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Beardies and UVB

S

sschind

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I was speaking with a breeder today and she says she has not replaced here UVB tubes in over 3 years. Basically, she uses no uvb for her dragons (babies or adults) For supplements she uses reptivite calcium and another multivitamin. I had always assumed it was pretty standard to recomend UVB lighting for beardeds although I am aware that there has always been a small segment of the hobby that claims it is not neccesary. I did not ask if her dragons receive any natural sunlight and I will next time I see her but I do not think they do. She has babies that are as healthy looking and as hardy as any others I have seen or purchased. Is there anyone else here that uses no UVB for their dragons. If you don't, and don't want to admit it publicly for fear of being stoned by the masses feel free to email or PM me.

thanks
 
I use UVB bulbs with all my dragons. I also recommend it to anyone who purchases a bearded dragon from us.
 
I wouldn't consider it optional. All my herps have UVB/UVA lighting replaced every 8 to 10 months.
 
I raised beardies for 9 years and never used UVB at all. I used rep-cal and herptivite as supplements. Later on, after it was introduced I used Miner-all indoor.
My dragons never suffered any negative effects whatsoever from the lack of UV. They bred well, and the hatchlings were always in perfect health.
In nine years I had two adult beardies to die. One was an adult female I purchased that came in gravid and died with complications, and the other was a nine year old female that was hatched from my first clutch.

I don't recommend or not recommend it. It's up to the keeper. But to say it is absolutely required for beardies is not an accurate statement.
 
That's interesting. Besides the supplements that you mentioned, what were you feeding them? Were they ever exposed to natural sunlight? I'm just curious because I always hear the horror stories of MBD, especially in young dragons, who are not exposed to UVB. I have always used it because of my experience with an iguana and MBD several years ago. I just wonder why some dragons do so well with no UVB and why some don't. I too would like to hear from other people who have had experiences using or not using UVB.

Jamie
 
In the early years they were fed salad comprised mostly of greens (collard, mustard, or romaine), crickets, and superworms. Pink mice were added periodically, particularly for breeding females.
Later on I started raising roaches and they replaced the crix in the diet.
None were ever exposed to natural sunlight.

UV light allows the dragon, or any other lizard, to synthesize vitamin D3. Without D3 calcium cannot be absorbed into the system. If a young dragon developed MBD, it's the lack of D3 that was the problem. If no UV light is used then D3 must be provided as a supplment.
This is why there are two Miner-All suplments, and indoor and an outdoor. The difference is whether it containes D3 or not. Some calcium supplments have it and some do not.

The iguanas however are a different case and have to be taken as such. Studies have suggested that iguanas do not properly metabolize D3 given in supplments and need the natural D3 their bodies manufacture as a result of exposure to UV.
Likewise studies have shown that UV light is a requirement for chameleons. It not only has the dietary effect with them but also plays a role in egg viability and hatchling survival rate.

Each species must be taken as an individual. I have also kept and bred day geckos and acanthurus monitors with no exposure to UV. It is not needed with some species, but with at least the two I mentioned it is apparently very beneficial if not outright required.
 
Clay Davenport said:
In the early years they were fed salad comprised mostly of greens (collard, mustard, or romaine), crickets, and superworms. Pink mice were added periodically, particularly for breeding females.
Later on I started raising roaches and they replaced the crix in the diet.
None were ever exposed to natural sunlight.

UV light allows the dragon, or any other lizard, to synthesize vitamin D3. Without D3 calcium cannot be absorbed into the system. If a young dragon developed MBD, it's the lack of D3 that was the problem. If no UV light is used then D3 must be provided as a supplment.
This is why there are two Miner-All suplments, and indoor and an outdoor. The difference is whether it containes D3 or not. Some calcium supplments have it and some do not.

The iguanas however are a different case and have to be taken as such. Studies have suggested that iguanas do not properly metabolize D3 given in supplments and need the natural D3 their bodies manufacture as a result of exposure to UV.
Likewise studies have shown that UV light is a requirement for chameleons. It not only has the dietary effect with them but also plays a role in egg viability and hatchling survival rate.

Each species must be taken as an individual. I have also kept and bred day geckos and acanthurus monitors with no exposure to UV. It is not needed with some species, but with at least the two I mentioned it is apparently very beneficial if not outright required.
Click to expand...

I didn't mean to soud like I was saying you require UVB. I simply said I don't consider it an option. I have seen many deformed iguanas from MBD and, in the beginning, I directly related that to all my herps requiring UVB. I later learned as you said, iguanas metabolize D3 differently. And I have also seen many healthy beardies raised with no UVB and little exposure to sunlight. They were also fed D3 suppliments.

In general I tend to highly recommend UVB lighting for beardies, especially to newbies, as opposed to hoping they provide supplimental D3 in the proper quantities.

I also prefer to provide it for my own peace of mind. Beardies in nature are exposed to mass amounts of natural light, hence UVB/UBA, so I would like to provide them with as close to a natural environment as possible. For all we know the UVB exposure has a soothing mental effect that goes unseen to us but is appreciated by them. It might sound crazy but you never know.

Really, I agree with you 100%. But I'd prefer to lean someone I don't know towards using UVB lighting just be safe.
 
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