UVB and Your Reptile
Having UVB available for your reptiles is quickly becoming the standard of care EVEN if the reptiles are nocturnal or don't exhibit Metabolic Bone Disease without UVB. They still seem to benefit from just having the option available to them.
In this post I’m going to break down the basics, but it’s still going to be a lot of information. I mainly want this to be an introduction for your own research, as we all know getting information from a single source can be harmful. Anyway, carrying on!
So, what is UVB?
It's a form of Ultraviolet radiation. It's the type of light that helps us humans and most reptiles convert a sterol from skin into a usable vitamin that manages Calcium and other metabolic pathways. Too much UVA and UVB from the sun causes sunburns and, through careless exposure, skin cancer. It is important to note that most UVB bulbs for reptiles do not provide heat, however there are some that do. Be sure to read product information carefully when shopping for bulbs!
How is UVB important? UVB reacts by penetrating skin and turing a molecule short handedly known as 7-DHC into previtamin D3 which isomerises (fancy chemistry word for changes shape without adding or taking anything away) into vitamin D3 and attaches to a protein. The protein allows the vitamin to travel through the blood and into the liver and kidneys. It is then "activated" and used in regulating Calcium and Phosphate metabolism. Vitamin D, Calcium, and Phosphate are very important when it comes to helping our organs function.
D3 is often synthetically added in calcium supplements for reptiles as a means to "get around" the UVB exposure debate and, while it works, there are some controversies to it which will be mentioned later.
So what type of UVB do I use for my pet?
While I can sit here all day writing a list of all sorts of hundreds of reptiles and exactly what type of UVB bulb they need, I'm gonna just give you a few tools so you know how to research and find the answer for yourself. If you're the science-academic type that can understand fancy science articles like myself, here is a small but helpful study on UVB.Â
If you're not the science nerd, do not fret, friend. I'm just gonna need to you google your pet's habitat and if they're nocturnal, crepuscular, diurnal, etc. Once you figure that out. I'm going to direct you to this image I've yoinked from the study I linked above and break it down for you.
Shade Method and Sunbeam Method refer to how direct the UVB light was in regards to the enclosure. Sunbeam allows for more direct exposure on basking spots while shade method seemed to provide low level UV exposure covering a larger portion of the enclosure. Distance from the basking spots/substrate do influence the UV index, and it's typical for the boxes that the bulbs come in to provide a inches to UV index chart to help you figure out the appropriate distance to set your lamp up.Â
**Do note that Nocturnal animals seem to be not included in the graph. The study I've linked touches on Nocturnal animals, and how they may get enough d3 through their prey in the wild, or may occasionally find themselves exposed to sunlight. In the communities I've surrounded myself in, everyone who has switched to providing UVB for pets like Ball Pythons (who aren't typically considered as needing UVB) has said they've caught their snake basking either in the early hours of the morning or as the sun lowers at night. Providing UVB on a timer so that it is available for a couple hours at dawn and dusk may be worth while in enriching your pet's life and health. Notes and Controversies:
UVB bulbs seem to have a variation in regards to the UV index not only across each brand available but between bulbs within the same brand as well. To be absolutely sure your pet is getting a safe amount of UVB exposure a solarmeter is needed, these however are expensive (~200 USD). I personally don't have one, but plan on getting one eventually. In the meantime I've been told trusted brands are Arcadia and Zoo Med's reptisun. And of course, always be vigilant of your animal's behavior and bone and skin condition.Â
Synthetic D3 vs UVB - Like I mentioned earlier, D3 is often added in calcium supplements (there are Cla Supplements that come without it, so it's not added sneakily or anything) as a means to forgo the use of UVB in enclosures. And while it definitely works, it seems that this supplementation can easily lead to calcium deficiencies or an overabundance if handled incorrectly. (E.g. leopard geckos will sometimes get calcium "bubbles" under their arms which usually means they've been given too much calcium or other nutrients). Too much of one vitamin or mineral can actually inhibit the use of others in the body and cause deficiencies elsewhere. In short, it is worth the consideration of offering a type of UVB for your reptiles with some synthetic supplements or more naturally sourced supplements.
Albino animal morphs and UVB -- There's been some concerns in the community whether or not we should adjust UVB exposure for morphs that lack protective pigmentation. Most seem to provide either a lower percentages of UVB or the same but with more shade, hides, etc for the animal. The concern mostly is that it's harsh on the eyes for these pets, since scales can be fairly protective against UV. Studies on this are few and far between, however, but it's definitely something we should be thinking about.Â
It's important to do as much research as you can in regards to the care of your pet! I could go on and on about Metabolic Bone Disease, brands to use, what I use personally, brands I'd like to try, etc, but I feel like I've rambled enough. I hope that you can use this as a stepping stone in furthering your knowledge on subjects like UVB, because my word isn't the end-all-be-all. I'm open to conversation and furthering my own knowledge on subjects like these. So go forth, friends, and start enriching your pet's life!
-Mod Jean













