UVB lighting is the same wavelength that causes sunburns, or makes my transition glasses get shaded. It does not pass through tight screens, plastic or glass. Natural UVB is pretty strong, fake UVB is pretty weak and needs to be used at the recommended distance. Most fake UVB sources also stop producing UVB after about 6 months - long before the bulb burns out. Too much UVB can be dangerous (remember, it causes sunburns, ouch) so if it's provided the animal needs access to dark areas where it can avoid the UVB.
- Taking all this into consideration, I believe that providing UVB lighting is awesome if you can provide it, but D3 supplements should be provided regularly regardless of the lighting situation.

[Abrimel]

Awesome! Yeah I was having trouble judging how far the bulb should be away from the top of the cage and still be effective. But if I can give D3 supplements I will since its much safer in my opinion lest I burn my babies eyes and skin D: That would make me feel terrible. So I might just modify the rabbit hutch I once used for my guineas before they all passed away and let him outside for some good old fashioned sunlight. Its so warm here outside that really he'd be fine without any sort of lights but I don't have the space to build an outdoor enclosure so I'm going to just add a wooden bottom to the little A-frame hutch for outside times and see how the light does on its clamp. If it doesn't do anything? Oh well, I'll still give supplements anyway.