Lighting / Heating Question

[wastedindustry]

Well I popped to the store yesterday and purchased a blue tinted reflector heat bulb, rigged it to the ceramic bulb holder, and everything looks fine - in fact Lilly appears to love it, lying on the slate and soaking up the rays.

She was a little confused at first about the pattern of light around the sides of her viv - kept trying to crawl up the sides to sniff at them

By the way I asked about Mercury Vapour bulbs and the guy at the shop didn't recommend them purely because they can't be used with a thermostat - apparently they explode if they're used with them

Next step - 1.2m UV tube installation. That'll happen next month - she still has the little two-foot one for now

Again, thanks for your recommendations and advice!

[Richard.C]

thats correct,they cant be used with thermostats as they dont like going on and off,or surging,blows them and not covered by warranty then.i personally use household incandesents and flood/spotlights on my lizards,some get uv tubes and some dont,i dont think bluies need it,my stumpies have been indoors for 13 years and never had it and they r perfect looking and the original pair thats been in there since day one have bred the last 4 years straight,perfectly healthy bubs,but believe the may also help to stimulate there behaviours,so cant hurt to use one.
also note that i feed a varied diet and supplement on occaision,but not all that often,no deformities or mbd in my lizards though,i think if u feed them and supplement them enough they will be ok with out the uv but each to there own

[Zach]

I wouldn't even consider usign a second bulb if using a MVB lol!

I agree....

[Leigh]

Well I popped to the store yesterday and purchased a blue tinted reflector heat bulb, rigged it to the ceramic bulb holder, and everything looks fine - in fact Lilly appears to love it, lying on the slate and soaking up the rays.

She was a little confused at first about the pattern of light around the sides of her viv - kept trying to crawl up the sides to sniff at them

By the way I asked about Mercury Vapour bulbs and the guy at the shop didn't recommend them purely because they can't be used with a thermostat - apparently they explode if they're used with them

Next step - 1.2m UV tube installation. That'll happen next month - she still has the little two-foot one for now

Again, thanks for your recommendations and advice!

Mate get an R63 reflective spot lamp in normal domestic lamp holder for basking spot, and get the longest UVA/UVB tube you can afford to fit the length of your tank, Repti sun 10 is what I've got,does well I reckon and try to get it to within 12" or lower from the floor for effectively use the UV

[KyleWeiss]

That funny, I've actually heard the opposite, that mercury vapor produce a whopping amount of both heat and UVB.

With the exception to those, silly boy. I've seen bulbs in pet stores that claim to provide UVB lighting AND heat that were simply colored flood lights, basically.

KW

[NomadOfTheHills]

Ah, I have seen those too haha. You scared me there for a second, I really thought you meant MVBs.

[KyleWeiss]

Ah, I have seen those too haha. You scared me there for a second, I really thought you meant MVBs.

I'm not a fan of MVB's for a number of reasons, but yeah, it's those rediculous cheap low-end "all in wonder" bulbs that entice people into poor pet keeping... Those things straight-up suck.

KW

[kristymac]

I use a mercury vapor bulb. I have a 36X18X12 tank and get just the right temps for the hot and cool ends. From what I have read, I am getting the proper UVA/UVB also.