Like in humans, UV rays in small amounts are needed... too much and you turn dark because melanin reacts to it. In the same way, turtles who spend a lot of time under UV rays turn dark because their melanin reacts to the UV rays. Too much UV rays can cause people to get skin cancer and I do believe that turtles can get the same. That is if they don't bake first under the heat.
At any rate, windows filter out GOOD UV rays and let the BAD UV rays in. Its the bad UV rays which actually cause whatever it is that it hits to warm up. Good UV rays are at their peak from 0600H (sunrise) to around 0930H. Depends on where you are actually.
Isn't it cold there in Vancouver? If so, I believe that your best option is to get a reptile lamp because having your turtle indoors to prevent them from freezing wont get them the good UV rays that they need to process the calcium. Also, the reptile lamps are supposed to emit minimal bad UV rays.
Anyway, here is a pic of Turt's new neighbor =P She's a Boxer named "Mulan". Hehe, my mother always thinks of funny names... Too bad I wasn't here when we got Mulan so I could have stopped my mum from giving her a Disney name... haha.
Posted: Thu May 24, 2007 5:00 am Updated Turt
