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Jar_Head
03-30-2006, 12:11 PM
I was in Wal-Mart the other day and I saw a light bulb that claims to put out "natural sunlight" containing uv. The light is a compact flourescent that fits into an ordinary light fixture and claims to put out uv rays. Has anyone seen these before? They sell for about 8 dollars and look very similar to the ones the generic pet store chains are selling for 45 dollars.

Also, I've purchased a second cage to transfer Salma into during the day, to soak up some more sun and get a little more interaction from the family (I mentioned this in an earlier post). It's a 50 gallon reptile aquarium, which should last through the summer I imagine. My question is this....I've read about UV lights not being effective through the mesh top. Would this also apply to natural sunlight. In other words, the cage will be near a window....will the sunlight coming through the window, through the glass cage/screen top and into the cage still be an effective source of UV?

Teiidae
03-30-2006, 01:53 PM
I think I've saw bulbs similar to this at home depot - claiming "natural sunlight", but I would be weary of it actually producing and or reaching the animal with useful rays without more stats...

As to your 2nd question the uva/uvb rays from natural sunlight will not penetrate through the window...

varnyard
03-30-2006, 03:39 PM
I agree with Teiidae. You need to know the exact output. I would suggest spending a little more and getting one you know will work. :wink:

Nero557
03-30-2006, 09:15 PM
It's a 50 gallon reptile aquarium,


Just a thought, but shouldn't you worry about the temperature rising when the sun gets magnified through the glass? It will do so quickly, so be careful with the aquarium in front of the window like that.

Jar_Head
03-31-2006, 12:29 AM
Thanks guys.

I figured with the screen top and only being in direct sunlight for a couple hours that it wouldn't get too hot.....but maybe I will re-think this. I will watch it carefully for a couple days and make adjustments as needed. If the direct sunlight won't filter through the glass and the wire cage I guess it's a moot point anyway. I can put it somewhere else and just use a quality bulb.

As always, thanks again for the great input and second opinions I've come to expect from this web site.

Nero557
03-31-2006, 01:19 AM
Well, you could just build a small cheap enclosure (just not so cheap the tegu can break out) made out of like strong mesh with bigger holes, (such as window screen is small holes compared to chain link fence) depending on how big your tegu is... and you can buy green house glass for that window which is made to let the uva and uvb rays through, just be careful because when those rays come through from natural sunlight, i guess it fades carpet. I'm not positive on this matter, but I read about it before. I just wanted to make sure that you didn't have an aquarium in direct sunlight because I've heard many stories of people who put them in front of windows and then the animal dies from heat exhaustion. Good luck and watch closely if you decide to use the window idea.

varnyard
03-31-2006, 06:12 AM
Nero557, You are correct. A animal should never be put in the sun in a aquarium. They heat up real fast. Think of being in a car with the windows rolled up. :?

Nero557
03-31-2006, 02:21 PM
Just wanted to make sure that nothing unfortunate happened, I wasn't totally positive, but I heard of it before, and it all made sense to me, so I just thought I'd mention it, because with my animals, I'd rather be safe than sorry, I can't stand to loose them. I lost a bearded dragon that I rescued and I was heartbroken, and it took me a while to recoup, but I know it was the previous owner's fault, not mine, I just wished someone would have informed that person more, so that's why I mention things even if I am not sure.

varnyard
03-31-2006, 02:26 PM
I get rescues all the time, most of them are on their last leg when the owners give them up. All you can do is what you can. It is just hard when you get them, and they are past the point of no return. :?

yeaitsdave
03-31-2006, 04:26 PM
Those bulbs, well, they put out UVA but not UVB, atleast in quantities large enough large enough to make any difference. I have two of them in my cage mainly for the plants to get the light they require to live, which they do admireably

Johelian
03-31-2006, 08:10 PM
All correct I would say - UVB is the ray that is most important to the natural bodily processes of reptiles, so its important to get a bulb that puts out a good level. Natural sunlight bulbs are designed for plants, which dont need the same levels of UVB.

The bulb will only be ineffective through very fine mesh - so long as youre not using one of the smallest grades there is, like for insect enclosures etc, it will pass through fine.

jb
04-01-2006, 02:13 AM
Yeah, the plant bulbs put out small amounts of UVA only, not UVB. That's why plants grow towards them, but tegu needs UVB. You need to get him less than 12" under a flourescent type bulb (long tubes like reptisun, vitalite,etc) or if you go with mercury vapor you can put those several feet from lizard and still get decent UVB (those bulbs even at 100W or less are extremely hot like a halogen bulb). If you have metal or vinyl window screen mesh, it cuts the UV output by 50%...if you use 1/2" hardware cloth mesh, it isn't significantly diminished. What's cool is that adding a metal reflector over your bulb can increase the UVB by 40%... a lot of people dont know this, but it's been studied and documented by people with a lot of free time and a UV meter. This link goes over a lot of this stuff if you're bored and/or interested.www.uvguide.co.uk

Teiidae
04-01-2006, 02:29 PM
I fixed the link jb - Was not working :wink: