providing UVA lightning

[Linnea]

I think we need to bring the subject up again about providing uva. i feel like i need it clarified for me since i still keep reading very confusing small articles about it.

i will mention to all owners reading this that i specify this thread to be about uva and not uvb. uvb is what the body uses to produce D3 in order to build up the calcium in the skeleton.

It has been explained to me on this website that bts have very good eyesight, and are able to directly tell the difference between a wide range of colours. it has also been discussed if they are able to see Ultraviolet and Infra red.

if this is the case, then the yare unable to see properly without providing uva light in their terrariums. Meaning, most of the natural colours they see in, they are forever unable to see and differentiate between. so even if you provide "natural food" they are unable to see some parts of it as they normally would outdoors.

usually most pages skip directly to uvb light being the most important of the two and then briefly says uva is good for the reptiles "well-being". i think most such explanations are misdirecting - they leave the facts out for some reason. im thinking it may be because the subjects lacks some scientific effort. or it may be the explanation is in itself not trustable enough to re-write.

some pages also mention the research on amphibians and diurnal reptiles only.

i quote one of the many "uva vs reptiles" websites i found via google.

"Humans and reptiles alike see into the visible light range (400-700 nanometers). Reptiles and many other animals (but not humans) can also see into the UVA range (320-400 nm). UVB producing lights also produce UVA. UVA subtly affects the way things look to a reptile, from the color of their food to the color of their bodies. To us, male anole dewlaps look reddish - to another anole with sufficient UVA, however, they are brilliant, radiating, flaring red. The tongue of a blue-tongue skinks looks, to us, like the skink has been eating a basket of blueberries. To another blue-tongue skink, however, the tongue is a bright, fluorescent, day-glo pink. Failure to provide UVA to diurnal reptiles can causes subtle stress by altering the reptile's perception of its universe and how it responds to it. This can be crucial if you are thinking about breeding them or keeping them around for the length of their natural lifespan... "

i also have some links for reading, none i would say are very scientific, but im sure plenty of the users here are better than me at finding the right ones.....so please add some reading, opinions and discuss freely. i just wanted to bring up the topic.

http://www.anapsid.org/liteheat.html
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatrepti ... ns-part-1/
http://www.all-about-reptiles.com/uva-rays.html
http://zoomed.com/Library/ProductDBFile ... %20UVB.pdf


yes - the ferplast heatbulb i use does provide uva lightning. i bought it since i thought it was a good heat providing lightbulb without caring much about the uva light, but im starting to reconsider wether or not my reptile feels healthier with or without it.


sorry for bringing this up if its already a bit too much x.x

EDIT: i wonder, did someone from this website write that quote i used? since blue tongues were mentioned.....you never know.....

[Jeff]

Have you ever heard anyone claim that UVA is not necessary for BTS? I have never heard that said by anyone credible myself. I think that is the reason that you don't see discussions about UVA - there just doesn't seem to be any debate about it. When discussing UVB, I have been told by every long-time BTS keeper, that even though UVB is not necessary, "normal", or UVA light is. I have been asked many times if light is necessary, and I always say that it is.

I may be mistaken on this, but I thought that every bulb that provides visible light is providing UVA? At least the ones that are available to the general public. If all standard bulbs provide UVA, then it is not really necessary to point out a "special" bulb to provide UVA. I have never worried about exactly what the light spectrum of a particular bulb is, but I can't believe that there would be enough difference between the vast majority of them to matter much. The one caveat to that is that bright light is prefered over dim light. I have talked to a few people who have said they notice a difference in activity between bright light and very dim light, like what you could get from dimming a bulb down too much.

Colors can look slightly different to me in different lighting, but I don't see it as a serious issue. If we were to use a really bad light over a long period of time, I can see how it could cause stress. I just don't think that is likely to happen when using any kind of standard lightbulb on the market.

[JMiller24]

Honestly an interesting discussion for a newb like me =)

[Susann]

Yes. I was under the impression that all (visible) light contains UVA, but didn't want to seem like an idiot by just stating it if it isn't so, so I was trying to confirm it by researching... Can find NOTHING that says all light contains UVA....
But now that Jeff said the same thing I'm fairly certain it is correct.
All visible light have UVA rays.
Studies show that diurnal reptiles are much more active and healthy when they are provided bright light during the day.
So, whether you are providing that bright light throught a light bulb or actual sunlight (UVA rays travel through glass, UVB rays do NOT) makes little difference. But most of us can't depend on the sun shining bright enough every day (and that ESPECIALLY goes for you guys in Sweden!), so we provide additional light through light bulbs.

So rest assured; if you provide bright light for your reptiles, you are providing them sufficient UVA rays. No need for SPECIAL lights, like with UVB.
Make sense?

[Katrina]

Yeah, I have the same understanding as Jeff and Susann. I think you would have to go out of your way NOT to provide UVA, so it isn't really mentioned because unless you are keeping your bluey in the dark you are providing it. Good lighting is important but I wouldn't worry about UVA specifically.

[Bird_Brain]

Yes I can guarantee you that ALL light bulbs produce UVA light