Reptiglo 10 flourescent tube bulb: NEW TEST results

Hello ALL,

As promised, here are the newest test results for the Exo terra reptiglo 10 flourescent tube bulb as I recently learned.

Here are the results given to me by Frances Baines, my endless support of quest of knowledge in lighting.
The results were not as promising as expected. The bulb is actually quite strong, & does have a higher UVB output than the reptiglo 8 but the spectrum is different. It has less UVA to the reptile as well as more low wavelength of UVB.
It is not as low wavelength as what is being put out by the Zilla light or the other compacts & coils, but deserves respect with its use. So, if it used, please use it with caution. As with other flourescent tube bulbs, it needs to be used in conjunction with a bright basking light. I am concerned with the UV index with this bulb.
Here is the article in full for you to read if you would like to. If you have any questions, let me know.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_ ... ssage/5469


Tracie

Hello

Hello,

Sorry the link did not work. I copied & pasted from my original thread which must have messed it up.
If you are interested in reading the report, the link below works. Thanks.

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/UVB_Meter_Owners/message/5469


Tracie

Thank you...

For posting all of this information for us. I know it can't be easy to cram this in amongst the other things you do.

I think you saved my Frilled Dragon's life. He was exhibiting the symptoms you describe and neither I nor my vet could figure it out. Changed bulbs and added a brighter basking light and he's been eating again and starting to act like his old self.

Thanks again from me and "Mr. Wizard" thanks you too!

Hello

Hello,

That is absolutely awesome the report helped you! So, you actually were using the Reptiglo 10 flourescent UVB tube? How close was it from your frillie? What type of basking bulb were you using in conjunction with it, initially?
What do you have now for your UVB & basking light?

I am so happy that helped you & Mr. Wizard!~!

Tracie

Drache613 said:

Hello,

That is absolutely awesome the report helped you! So, you actually were using the Reptiglo 10 flourescent UVB tube? How close was it from your frillie? What type of basking bulb were you using in conjunction with it, initially?
What do you have now for your UVB & basking light?

I am so happy that helped you & Mr. Wizard!~!

Tracie

Click to expand...

He was able to get about three inches away from it and yes, it was the Reptiglo 10. I was unable to get the tube I usually use as the shop did not order them (Reptisun). It sounded like it would be close to the same thing and I was really stumped when he quit eating, his eyes swelled up and looked like he had two golf balls on his head.

Took him to my vet three times, put him in quarantine each time and he got better. (Quarantine for him was a large sweaterbox in a rack kept in a back room in my house. The only light he got was from the window.) Put him back in his viv and he was sick again within days.

I was about to re-do his whole viv-again-to figure it out. He has a 48" long bright non-uv fluorescent tube across the large branch he has as a "basking" type light, although his actual basking spot is controlled by a CHE on a thermostat. Behind that is a 28 or 30in (can never remember without looking) new Reptisun UVB fluorescent fixture.

I'll get pictures of him frilling at me again now that he's better. He hasn't done that in about four months. He thinks he's "bad"!

Hello

Hello,

I want to thank YOU for posting to me. We are really trying to get as much data as we can on lights that are harmful. It is extremely helpful to me & to Dr. Frances Baines who is the researcher & tester for UVB lighting. An awesome & very caring person.
Wow, he was not doing well with that tube. I am so glad that you caught this post & were able to help him out so quickly. GREAT job on that!
His eyes were that swollen? Geez, that is horrible, poor guy. It was not your fault though! Ok, so the bright non uv flourescent is a full spectrum of UVA so that should be bright enough. Ok, no problem there to use that in conjunction with the reptisun 10 tube bulb.
I do have a favor though. Do I have your permission to link this thread so that Dr. Baines can see your symptoms & gather more data? I would like to do that if that is ok with you. She does not have to use your name, just the data, but only if it is ok with you.
She needs to contact the company with concerns, etc regarding the lights.
Thank you!!


Tracie

I think...

Mr. Wizard and I owe you and Dr. Baines a huge one and YES, by all means, she can use any information that will help with her research. If she needs to use my name so be it.

The symptoms started less than a week after I bought the tube. He started by laying wherever he happened to be with his eyes closed. After three days of me watching and worrying he couldn't or wouldn't stay on his basking perch (Frillies rarely sit on the ground unless their food is there and they're eating). The next day his eyes were swollen. Frillies have "large" looking eyes anyway as they are situated right on top of their head so he looked, literally, like he had marbles instead of eyes.

Took him to the vet (one of the very best around and reptiles are his 'specialty'). He came back parasite free and ex-rays showed no blockages or physical anomalies (intestinal blockage, torsion) or broken bones. Bloodwork also came back within normal parameters.

I began a regimen of no exercise, daily soaks and pedialyte (orally via syringe) to rehydrate him. He hadn't been eating or drinking for at least three days.

After about 4-5 days he began drinking, eating, trying to escape the quarantine bin , bite me, so I'd put him back in his viv only to have him in the same condition within the week.

We had been going around and around like that for about 2 1/2 months (three vet visits all together).

I believe that if I didn't click on the link to the article you posted he would have eventually died. He had gotten so skinny. I almost had him euthanised at one point as he looked so miserable and nothing I did helped him.

It's only been about a week and a half since I replaced the bulb and he's done a complete turn-around. He's gaining his weight back and is feisty as he's ever been.

Thank you both.

Hello

Hello!

Thank you for allowing me to use your data. Dr. Baines is working on generating a report so she is gathering cases as much as she can to report. I appreciate your cooperation, that is awesome!
All I can say is wow, what a story. How sad that it affected Mr. Wizard's eyes & body like that so quickly! I am sorry, but I am so glad you checked this board.
So he has gained his weight back too, that is so great! At least he had a very quick recovery thankfully. I am so happy that he is doing so much better now.
How much is he eating?

Tracie

He's still not 100% yet, but compared to how quickly he declined he looks much better. His hip bones are still prominent, although most frillies I see have some prominence there unless they're overweight.

He's like every other frilly in that as soon as he reached adulthood he quit eating his veggies, although I still put them in with him. He hasn't had crickets in a good long while as I was afraid they'd start chewing on him. I let him eat as many mealies, superworms, hornworms or butterworms as he'll take in one feeding. He won't touch "phoenix" worms (brrrr, I'm glad, they look too much like something found on the bottom of a trash can!)

I was re-reading my posts and did some mental gymnastics and I would guess the entire time he displayed severe symptoms was 2 1/2 months. He did get a good case of the "blahs" every once in a while before that but would bounce back relatively quickly. I am starting to be convinced that it was his ability to get so close to the UV fixture (he can't anymore) that started his whole downward spiral and allowed the new bulb to hit him detrimentally so quickly after purchase.

I hope Dr. Baines does not mind but I gave my vet the links to her articles. Perhaps he can get the word spread around here.

I wonder just how many animals may have met their demise this way. I would have never in a million years come to that conclusion on my own.

I don't think you can know just how relieved I am that you thought so much of others in the hobby to link that study here. Dr. Baines needs to be commended for finding a problem and following it through for us also. Without her interest and dedication we would be reading about a lot more of this type of problem and be no closer to a solution.

Thank you doesn't seem to be enough, although I want you both to know that we sincerely do.

Here's a pic I took of him depicting the swollen eyes. You can clearly see the swelling and he just looks miserable.

Hello

Hello,

Oh great!! No, Dr. Baines wont mind at all! In fact, she is putting off writing her report for a few more days to compile more data to report to the company. So you are definitely helping!! I am sure that there are more cases but not everyone is online to view it.
Wow poor Mr. Wizard's eyes, that is so sad!
Yeah, that would do it, the ability to get that close to the light is what causes the photo kerato conjunctivitis for sure. The lights just shouldn't put out the low wavelength though, so, hopefully there will be enough evidence & cases for her to go to them with!
I am surprised that it took 2.5 months for it to fully develop. He was probably having some trouble like you said, before it got real bad because he lost weight, etc.
As long as he is back on the right track, that is awesome. His hipbones should start to fill out when his eating is 100%. I am just so glad you figured out the problem in time before it was too late.
The vets do need to be aware of these types of problems, too. Thanks for helping out.
Thanks for posting the picture too, that really helps. I am sure that there have been alot of cases that have gone unknown. I am so infuriated that the companies have no morals it seems. They just are not putting enough time or effort into the safety aspect of the lights to do enough testing prior to putting them out for sale.
I only hope that I am helping, as it seems not too many people always read reports. Frances is awesome. She has really helped me with lighting, technical stuff & is very caring. I am trying to help her as much as I can, too.
Don't hesitate to ask for anything, & I will try to help as much as possible.

Tracie

Tracie

Exoterra Reptiglo 10.0 tube

Hi, Tracie and Maggie.

I'm Frances Baines, researching uv lighting for reptiles. Thanks, Tracie, for introducing me to FaunaClassifieds and for all that you're doing here.

Hi. Maggie. I just sent you an email to ask for more details about Wizard, for my report.

If other readers have any concerns about any UVB lamps -tubes or compacts - from any company, then do write a post and describe what lamp you have, and what you're worried about. Tracie is collecting links to your posts and sending them to me..... I can't always answer individual posts but if I can help, I will.

All the best,
Frances

Thank you...

Again, Dr. Baines from myself and Mr. Wizard.

As most people here are either serious herpers/hobbyists or Breeders/ Dealers we would be more likely to read a report such as yours.

The benefit I can see happening is by your diligence and your education of the companies the customers of those selling their products will have more healthy and successful relationships with their pets. If Johnny gets a "lizard" and it dies on him Mom's not likely to get him another based on one of a few assumptions: either "they're too hard to keep", "I'm not taking an "X" dollar "lizard" to the Vet" and/or "You didn't care for it properly".

Being involved in the veterinary field myself, I am starting to think back to some of our clients, clients who did "everything" "right" and still lost their pets or gave them to me thinking I could "care" for them better than they or sold them due to expenses. How many of these well meaning dedicated pet owners were the victim of this same malady?

To be honest, if the report had not been posted and one more vet visit been scheduled around the same time as I read the links, I may not have put it together so soon. But, as soon as I started reading a flood light went on!

It was amazing the complete turn around in only a few days time of me changing the bulb and rearranging his habitat so he couldn't over-expose himself again that he started acting like...well...like a frilly!

Thanks again (I can never say it enough!) BOTH of you for caring enough to help others even with your busy schedules.

Even though they can't talk, the critters thank you too.

Hello

Hello Frances,

GREAT to see you on here, thank YOU!

Maggie, how is Mr. Wizard doing now? Is he back to normal yet?
I am so glad that we caught it in time.
If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask. Thank you for helping Dr. Baines & I in collecting data for research. I am so glad that you came on here & saw my post.


Tracie