Lighting

Reptiles require a light cycle of 12-14 hours per day. This can best be achieved by providing them with a common 60 watt bulb placed 6 inches from the top of the enclosure and mounted in a standard clamp type light fixture from any hardware store. To provide the proper light cycle is very simple with the purchase of an electric timer that the light may be plugged into and set to rotate on and off every 12-14 hours. There are many timers available and range in price from a few dollars to expensive electronic timers with a thermostat control.

It has been a long standing rule that some reptiles require some type of full-spectrum lighting with a UVB of 310 or higher in order to produce vitamin D3 which is essential in the absorption of calcium. It has recently been determined that reptiles such as the green iguana DO have the ability to absorb vitamin D3 through their diet as well as to produce it with the aid of full-spectrum lighting. As a result the proper amounts of vitamin D3 may be obtained through a proper diet thus eliminating the need for a full-spectrum bulb. The true value of most commercial full-spectrum bulbs sold in the pet trade for the purpose of lighting reptiles has long been in question, in fact, according to recent veterinary studies on the subject performed by Dr. Fredric L. Frye it would take an average of 6-8 of these bulbs placed within 6-8 inches of the reptile for 12-14 hours per day to produce the needed levels of vitamin D3. Exposure to natural sun light is both physiologically and psychologically beneficial and should be provided as often as possible since we as humans cannot duplicate the sun in an artificial environment no matter how hard we try or would like to think we can. It is just a simple fact of nature. Caution should always be used when placing a reptile outside to be sure and protect it from predators and from overheating. NEVER PLACE A REPTILE OUTSIDE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT WITHIN A GLASS ENCLOSURE because this has the same effect as a magnifying glass in the sun and can quickly turn an aquarium into an oven. Always provide some shade for your reptile to help prevent overheating.

In defense of the information provided here, since it tends to go against the current conventional thought on lighting, William H. Gehrmann, Ph.D of the Department of Natural Sciences, Terrant County Jr. College, Fort Worth, Texas states that: "Study of the spectral power distribution (SPD) of most commercial lamps indicates that they are NOT full spectrum in the sense that distribution of energy in the different color bands is NOT comparable to that found in natural light. Furthermore, the SPD shows that while there is a small amount of UVA (not related to vitamin D3 synthesis), there is NO UVB". During my personal research on this information I contacted several well known producers of "full-spectrum" reptile lighting only to have them all tell me that studies show that their competitors lights did not produce true UVB, but that their lights did and that the studies that their company had performed all showed it, but no company could or would offer me an independent study proving their claims. In fact all independent studies to date have all shown the opposite. There is no doubt or question as to the benefits of full-spectrum natural sunlight, but the value of commercially sold lights is little or none. The best means to avoid metabolic conditions is to provide a proper diet to start with. There is no replacement for mother nature and for this reason it is vital to pay close attention to the diet as the main source of Calcium and Vitamin D3, after all if it could not be absorbed through the diet why would the same companies that make reptile lights also produce reptile vitamins such as liquid vitamin D3, which would not be necessary if their lights really did what they say they do.

Return to Main Page