combination lighting?

[mdo135]

Have any of you herd of combination lighting for reptiles? that is using multiple light bulbs and fixtures to acheive the full spectrum of light for sun loving reptiles. I discovered this idea from Reptile UV, they say that you must use a mercury vapor uv light to produce a uvb basking spot and it covers the ultraviolate part of the spectrum. (of corse they suggest their product, the megaray uv bulb) this must be used in combination with a 5,000 k full spectrum floressant light bulb, and a halogen light bulb to cover the entire spectrum of light and to provide two basking spots, one being uvb (the mercury vapor bulb) and one without (the hallogen bulb) I just recently discovered this what you guys think. I have been keeping reptiles for years and I have always used a regular old light bulb for heat in the basking spot, and a name brand reptile tube bulb for uvb (something like eco-terra or zoomed, ext.) Reptile UV claims that thease productw are actualy dangerous to reptiles.

-Have I been doing it wrong or is this company just saying this to sell their products?

-What do you guys use for your setups? pictures or discriptions of your setups would be greatly appreciated.

The reason I ask is that I am still having trouble with my green iguana, I posted that a few weeks ago. He is eating now but I still have to force him, mabye this is the answer.

 

[Toby_H]

For starters, I'm always hesitant to take advice from anyone who profits from me taking their advice... Thus I seek out and read a lot of research articles performed by third parties...


My "ideal lighting" situation is this...


Standard fluorescent bulb monuted high in the tank to create light throughout the enclosure...

Flourescent UVB bulb mouted low in the tank in such a way it casts UV-B rays onto a basking spot as well as elsewhere in the tank...

Non UV-B incandescent bulb/s heating the large basking area...

All lights controled by timers attempting to simulate natural lighting heat/time...


This allows the reptile to bask under a UV-B lamp in or out of the heat from the heat lamp... and allows the reptile to bask in heat in or out of the UV-B lamp...


This is the approach I have taken in my Tegus cage...

 

[coura]

For starters, I'm always hesitant to take advice from anyone who profits from me taking their advice... Thus I seek out and read a lot of research articles performed by third parties...


My "ideal lighting" situation is this...


Standard fluorescent bulb monuted high in the tank to create light throughout the enclosure...

Flourescent UVB bulb mouted low in the tank in such a way it casts UV-B rays onto a basking spot as well as elsewhere in the tank...

Non UV-B incandescent bulb/s heating the large basking area...

All lights controled by timers attempting to simulate natural lighting heat/time...


This allows the reptile to bask under a UV-B lamp in or out of the heat from the heat lamp... and allows the reptile to bask in heat in or out of the UV-B lamp...


This is the approach I have taken in my Tegus cage...

And the voice of truth has spoken and that is just what I was going to say. I was never a big fan of those "cook your lizard from the inside out lamps" and in my my opinion except for particular situations they simply put unnecessary and can also be dangerous both to you and your animals. And I should worn you that green igs and that kind of lamps dont mix well, their beautifull spines are the first to go. Those lamps are better for desert animals like Uromastix but even for them they can be a complete overkill as a continous source of uv.
As for your ig any normal 5.0 uv lamp will sufice, zoomed´s iguana ligth is good, there could be many other reasons why he doesant eat aside uv. Dont forget also that sun ligth is the absolute best.

 

[mdo135]

ya thats pretty much what i have now, a heat lamp with a normal everyday 100 watt light bulb over the basking spot for heat, (the branch stays about 100 degrees f) and there is a floresant tube light with a eco-tera 5.0 uvb reptile bulb in it that lights up the whole tank, he has one branch under the heat lamp another one under the uvb light, which is cooler it stays around 80 degrees. When it gets warmer out il start bringing him outside daily.

 

[coreyweinkoetz]

It doesn't have to be very warm for them to benefit form being out side just keep it short hold him close to you stand or sit facing right into the sun even fifteen minutes you should see a change and feel one as you try to hold him/her just do it at about 1pm local time even at 50 degrees lg Iggy's will not lose more then about 7 degrees surface body temp in 15 mins The direct light seems to warm them just as fast as the cool ambient temp cools them just don't don't set him on the ground it's to cold where do you live ? I took those temp changes off of surface temps from a laser temp gun shot mid body . I have tried a couple different things and tortoises and lg lizards seem to be best for this early spring sun but be careful smaller lizards and snakes cool quicker at least thats what I have found so far I live in WI and always try using every bit of warm weather we have.

 

[dpal666]

I run flourescent tubes diagonally in my tanks for UV, and outdoor dual lamp light fixtures for basking and overall tank heat, I just aim one towards the cool end to keep things leveled out.

Halogens for heat during winter, standard incandescent bulbs the rest of the year.
I also keep a LARGE variety of wattages laying around to be able to adjust to the seasons, and install inline dimmer switches to the heat bulbs for fine adjustments.

Don