The effects of CFL's

[Chase]

Hello all-
Sometimes in this hobby, the slightest mistake can be SO detrimental to your animal. Recently, I took in a panther chameleon, who had been housed under a cfl (compact florescent light). This case is clearly exemplifies what happens when you begin to use these. For those of you who do not know what a cfl is, it is a bulb that screws in like a regular bulb and as the name suggests, is compact instead of a linear bulb.

I am sure there are people around who may have been lucky and had some success with them, but generally it is not recommended that they are used. The panther I have taken in is partially blind in one eye and the other I think is completely gone. His right eye is the better eye, and I think there is still a chance in saving some of his vision. Before the shower it was covered in a yellow glaze, the left has a white cloudy glaze.

So far today, he has gotten a 20 minute shower where he drink the whole time, and then a 5 minute warm misting session to help clear the gunk in his eye. He cleared out most of his right eye but the left eye did not clear out at all. He requires hand feeding, and is in a smaller enclosure since he cannot really see where he is going.

An effect of using this bulb is photokeratitis, or a burn of the cornea. While many will say that before 2010, the issue was corrected this is certainly not the case. This bulb was originally purchased sometime in June of this year, and it still did it.

Please, when buying florescent bulbs get the linear option. They may be a little more costly, but then you won’t be taking the chance of this happening to your precious chameleon.

Here is a link that you may find useful if you want to read more about UV. On this page, there is a link to research papers, under “resources” on the bottom of the page. http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

Chase

I will be making a separate thread to document how the panther is doing as well

 

[ponders]

I totally agree. I used a new cfl that had been "corrected" on baby quads. They closed their eyes within the first day and eventually developed skin blisters all over their body. this was from exposure for one day! Please avoid the compact cfl and use the linear bulbs.

 

[Mason]

Holy crap my Fischer is under a bulb like that I'm pretty sure. I dont want this to happen do I need to switch my bulb?

 

[ChameLIonLover]

Holy crap my Fischer is under a bulb like that I'm pretty sure. I dont want this to happen do I need to switch my bulb?

Yes......

 

[Mason]

I truly wonder how people get these burns. I have seen breeders with hundreds of chams do just fine using them and the breeder I bought my guy from has been using CFB's with him for over two years. Maybe the lights are too close or too strong? I am not calling anyone out just straight curiosity. I do not plan on changing my bulb for now due to these reasons.

 

[Eric Adrignola]

Different brands?

 

[Wowbango]

I truly wonder how people get these burns. I have seen breeders with hundreds of chams do just fine using them and the breeder I bought my guy from has been using CFB's with him for over two years. Maybe the lights are too close or too strong? I am not calling anyone out just straight curiosity. I do not plan on changing my bulb for now due to these reasons.

I kind of feel the same way. My 7 month old was under one since he was hatched with the breeder, and up until about a month ago, he was under one as well, a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 CFL. NO Burns, no eye problems, nothing. My two young females are currently under one, and they're thriving. Growing quickly, eating and drinking like pigs. No skin conditions, no eye problems. I'm wondering if it's an issue with a specific brand.

 

[Chase]

I truly wonder how people get these burns. I have seen breeders with hundreds of chams do just fine using them and the breeder I bought my guy from has been using CFB's with him for over two years. Maybe the lights are too close or too strong? I am not calling anyone out just straight curiosity. I do not plan on changing my bulb for now due to these reasons.

Well, in this specific case the lamp was raised above the cage about 6 inches, plus about 3 or so inches under the top screen was the basking spot. So that far and still this happened.

I kind of feel the same way. My 7 month old was under one since he was hatched with the breeder, and up until about a month ago, he was under one as well, a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 CFL. NO Burns, no eye problems, nothing. My two young females are currently under one, and they're thriving. Growing quickly, eating and drinking like pigs. No skin conditions, no eye problems. I'm wondering if it's an issue with a specific brand.

The one that was being used was an Exo-Terra. Even if it "has been corrected", why take the chance? Once you have the linear fixtures the bulbs are about the same price anyway so why use something that could potentially harm the animal? I don't care if you're having luck with them right now. In fact the person I got the animal from has all of her animals under these lights and he's the first to react. Why take the chance?

Chase

 

[Wowbango]

I don't care if you're having luck with them right now.

Chase

This wasn't intended to be confrontational. I was just here to look into the information you were providing so I could do further research myself into the matter. As previously stated, I'm already switching to linear fixtures anyways. I was just providing my experience, that's all.

 

[Chase]

This wasn't intended to be confrontational. I was just here to look into the information you were providing so I could do further research myself into the matter. As previously stated, I'm already switching to linear fixtures anyways. I was just providing my experience, that's all.

I should apologize. I did not mean to come off rude. I should reword what I said. I think that it's great you're having luck with them, however there is the chance something can happen. It's good to hear you're switching to linear fixtures

Chase

 

[SocialNumb]

From what I understand, and I'm for certain no expert, Exo-Terra is the cheap of cheap. As poor as I am at the moment I wouldn't buy it and went for the Zoo Med. I wanted a LYR but had to settle for now.

Thanks for the information.

 

[JoeVet]

Have you considered vitamin A deficiency? Would love to know if he is producing tears. I would expect higher tear production in photokeratitis and low to absent tears in vitamin A deficiency.

 

[Chase]

Have you considered vitamin A deficiency? Would love to know if he is producing tears. I would expect higher tear production in photokeratitis and low to absent tears in vitamin A deficiency.

What exactly does a tear look like from a chameleon?

Chase

 

[Chase]

I had considered it, but the gutloading and supplement schedule was not abnormal

Chase

 

[Carlton]

I had considered it, but the gutloading and supplement schedule was not abnormal

Chase

I responded in your other thread about this cham...and suggested you might read the ongoing thread about vit A deficiencies in chams. Part of the discussion was questioning how well chams can even metabolize vit A and beta carotene, that our "modern" gutloads are now lacking in pre-formed A because everyone is so concerned about overdosing it, and because our gutloads are plant based its not even there. It could be that we need to add a little back in again. The problem is we don't know how much is too much. People who are dealing with panther eye problems are starting to treat for vit A defiency. Maybe a combination of bad lights and an underlying deficiency lead to this poor guy's situation. It might be worth trying some pre-formed A on this boy.

 

[AESara]

Does this CFL issue apply in all cases, or only with certain bulbs intended to provide UVB?

For example, is a 6700k CFL intended to assist with plant growth safe? I currently use one as I had read that other keepers use these, but I am perfectly open to switching to linear if you feel that this would be a concern.

 

[nick barta]

Holy crap my Fischer is under a bulb like that I'm pretty sure. I dont want this to happen do I need to switch my bulb?

CRAP yes...

 

[jannb]

Does this CFL issue apply in all cases, or only with certain bulbs intended to provide UVB?

For example, is a 6700k CFL intended to assist with plant growth safe? I currently use one as I had read that other keepers use these, but I am perfectly open to switching to linear if you feel that this would be a concern.

Just to be on the safe side I don't use any type CLF. I would switch to a linear.

 

[AESara]

Just to be on the safe side I don't use any type CLF. I would switch to a linear.

Thanks for the input Jann. I removed that fixture and will order a 6700k tube. I agree it's better to be safe.

 

[leedragon]

I couple of questions, did you see the cage he was in? did it look well planted? I have noticed that if you have a white or bright colored terrarium with too few plants the animal will be exposed to the uv light all the time with no place to go, the eyes can get damaged exactly like this.

What brand is it? I hear the new exoterras uv light are giving problems such as uv burns skin and so on with liniar tubes actually!

could it be a vitamin problems?