Uvb

[DoubleD1996!]

This isn't necessarily a tortoise discussion, but reptiles in general.

If we're keeping our reptiles outdoors for the warmer months of the year, and bringing them in for winter, do they really need uv lighting?

 

[wellington]

I think it would depend on the species. If it's a brumating species then probably not.
Others I would think yes, but not nessicarily daily. A few hours, three times a week is probably enough.
@Markw84 @Tom

 

[Tom]

This isn't necessarily a tortoise discussion, but reptiles in general.

If we're keeping our reptiles outdoors for the warmer months of the year, and bringing them in for winter, do they really need uv lighting?

Debatable. We used to have a moderator here named Christina. She lived in Cadillac Michigan. All of her various chelonians lived outside for the warmest 5-6 months each year, and then indoors for winter. She never used any indoor UV and all of her turtles and tortoises were fine, by any measure I could see. They regularly produced healthy babies, for example.

Will @Kapidolo Farms used to work at a zoo and some of their chelonians lived indoors full time with no UV at all ever, and their needs were met with D3/calcium supplementation in the diet.

For reptiles in general, I would be hesitant to skip indoor UV for some of the prominent basking species like bearded dragons or Uromastix. Really most of the Agamids and and Iguanids. Can they survive without it? Probably with proper attention to dietary supplements. This is not an experiment I have tried though...