Jenna
Full Member
Posts: 31
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UVA
Mar 20, 2004 17:32:54 GMT -8
Post by Jenna on Mar 20, 2004 17:32:54 GMT -8
the lightbulb for my ig has UVA rays. Is that the same thing as UVB? or are they totally different?
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UVA
Mar 20, 2004 17:58:56 GMT -8
Post by Tesa on Mar 20, 2004 17:58:56 GMT -8
no hun....UVA and UVB are two different things. Most "reptile" bulbs do emit UVA. The manufacturers are bad about making the packaging look like it's all you need.  ......but it's the UVB that you need to look for. The most highly recommended at the moment is Reptisun 5.0. Your ig needs that UVB for his body to absorb calcium. It's VERY important so get one ASAP. |
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UVA
Mar 20, 2004 18:00:51 GMT -8
Post by Lyn on Mar 20, 2004 18:00:51 GMT -8
No Jenna, they are totally different...in fact your ig needs UVB rays to survive...You need either a flourescent Reptisun 5.0 or Iguana Light 5.0 by zoomed or a mercury vapor lamp which also gives heat like Powersun UV also by zoomed manufacturing...a regular UVA lightbulb will give heat but not sun like rays needed by your ig...hope this helps...Lyn
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UVA
Mar 21, 2004 6:46:20 GMT -8
Post by prism_wolf on Mar 21, 2004 6:46:20 GMT -8
www.iguanaden.com/care/uvabc.htmThis helps explain a bit. Personally I like the flourescent tubes...the Reptisun 5.0 best. The Iguana Light 5.0 are good too, I've just never used those. The mercury vapors which emit heat AND UVB Lyn mentioned are good, but they have their faults. There's a quarter size spot in the SPOT bulbs that throw out awesome UVB. All the others are a touch of hit and miss and really something you need a radiometer for. Not only that, but in the winter when the added heat from these things is a huge plus...in the summer it becomes a problem. The bulb then needs to be physically moved away from the ig taking the UVB with it. The bulbs advertise they emit UVB up to 3 feet away, but at that distance...it's not usable UVB. They are awesome bulbs even so...just finicky...and I use mine in conjunction with the Reptisun 5.0.
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UVA
Mar 21, 2004 12:21:08 GMT -8
Post by Lyn on Mar 21, 2004 12:21:08 GMT -8
Oh thanks for the update prism wolf, and another thing about the pros and cons, they need to not be moved around alot because they are sensitive...I just replaced mine after 1 1/2 yrs so I got good time out of them (I use 4 at a time) and once they are hooked up, they stay put where they sit...also in the summer time, I dont have the heat problem you talk about because I have air conditioners so they stay right where they are at all times....Lyn
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UVA
Mar 22, 2004 4:47:46 GMT -8
Post by Tesa on Mar 22, 2004 4:47:46 GMT -8
Jenna, you might want to go look in the "Supplies You Need for Your Iguana" category also. There is a very helpful link there to pictures that Prism-Wolf has.
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UVA
Mar 23, 2004 19:23:05 GMT -8
Post by prism_wolf on Mar 23, 2004 19:23:05 GMT -8
The MV isn't in there though. I need to add that eventually...I just have bare basics in there now.
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