Mercury Vapor Bulbs

[HawkNinjaMaster]

I'm planning on getting a BTS in July so researching all I can about them before (and if) I get one. I'm thinking of using Zoo Med's Powersun to give heat and UVB/UVA to my BTS but I'm not sure of what to do about the fixture. The cage I'm looking at has a screened top but I'd have to take it off to get my BTS out and Mercury Vapor Bulbs are not supposed to be moved (from what I read).So do I use a clamp fixture or is it fine to move it? Or maybe just recommend cages with sliding doors! Another question would be, when should I change the bulb? (I know that they need to be changed before they burn out because of UVB) But with all the different answers on the internet, I got confused.BTW I live in Canada!

[kingofnobbys]

MVBs are pretty good.

But it's hard to balance the UVA and UVB and temperature at the basking spot all at once.

I recommend this as an alternative

A par38 incandescent clear colourless spot globe or equiv in a halogen spot globe in a ceramic high temp light fitting for basking spot and to create warm zone - check the care sheet for the species BT you want to buy. Some are desert dwellers (requiring maybe 10%UVB) , others only need 5%UVB (ie Eastern BTs).
For UVB either a 26W UVB200 in a nanohood if your species needs 10%UVB , or a 26W UVB150 if the BT only needs 5%UVB , of cause T8 or T5 UVB tubes rated at the right level of UVB for your species in a reflector style hood are better - more UVA and UVB spread through the BTs tank.
I've found my eastern BTs like to be able to escape from the UV and bright basking light too so an area that is not directly lit is good to have , or a shaded area .

If you buy from a BT breeder ,ask them for guidence on how to set up the tank and correctly UV lighting and temperatures and humidity levels and substrate, and ask what the BT has been eating and what the photoperiod and feeding schedule is like. Reproducing these will reduce the changes the BT will have to cope with.

[HawkNinjaMaster]

Ok thanks but any ideas on cages with sliding doors because I know it will be a pain to have to take the lights off every time I go into the cage.

[Scotts1au]

No need for MVBs for blueys. More trouble than they are worth and often cause eye problems in blueys, short life, expensive to buy and run and can be fire risk. Sliding door enclosures with a simply incandescent spotlight are best - can be relatively low wattage and hung down to the desired height. All good. Keep light away from sides of tops of shallow enclosures that can be reached by blueys climbing walls.

You always need to pay attention to diet Ca:P ratios so check out the diet charts on the site. Calcium supplementation with D3 doesn't go astray but jury is out on whether needed for blueys. Depending on your circumstance - read living in Canada. you might be try using both a low wattage CHE for night and incandescent light for day depending on what ambient temps that you want to achieve.

BTW I've been keeping and breeding blueys since I was a kid over 40 years - never had MBD problems in my animals due to lack of UV. And I feed dog food.

[HawkNinjaMaster]

So how often would you recommend to give my BTS calcium with vitamin D3 and do you use a multivitamin, if so how often should I give it to them? What kind of Incandescent bulb do you use? How often do you feed you blueys dog food because I'm looking into feeding them that. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I get everything right before I get one! Also, do you know any good breeders?

[kingofnobbys]

Ok thanks but any ideas on cages with sliding doors because I know it will be a pain to have to take the lights off every time I go into the cage.

All by adult lizards (BTs and beardies) have 4ft x 2ft foot print timber home made tanks with front sliding glass doors ..... I only use plastic tubs (about 100L) for rearing babies/hatchlings and juveniles, when they get to about 18 months old , they are upgraded to their big forever tanks.

I really hate the idea of the fish tanks converted to lizard tanks simply by putting a mesh lid on top .... bloody stupid design , very hard to get a good stable microclimate in a tank that's essentially open to environment as the warm air created is immediately lost on rising through the mesh top which does nothing to impede it , whereas a solid timber top will insulate the tank , provide a good structure from which to mount lights and their fitting , and will encourage thermal air circulation inside the tank meaning you need a lower wattage basking bulb, or MVB , or CHE to get the same temperatures, plus a solid timber top is cat proof (lots of people seem to think it's OK to keep cats and lizards).

[kingofnobbys]

So how often would you recommend to give my BTS calcium with vitamin D3 and do you use a multivitamin, if so how often should I give it to them? What kind of Incandescent bulb do you use? How often do you feed you blueys dog food because I'm looking into feeding them that. Sorry for all the questions, I just want to make sure I get everything right before I get one! Also, do you know any good breeders?

Natural sunlight wont be very effective in giving UVA and UVB if you live in Canada, even in summer the UV there is very weak cf here (Australia) were 15 mins exposure to the sun can result in sunburn and UVI can be as high a 14 in summer .

[HawkNinjaMaster]

Ok another question is I were to do a wooden cage, what basking/heating light should I use? I want to use a household bulb, but what wattage, brand, and type? I hear Philips halogen flood lights are good but I'm kind of hoping to not have to use a thermostat because they are pretty pricey.

[Scotts1au]

Cheap nasty little 15-30 degree spots are great. Of course no incandescent light will produce UVA or B, hence my previous comments. Lights emitting at 6000 K or higher will have a higher proportion of UV spectrum.

If you want to use a flouro, then try to remove any glass of plastic coverings because this will block the UV and make them no better than an incandescent globe, in some ways worse because you'll need another heat source. Personally I would probably use a reflector to limit the range of the UV to a basking spot so that the blueys eyes are not constantly exposed.

[kingofnobbys]

Cheap nasty little 15-30 degree spots are great. Of course no incandescent light will produce UVA or B, hence my previous comments. Lights emitting at 6000 K or higher will have a higher proportion of UV spectrum.

If you want to use a flouro, then try to remove any glass of plastic coverings because this will block the UV and make them no better than an incandescent globe, in some ways worse because you'll need another heat source. Personally I would probably use a reflector to limit the range of the UV to a basking spot so that the blueys eyes are not constantly exposed.

Yep .... I like my 26W UVB150 bulbs in nanohoods , and I use an 80W Philips par38 clear colourless incandescent spot for my basking light for my two Easterns. I observed that my skinks aren't real fans of having exposure all the time to UV, and will shade from it after they've done basking , so a UVB150 at the basking spot very close to their nice warm spotty works well for them. They seem to like a nice gradient in UVA , UVB and temperature.

I have a regular household flouro tube covering 2/3 of their tanks so it's a bit brighter.

Lights are all on household timer.