General Care Discussion :: HELP!!!

[ljapa]

What about glass? can the rays go through it

No glass and acrylic block UV rays.

A screen cuts it, but still allows UV through. I've also read that a white surface on a reflector light does not reflect UV, but a metallic surface does.

[steve]

UVB is blocked by glass unless it's a special type of glass or acrylic (which are more expensive) which will allow some pass-through.

From http://www.reptilechannel.com/reptile-h ... ght-2.aspx (I underlined an important note below.)

Sometimes aspects of outdoor lighting can be brought indoors. Room-sized enclosures can be equipped with skylights and windows glazed with special UV-transmitting acrylic or glass. Trade names for such UV-transmitting products include Perspex, Plexiglas and Lucite (acrylics), and Starphire (low-iron glass), all of which must be special ordered. Even then, supplementary UVB may be required. Heat built up by direct sunlight through glass must never be ignored, either.

[throwaway99]

Also I dont know if I am being over paranoid but my little dude seems to just swim into the glass all day. its not that he does this its the rate he is swimming at. He seems to be franticly swimming as if he is trying to get away. He stops and slows down every so often but is swimming more then resting. He is shy and will stop and Bask when no one is around and when anyone walks up to the tank he runs and hides. Unless there is food going in the tank. What could I do to stop this or is this just him seeing him self in the reflection of the glass?

[Kado]

It might be the 10g tank. I made the noob mistake of buying a 10g tank turtle starter kit when I got my turtle..most everything was useless. In the 10g Kado would swim around crazy/stressed like that all day and hardly bask. Once I moved him into a 55gal he was much more happier. He now swims much more gracefully, walks around and explores the bottom, and basks much more. Also I learned that the smaller the tank the harder it is to maintain.

[mukyo]

imho, some turtle is like that. personality matters.
i have two turtle, momo and taro. momo is like a puppy keep on chasing me, taro will just slide away when i am around.
but taro trusts momo, he will only eat what momo eat. will also not eat alone. strange.

[steve]

As long as there is no irregular swimming (circles, sideways, upside down, etc) then I wouldn't worry about it.

[katie_turtle]

What about glass? can the rays go through it

Glass naturally filters some of the light spectrum outside the visible range, and though there are treatments to increase the amount of UV blockage, glass will reduce the transmission amount, more than enough that you want it unobstructed and right over the basking area.