correct me if i am wrong

[dank7oo]

but uv bulbs give off uv rays till they burn out

[Trace]

Nope.

Flourescent tubes (Reptiglow, Iguana Lights etc) only give off UV for maybe 6 months if that. Now the bulb may be giving off regular light wavelengths after the 6 months, but it does not provide the ultraviolet and infrared spectrums.

Those metal halide and self-ballasted bulbs (Reptisun Active UV etc) bulbs are a different story.

Cheers!

Trace

[dank7oo]

so i should replace the buld i have when i get my new cham?

[dank7oo]

bulb* - lol

[Brock]

I heard that the Verilux bulbs are awesome. Walter Pacholko sells them: http://www.geocities.com/miceandthings
He said they have a very long lifespan, and when I saw them in use they have a nicer colour than those blueish ones, more natural. They are about 25$ I think, whenever I need to replace my bulbs I'm going to get the Verilux ones.

-Brock

[Wuntu Menny]

Verilux tubes are full spectrum plant lights and NOT UV producers similar to Reptisun etc. They are very good full spec lights, but the distributors are exaggerating their UV output. They are rated for 2-3 years until significant degeneration of output.

The total UV produced by these lights is around 7.5, but only a small portion of that is UVB. They are closer to a 2.0 as opposed to the claimed 5.0 or 8.0 equivalent. While the manufacturer and distribs are telling us that "independent labs" have tested and confirmed the alleged performance, the actual documentation and spectral analysis are not provided.

Having said that, I do use them for chams and have for a number of years. I have have great success using Vitalite and Verilux products instead of the high UV tubes that chameleons apparently can't do without. It is my opinion that the animals UV needs are not as extreme as the retailers would have us believe.

You can order them through a variety of retailers and dealers for considerably less than the pet suppliers. I've picked them up for as low as $14 per tube. Get your keeper friends together and buy a case, the price drops further.

WM

[Brock]

I also have heard from experienced chameleon keepers that their UV needs aren't as important as they are made out to be. Craig Goldie, a very experienced and successful cham keeper (who is out of the hobby now though) used the normal UV bulbs from Wal-Mart or Home Depot where he bought the bulb and the fixture for 10$. He said he had never seen a case of MBD or a cham that suffered from any calcium defficiency. I saw his collection and they were indeed very very healthy, great breeders too. He said that the gutloading of feeders and supplementing was far more important than the UV bulbs. Don't get me wrong though, he did use UV bulbs, just not the ones that all the people who go by the book say to use. He used HerpCare supplement dusts by Mardel and also a variety of feeders.

-Brock

[Siretsap]

It all depends on the lizard and how often you supply him with calcium and vitamins.
I have a water dragon that had started mbd, but I was giving him everything he needed the uv he needed and the minerals.
Turns out my uv lights didn' last long. I changed the bulb and about 2 weeks later, his leg was working again.
So ever since, I change my lights every 2 to 3 months.

[Wuntu Menny]

Brock, what is Craig doing these days? I haven't spoken to him in some time. I didn't know he wasn't involved in the hobby anymore.

The program of supplementation that he was using is very similar to my own. I didn't realize it until talking with him how controversial the practice was, but I've never had any animals develop MBD or other deficiencies either.

I'm guessing there will be plenty of future debate on this matter.

WM

[choriona]

I too have grown up 2 chameleons from hatchlings to almost 2 yrs now without MBD problems...and the only UV they get is the good 'ol direct sunlight 2 times a week in the summer and their cages have a Sylvania Gro Lux bulb for the remainder. They have never been under a pet-store bought UVB/UVA specified fluorescent bulb.