Does a baby RF need a uv light?

[mel262011]

Does a baby redfoot need a uv light? Right now I am using a regular aquarium/plant light. Should I go ahead and use a uv light on the baby RF or stay with what I got for now? My two Redfoots are inside 24/7. The setup I am using is the one on Redfoots.com for hatchling enclosures because the baby RF is under 6 months.

 

[Momof4]

I'm not an expert but I would invest in a MVB, it's light and UVB all in one. They last about year.

 

[mel262011]

Okay. I had my question answered after I posted this. What I mean is I PM'd jackrat and asked him.

 

[Momof4]

Glad Jeff helped you! That's where I'm getting my RF baby soon!

 

[mel262011]

I'm so happy for you. I got mine from a breeder in NY, I have had it since Friday. I know I have been asking a lot of questions on here since Little Foot arrived but it is only because I have never had a baby RF before. Little Foot is 2 1/4" long.

 

[Momof4]

I'm so confused about UVB lights right now! I think I need to just focus on redfoots. I think a lot depends on your climate.

 

[Madkins007]

Let's talk about UV light.

UV is just the 'colors' of light past purple, hence the name 'ultraviolet'. It is not a magical ray, but it does have some pretty cool properties.

The big one is that most animal's skin can process UVB, a specific range of UV light, into vitamin D3- a vitamin that is very difficult to get in a natural diet. Sun-exposed fungi, oily fish, and some organ meats have good amounts, other kinds of meats and even eggs have some... however, no dietary source seems to offer enough vitamin D to keep most animals healthy on its own.

UV also helps kill germs, fight diseases, establish the circadian rhythm (sleep cycles, seasonal behavior patterns, some reproductive issues, etc.), and more. It can also fade colors, damage plastic, cause skin problems such as cancer, damage eyes, and so on.

It does not seem to be critical to Red-foot tortoises, but there are a lot of well-experienced keepers and breeders out there who seem pretty convinced that it really, really helps in the long run.

IF YOU OFFER UVB LIGHTING HOWEVER, remember-
- It is easy to 'blast' any kinds of light on tortoises in small habitats, especially babies, so use a relatively low wattage (otherwise you've built yourself a sort of 'Easy Bake Oven',
- They only need about an hour a week of dosage, so your timer for your UVB lamp can be set to a few hours a day and be OK, and
- Make sure they have a lot of shade, hides, etc. so it is their choice to bask or not.