More tube UVB ???s

[tortdad]

I've never used tube UVB before so I'm trying to make sure I get what my baby box turtles need but I also want to find it at the best price. Are the Zilla brand lights as good as Zoomed? Also how do you compare models? Zilla has a tropical 25 model and a 50 desert model and zoomed has a 5.0 and 10.0. Is the 25 tropical the same thing as a 5.0 or am I just assuming too much?

So you know my table is 4' long by 2' wide. The bulb will be about 16" from the torts.

 

[tortadise]

Id go with a 2.0 or 5.0 for boxies. 10.0 is a bit much. Not sure on the zilla brand.

 

[Tom]

None of those bulbs will do anything from 16" away. The 10.0 makes a little UV, but it has to be close. No more than about 12". The 5.0 is not good for anything other than light, since it produces hardly any UV. The Zilla ones are similar.

If your bulb will be that high up, you'll need an HO unit. I get mine here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

With any UV bulb, you really need a UV light meter to check your UV levels. Its the only way to know if you have enough UV or too much. Just like using a thermometer to check your temps. I recommend this one: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

 

[Tom]

Id go with a 2.0 or 5.0 for boxies. 10.0 is a bit much. Not sure on the zilla brand.

Have you put a UV meter under those Kelly?

 

[lisa127]

Go with 5.0. 10.0 is too much for boxies and 2.0 is not enough. Zilla is really not the best brand. I always use either Zoo Med or Reptiglo. Usually reptiglo because it's a tad cheaper. I order through LLLReptile. Boxies don't like it overly bright so one tube running across the middle is enough.

Boxies need UVB, but don't have the high needs that tortoises tend to.

 

[Tom]

Go with 5.0. 10.0 is too much for boxies and 2.0 is not enough. Zilla is really not the best brand. I always use either Zoo Med or Reptiglo. Usually reptiglo because it's a tad cheaper. I order through LLLReptile. Boxies don't like it overly bright so one tube running across the middle is enough.

Boxies need UVB, but don't have the high needs that tortoises tend to.

Have you put a UV meter under a 2.0 or 5.0? Even from 10" away they make hardly any UV. Certainly not enough to be of any benefit for the animals under them. Even the 10.0 makes very little. Midday summer sun gives me a UV index rating of about 6.8-6.9. That same meter 10" under a new 10.0 bulb gives me a reading of 1.1. Under a 5.0 I get a reading of 0.5-0.6. That is not enough to do anything. These bulbs are not what we thought they were.

 

[tortadise]

Have you put a UV meter under those Kelly?

Well for boxies I really don't like a lot of UV. I treat the carnivorous offspring with low UV output and more animal protein, seems to work quite well. Kinda like the mountains too. The older and lower percentage UV bulb seems to be the better with the carnivorous wee guys. I have a. UV(new one) meter in the mail too. The old one got smashed by my nail gun a few weeks ago. Haha

 

[lisa127]

That's how I've raised my baby boxies as well. And how I was told to raise them by people very experienced with boxies. It has always worked - the boxies always grow beautifully with low UV, warmth and humidity. I think warm (not too too warm) humidity is the most important factor with the box turtles.

If I were raising torts I'd feel differently.

 

[tortadise]

Have you put a UV meter under a 2.0 or 5.0? Even from 10" away they make hardly any UV. Certainly not enough to be of any benefit for the animals under them. Even the 10.0 makes very little. Midday summer sun gives me a UV index rating of about 6.8-6.9. That same meter 10" under a new 10.0 bulb gives me a reading of 1.1. Under a 5.0 I get a reading of 0.5-0.6. That is not enough to do anything. These bulbs are not what we thought they were.

This is a very good point. The new bulbs tend to not be near as outputting like the older ones. I'm running low on my old stock too. Eeek. I suppose I should re-evaluate my statements to the newer(cheaper) products. As I'm sitting on a plethora of old stockpiles of good quality lights and CHE.

 

[tortdad]

None of those bulbs will do anything from 16" away. The 10.0 makes a little UV, but it has to be close. No more than about 12". The 5.0 is not good for anything other than light, since it produces hardly any UV. The Zilla ones are similar.

If your bulb will be that high up, you'll need an HO unit. I get mine here: http://www.lightyourreptiles.com

With any UV bulb, you really need a UV light meter to check your UV levels. Its the only way to know if you have enough UV or too much. Just like using a thermometer to check your temps. I recommend this one: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html

The zoomed specs say 12"-15" for 5.0 and 16" to I think 18" for the 10.0

I can easily add deeper substraight to get it to 12". This box is just a temporary house until they get big enough to live outdoors. Still debating to hibernate them outside or in a rubber-made bin in my garage. I've got another year to decide that.

