Linear UVBs versus LED UVB linear bulbs

Vnessinessa

Vnessinessa

Member
So after going to a different vet for my chameleons eye issues, he told me to fix my uvb bulb by replacing with a linear one and discontinue the use of antibiotics. My question is, if my terrarium is 24 inches wide, should I be buying one that large? Or should it be half the size of the cage? I really dont know :S sorry if this is a dumb question. I just forgot to ask the vet. As for now, I was planning to get the reptisun 24 inch hood with a 22 inch bulb 5.0

Oh, also, why are compact UVBs so bad, and compact basking lights are not? They both are harsh to look at.

I have been calling around and most pet stores dont wrll, and one place said the new thing is LED UVB linear setups. Is this true? She said the linear bulb setups are "outdated."

Thanks for your help! I want to go buy something tonight:)
 
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And in regards to the led uvb bulbs, I believe those are more for aquariums rather than reptiles if my memory serves me right.
 
I feel your pain. I'm dealing with an eye issue too on my panther, just the right eye though. My vet is scratching her head. Hopefully yours figures it out soon :( keep us updated for sure
 
blue_cham said:
I feel your pain. I'm dealing with an eye issue too on my panther, just the right eye though. My vet is scratching her head. Hopefully yours figures it out soon :( keep us updated for sure
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I am so sorry you are going through the same struggles. His eye problems are only on his right eye as well...are you using a linear light? I hope your guy gets better.... that is why I went for a second opinion. And my God, I am happy I did because he actually went under the skin of his eye and flushed it out and already looking better, but far from good.
 
Mine hangs over the edges, I just keep it centered. Gus just moves himself from basking to uvb and back as he is roaming the days stuck inside at least :)
 
Not sure about LED UVB... Never seen it, don't think they exist for reptiles yet.
Besides LED if pretty expensive compared and if you also have to swap it out every 9-12months lower electricity cost may not compensate for the price difference.
Get T5-UVB, it will give you good light and the bulbs aren't to expensive.
 
Remkon said:
Not sure about LED UVB... Never seen it, don't think they exist for reptiles yet.
Besides LED if pretty expensive compared and if you also have to swap it out every 9-12months lower electricity cost may not compensate for the price difference.
Get T5-UVB, it will give you good light and the bulbs aren't to expensive.
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Thwt is the exact one I got;) the T5. It really only cost me $140 in Canadian. It is a lot, but his health is important :) that makes perfect sense in regards to the difference in costs over time. And yep, if you go into Zoo Med, they do have the LED UVB for reptiles, but at insane costs! Anyhow, thanks everyone :D
 
LED with UVB distribution does not exist...yet. The fixture you are referring to is a t5 fixture(fluorescent) with LED diodes installed around it. LEDs are great for plants and cage lighting, but they DO NOT provide any UVB. There was a discussion a few years ago regarding the development of LED diodes within the correct UV spectrum, but they were still in development, many years from production.
 
Vnessinessa said:
Thwt is the exact one I got;) the T5. It really only cost me $140 in Canadian. It is a lot, but his health is important :) that makes perfect sense in regards to the difference in costs over time. And yep, if you go into Zoo Med, they do have the LED UVB for reptiles, but at insane costs! Anyhow, thanks everyone :D
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Actually no, it's a fixture that has LED lights and room for a T5 UVB light.
 
the CFL put out a VERY limited amount of UVB. I used a cheap tester, it wouldn't even register no matter how close I put it.
 
I still dont understand why the light on the basking spot wont hurt his eyes, but the compact UVB will? To me, they would be both hard on the eyes. Should the basking spot be linear as well? I am so confused and I want to get it right :(
 
Vnessinessa said:
I still dont understand why the light on the basking spot wont hurt his eyes, but the compact UVB will? To me, they would be both hard on the eyes. Should the basking spot be linear as well? I am so confused and I want to get it right :(
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Basically the bulb on the basking spot is an incandescent light bulb like you find in your own home. It puts out heat and a decent amount of light, but not much for uvb wavelengths, mainly infrared wavelengths and uva if I'm not mistaken.
 
Vnessinessa said:
I still dont understand why the light on the basking spot wont hurt his eyes, but the compact UVB will? To me, they would be both hard on the eyes. Should the basking spot be linear as well? I am so confused and I want to get it right :(
Click to expand...
When I got my baby veiled last summer, I bought a 10.0 compact reptisun uvb and it was doing something to his eyes. Only when I removed it completely he was ok and never closes his eyes again during the day. I switched to a 18’ T8 fixture from Zilla, but I got an arcadia bulb (the 5.0 D3 T8 uvb) to put in the fixture. When he got older I got a 24 inch t5 reptisun fixture and 5.0 bulb. For basking I use a 100 watts megaray but only because my cage is homemade and 48’’ high. Hope it helped
 
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