uvb lighting

Once a dragon reaches 12 months old (and growth has slowed considerably), a UVB light is not necessary as long as you are providing a calcium with D3 supplement. Is this true? I always thought uvb was needed for all dragons no matter what the age.
Thanks
Katie

I have never heard this but...I don't give calcium with D3 because of the overdosage problems of the D3 I have heard about. There are neurological issues that I have heard of with D3 so I provide UVB and calcium without D3. There are more experienced people here than myself so wait for their replies. As humans need sunlight to incorporate D3 into their calcium metabolism, I do think that dragons need their UVB to metabolize their calcium. I am curious about others replies. Take good care < Beth

Hello,

While there are some people that do not provide much UVB if any it normally is not recommended. It is too easy to overdose on D3 supplementation. That can cause multiple organ failure, soft tissue mineralization, & bony protrusion on the cervical column & spinal column.
It is practically impossible for them to properly absorb calcium without some type of UVB exposure.


Tracie

Thanks Tracie...always there with the answers...what do you think about the D3 isssue? I personally do not give cal with D3 because of the UVB...I always thought that if you give a beardie a correct diet he would get the D3 needed...I know that the vitamins give calcium and D3...right? I know a breeder who just gives the herptavite vitamins...no additional calcium at all....Thanks Tracie, B

I agree with Beth (as usual lol). I also do not give D3 at all, only plain calcium. With a proper diet and good UVB, why take the risk with overdosing?
The ONLY way I would say that a UVB light is not necessary is if the dragon is given exposure to good sunlight EVERY DAY for at least a few hours. This really only works for those of us NOT in the crappy states where it likes to get cold half of the year however.
Just use the UVB bulb, do not use or be very careful with the D3, and go from there. Why risk the issues of them NOT having the UVB? It's really not worth it.
Oh, and make sure you have a good UVB bulb. Right now the only recommended bulbs on the market are the RUBE flourescent ReptiSUN (zoomed brand) 10.0 or the ReptiGLO (Exo-terra brand) 8.0 bulbs. The compact bulbs and other brands/versions are known to cause eye issues in reptiles from the emission of harmful UVC rays. Juat and FYI/reminder.

Kelly

Hello,

Well, I agree & disagree.
While you definitely can overdose on D3 if they are under a Mercury vapor bulb or feeding on pinkies, most of the time they don't overdose on it.
Most people do not feed pinkies or use Mercury vapor bulbs.
Most seem to use the flourescent tube bulbs. The tube bulbs are really not all that strong, but, IF they are maintained at proper distances of 6-8 inches with a bright basking light, as well as replaced every 5-6 months, the output will remain fairly constant enough for them to synthesize D3. If they get old, then the UVB emissions become very low.
I usually recommend some D3 when using flourescent tube lights, but never when using a mercury vapor bulb.
The problem is that when flourescent tube bulbs become weaker & the UVB starts to decay, the uWcm2 changes & becomes lower. When they are not getting enough UVB exposure their body will have less inclination to be able to produce D3 on its own.
As Kelly says, if they get regular sunlight, I do not recommend using D3 supplementation at all, they simply do not need it.


Tracie

Tracie,
Thanks for making me see what I forgot to leave out. It is somewhat early and I am pretty tired (I love newborn babies).
Yes, you DO need to replace the UVB tubes every 5-6 months without fail or they basically become useless, which is just like not having them at all. I also make sure all of my dragons can get at LEAST 6 inches from the light when basking, and in some cases, it's closer depending on how high their basking stick goes to the top of the cage and where they choose to sit on the stick. In some cages I actually hang the bulb fixture right down into the cage, so they are ALWAYS within 10-12 inches no matter where they are.
Usually I keep the bulbs around just in case I have an emergency and a bulb breaks, as they at least can be used for light, and sometimes I just use them in fluorescent fixtures around the house if I need them. I am scared of MVB bulbs (too much work for me lol). Plus, in reality, UVB bulbs are NOT that expensive anymore if you shop the right websites (LLLReptile usually has the 10.0s on sale for $20 any size, so you can stock up).
Also, I never recommend feeding pinkies for any reason. Some do, some don't, I just don't like the risk of fatty liver disease (to name one complication).
Kelly

Well, I have use Zilla bulbs for my beardie for the past 2 years and they work great for me. I don't have any problems. Specifically, I use the desert series florescent bulbs (of course).

Originally Posted by Drache613

Hello,

Well, I agree & disagree.
While you definitely can overdose on D3 if they are under a Mercury vapor bulb or feeding on pinkies, most of the time they don't overdose on it.
Most people do not feed pinkies or use Mercury vapor bulbs.
Most seem to use the flourescent tube bulbs. The tube bulbs are really not all that strong, but, IF they are maintained at proper distances of 6-8 inches with a bright basking light, as well as replaced every 5-6 months, the output will remain fairly constant enough for them to synthesize D3. If they get old, then the UVB emissions become very low.
I usually recommend some D3 when using flourescent tube lights, but never when using a mercury vapor bulb.
The problem is that when flourescent tube bulbs become weaker & the UVB starts to decay, the uWcm2 changes & becomes lower. When they are not getting enough UVB exposure their body will have less inclination to be able to produce D3 on its own.
As Kelly says, if they get regular sunlight, I do not recommend using D3 supplementation at all, they simply do not need it.


Tracie

Previously I was using the florescent uvb tubes, in which case I was supplementing with D3 twice a week without any problems. I now use Mega Ray UVBs and don't use the D3 at all. I do,however, still supplement with regular calcium. It is not safe to just use the D3 alone. They still need UVB exposure either by lamps/tubes or sunlight.

I agree, the way it goes is:

-UV and calcium and light d3

or

-Calcium and d3 and little to no light.

??