 

[tortdad]

1.1 even with a 10.0. How can they even claim that these are UVB.

 

[tortdad]

Have you put a UV meter under a 2.0 or 5.0? Even from 10" away they make hardly any UV. Certainly not enough to be of any benefit for the animals under them. Even the 10.0 makes very little. Midday summer sun gives me a UV index rating of about 6.8-6.9. That same meter 10" under a new 10.0 bulb gives me a reading of 1.1. Under a 5.0 I get a reading of 0.5-0.6. That is not enough to do anything. These bulbs are not what we thought they were.

Have you checked the UVB level on a forest floor before. Just curious is 1.1 is really as low as it sounds or if that's right for the filtered areas these guys are from.

 

[Tom]

The zoomed specs say 12"-15" for 5.0 and 16" to I think 18" for the 10.0

Yes, but what UV levels are achieved with those bulbs at that height in your enclosure?

I have no doubt that everyone's boxies do fine indoors with low or no UV, because they are deriving their D3 from their diet. I speculate that success using a 2.0 or 5.0 bulb, or 10.0 bulb from 16+" away had nothing to do with UV from these bulbs, and the same success would have been had using regular hardware store florescent tubes.

If providing actual UV is your goal, then you'll need at least a 10.0 and it will need to be close. Personally I would not worry too much about it for a box turtle.

 

[Tom]

1.1 even with a 10.0. How can they even claim that these are UVB.

Outdoors in summer I get mid day readings of 2-3 under 80% shade cloth.

 

[tortdad]

Personally I would not worry too much about it for a box turtle.

Are you saying I shouldn't care about my boxies like I do my torts???


Just kidding buddy

 

[lisa127]

Outdoors in summer I get mid day readings of 2-3 under 80% shade cloth.

That's good to know since I keep boxies. Thanks, Tom!

So since boxies spend most of their time in the shaded forest, they are probably receiving UVB reading of 2 to 3 in nature....

Out of curiousity, what are the readings you tend to get with the MVB's?

 

[tortdad]

Go with 5.0. 10.0 is too much for boxies and 2.0 is not enough. Zilla is really not the best brand. I always use either Zoo Med or Reptiglo. Usually reptiglo because it's a tad cheaper. I order through LLLReptile. Boxies don't like it overly bright so one tube running across the middle is enough.

Boxies need UVB, but don't have the high needs that tortoises tend to.

Id go with a 2.0 or 5.0 for boxies. 10.0 is a bit much. Not sure on the zilla brand.

You guys say a 10.0 is too much. Too much what, light or heat because apparently it's not too much UV. I don't want to blind these guys

Maybe it's best to just put a regular tube light and make sure they're getting plenty of D3 in they're diet.

 

[lisa127]

You guys say a 10.0 is too much. Too much what, light or heat because apparently it's not too much UV. I don't want to blind these guys

Maybe it's best to just put a regular tube light and make sure they're getting plenty of D3 in they're diet.

To be honest, they may do just fine with a 10.0 as long as they can get away to a darker part of the enclosure. Years ago I kept adult box turtles but never raised my first babies until about 4 years ago. I was told by boxie experts that since boxie's love the shaded forest they have low UV requirements and not to use a 10.0. So that's what I did. My babies grew beautifully. So that's just what I follow now! In other words, with a bearded dragon you provide high UVB and an ultra bright enclosure. That wouldn't work for a box turtle - they need a place to get away from bright lighting. A box turtles favorite weather is warm, humid, and overcast. Some say the babies can be raised without UVB and get D3 from their diet but that it doesn't hurt to provide the lighting. Which is how I feel. Plus, they are not only getting UVB from the tube fluorescent but also UVA which can be psychologically important from what I understand.

 

[Tom]

Are you saying I shouldn't care about my boxies like I do my torts???

Just kidding buddy

D'oh!!! You got me!

 

[Tom]

Everyone chime in here, but from what I have seen the brightness of a 2.0, 5.0 or 10.0 is relatively similar, isn't it? Maybe slightly different color temps, but similar intensity. So all we are talking about here is UV levels. What I am relating here is that UV levels out of these bulbs that have been on the market for all these years are surprisingly low. I would not know this had I not purchased a couple of UV meters and played with them. I suspect that someone who cares enough to research and pay for UV bulbs over their box turtle is also providing more and better comprehensive care for their box turtle over all than the "average" keeper. In which case it would not surprise me that someone awesome like Lisa or Kelly is successful at maintaining a healthy box turtle. I just don't think your box turtles are healthy and thriving because of the 5.0 bulb you put over them.

I hope this is all coming across the right way...