don't take this the wrong way but .... msg

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Posted by Ig Chick on February 28, 2002 at 17:17:10:

In Reply to: Their UVB output may not be high....... posted by T.B on February 28, 2002 at 16:36:48:

Mr. D and I are some of the LAST people on this board that you want to get into a UV debate with -ask around we know our stuff. While you are correct in the fact that a blacklight produces 2x more UVB than a Vita-Light (the blacklight being 2.6 microwatts/cm2 to be exact), they are NOT a CURRENTLY accepted APPROPRIATE UVB source for an iguana by anyone who knows anything about PROPER iguana care (and yes, I mean that like it sounds and no, I don't want to get into a debate about Kaplin and her untested OPINIONS on the subject).

When Vita-Lights first came out, they were the only game in town. MOST (not all but most) of the iguana owners who cared enough to spend that kind of money on a light bulb, were also using a new product to the market called Solar Drops which is preformed vitamin D3. The Vita-Lights, when used in conjunction with the Solar Drops (which are fatal if overdosed or dosed improperly) were a one, two combination that worked fantastic. But without the Drops, the lights lack sufficient UVB, especially if the light from them is being filtered by anything, including window screen.

Let's talk about what is successful? Are the people who continue to use Vita-Lights doing D3 blood testing on their animals? We all know that just because an iguana (or any reptile for that matter) appears healthy and/or appears to have no medical problems, that doesn't mean squat without the blood testing and x-rays to back it up. I can guarantee you that if I took one of my iguanas (who has been under a ZooMed 5.0 until it has been under a mercury vapor bulb for the past year or so (or is it 2 years by now I forget)) and someone using a Vita-Light took their iguana and we had x-rays done, my iguana would have far better bone desity than theirs (unless they have been using the Solar Drops or giving their iguana regular access to unfiltered sunlight)and better overall health.

Times have changed since the introduction of the Vita-Light and now that we have UVB producing lights that put out anywhere between 10 microwatts/cm2 of UVB (like the Reptisun by Zoo Med) up to 137 microwatts/cm2 of UVB (like the Active 160 watt spot), there is no reason anyone should be educated to use anything less. Now I am not saying that people should run out and purchase the bulb that pushes the 137 microwatts but when you can buy a bulb that pushes anywhere from 10 to 50 microwatts if used properly , that is FAR better than the 1.3 or 2.6 that a Vita-Light or Blacklight produces. This is especially true when you consider the readings in David Krughoff's book that he took in Illinois in the summer of 2000. Even in the shade that day the sun was giving off 54 microwatts/cm2.

I stand by my original post -a blacklight IS NOT an appropriate UVB source for an iguana and let me further that thought now ... a blacklight or a Vita-Light are not appropriate UVB sources for any animal that requires UVB.

Follow Ups:

O.K, take a deep breath...... T.B 02/28/02 (1)
- Re: Nights and iguanas HD 02/28/02 (0)

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: Mr. D and I are some of the LAST people on this board that you want to get into a UV debate with -ask around we know our stuff. While you are correct in the fact that a blacklight produces 2x more UVB than a Vita-Light (the blacklight being 2.6 microwatts/cm2 to be exact), they are NOT a CURRENTLY accepted APPROPRIATE UVB source for an iguana by anyone who knows anything about PROPER iguana care (and yes, I mean that like it sounds and no, I don't want to get into a debate about Kaplin and her untested OPINIONS on the subject). : When Vita-Lights first came out, they were the only game in town. MOST (not all but most) of the iguana owners who cared enough to spend that kind of money on a light bulb, were also using a new product to the market called Solar Drops which is preformed vitamin D3. The Vita-Lights, when used in conjunction with the Solar Drops (which are fatal if overdosed or dosed improperly) were a one, two combination that worked fantastic. But without the Drops, the lights lack sufficient UVB, especially if the light from them is being filtered by anything, including window screen. : Let's talk about what is successful? Are the people who continue to use Vita-Lights doing D3 blood testing on their animals? We all know that just because an iguana (or any reptile for that matter) appears healthy and/or appears to have no medical problems, that doesn't mean squat without the blood testing and x-rays to back it up. I can guarantee you that if I took one of my iguanas (who has been under a ZooMed 5.0 until it has been under a mercury vapor bulb for the past year or so (or is it 2 years by now I forget)) and someone using a Vita-Light took their iguana and we had x-rays done, my iguana would have far better bone desity than theirs (unless they have been using the Solar Drops or giving their iguana regular access to unfiltered sunlight)and better overall health. : Times have changed since the introduction of the Vita-Light and now that we have UVB producing lights that put out anywhere between 10 microwatts/cm2 of UVB (like the Reptisun by Zoo Med) up to 137 microwatts/cm2 of UVB (like the Active 160 watt spot), there is no reason anyone should be educated to use anything less. Now I am not saying that people should run out and purchase the bulb that pushes the 137 microwatts but when you can buy a bulb that pushes anywhere from 10 to 50 microwatts if used properly , that is FAR better than the 1.3 or 2.6 that a Vita-Light or Blacklight produces. This is especially true when you consider the readings in David Krughoff's book that he took in Illinois in the summer of 2000. Even in the shade that day the sun was giving off 54 microwatts/cm2. : I stand by my original post -a blacklight IS NOT an appropriate UVB source for an iguana and let me further that thought now ... a blacklight or a Vita-Light are not appropriate UVB sources for any animal that requires UVB.

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