General Care Discussion :: UVB light. How long should it stay on?

[untsmurf]

Okay, I said you should be mimicking natural sunlight, that doesn't mean just heat, but UVB as well. They need the UVB to help it digest and grow properly. If the light is effecting you that badly, then move the tank to another room or another part of your room, it doesn't have to be right at your bed so you are looking into it all the time. You could also put up some sort of guard around the front of the tank to shade you from the light. You CANNOT get a sunburn from this light. The only way I could see that happening is if you took the dome lamp and rested it on your stomach for a day, then you might be a little red. These bulbs don't even come close to producing the amount of UVB rays that you would need to get a sunburn.

[Billy Black]

I'm not worried about sunburn, just eye irritation, really. I can't move it anywhere else in the house, since I'm living with my parents temporarily (for the next two years while I go to school).

And I understand that natural sunlight has both heat and UVB. I understand that they get both all the time, but I also understand that they don't need UVB for 12 hours every day. After they've absorbed a certain amount, it doesn't really matter if they get any the rest of the day (unless they eat more, and mine only eats in the mornings). I was just wondering what that amount was.

But if nobody knows, that's alright. I'll just do my best to keep his light on as often as possible.

[powerofvoodoo]

I tried to write this in a way that showed that I wasn't angry, but I had a few questions, but apparently it didn't work and wasn't a big deal anyway so it's gone. =)
Please note to all that already read this--I'm NOT angry or upset with the OP.

[Safdar]

I'm not trying to be rude so please don't take it that way, but...
why did you ask the forum if you're arguing with everything we tell you?

I'm just curious because you asked us how much UVB your turtle needs a day and when we told you to mimic normal daylight hours, you told us that the turtle doesn't need that much.
Please keep in mind that turtles are outside 24/7 in the wild where they are exposed to that much UVB a day. If it bothers you, by all means, turn it on and off when you want or build a guard, but I kind of find it insulting when you have quite a few people (myself included) telling you that 12 hours is the best so that normal days are mimicked and you're coming back and telling us that nobody knows the answer.
I'm really sorry that the light affects you the way that it does and I hope that you can find a way for you and your turtle to be happy.


Whatever floats your boat, hun, and I personally don't care how you choose to raise your turtle because it IS your decision, but please don't tell us that we don't know the answer when we do our best to answer all of your questions.

Chill out man
Its clear its bothering him and he wants to find someway to satisfy him and his turtle

Be patient
If he doesnt want to listen to peoples answers then its fine, its his choice.
Maybe someone else on this forum has another solution, you never know.

He is trying his best to get both things the way he wanst and he knows the facts we told him, about how long the UVB should be on and stuff

Well whatever

I just suggest, Billy Black, put a guard, try facing the bulb the other, by putting the basking spot on the other side of the tank. So that the UVB comes in minimal contact with you
Good Luck.

[Billy Black]

I just want to make something clear. I'm not trying to ignore anyone's answers, I'm just not sure the fully understand what I'm saying.

These kinds of turtles come mostly from swamps. If you think that swamps get full access to sunlight for 12 hours every day, then you are mistaken. Also, do you think the turtle is going to die if there's a cloudy or rainy season? No, they've adapted a little better than that.

I'm not trying to come off as hard headed, though I know it sounds that way. I will try my best to figure out a way to just have it on all the time, because I know that would be the easiest way. I was just hoping there would be a specific amount of hours that they need with UVB. It would certainly also help with the electricity bill.

[powerofvoodoo]

No matter what the weather, rainy, cloudy, blizzard, hurricane, whatever, there is still sunlight and there is still UVB rays from the sun. The sun is a lot more powerful than our lightbulbs. During the 12 hours the sun is out during the day, the wild turtles can bask anytime they want. But you are right, it is not an absolute requirement that the light be on 12 hours a day but I doubt there have been any scientific studies done regarding the minimum light needed a day.
As previously stated by someone else, the 5 hours a day that you do keep it on are still okay, but 12 hours a day is preferred. I'm sure that your turtle can get used to a set schedule of knowing the 5 hours that he has to bask during the day and will bask when he can to get the UVB that he needs.

I really hope that you can figure something out!

[marisa]

If you're concerned about the light, put a barrier between you and the tank (cardboard would be good along the side of it) to keep from looking at it. Or, if the UVB light is longer than the fixture, you could buy a fixture with a deeper dome that covers the light. A distance of 3 feet isn't going to hurt you, if it's the brightness that you don't like, try a barrier.

It would be good to have the UVB light on about as long as the heat light. You can't be sure if your turtle will bask during the hours when both are on.

[Daniel3507]

i have a mvb bulb thats sticks out a little farther than my dome. i just wraped a small junk of foil around the bottom part of the dome so i cant see the bulb.

[Bumby's Mom]

What kind of lamp is the UVB in? I have a super small room too and I have 2 tanks in there both with UVB lights and they are on for about 12 hours and I am in there for several hours while they are on. I have one of those "compact" lids. They are like a black box and they force the light down into the tank so no light is coming out of the tank. I tried putting the UVB bulb into a regular dome lamp and the light was just way too bright for me and not enough of it was going into the tank. Are you sure you weren't getting the headaches just because they are bright? Bright lights can give some really nasty headaches especially if it isn't something you are used to.

[Billy Black]

What kind of lamp is the UVB in? I have a super small room too and I have 2 tanks in there both with UVB lights and they are on for about 12 hours and I am in there for several hours while they are on. I have one of those "compact" lids. They are like a black box and they force the light down into the tank so no light is coming out of the tank. I tried putting the UVB bulb into a regular dome lamp and the light was just way too bright for me and not enough of it was going into the tank. Are you sure you weren't getting the headaches just because they are bright? Bright lights can give some really nasty headaches especially if it isn't something you are used to.

It could be the brightness. I'm using just a regular desk lamp right now. What do you mean by "compact" lid?

[untsmurf]

Just put up a barrier between the light and you. That way your eyes are fine and your turtle doesn't suffer.

[Caelestis]

I have a very small room, so my turtle sits on top of my dresser, which is about three feet from my bed. I can't really avoid coming into close contact with the bulb, which is why I tend to keep it off.

I'll try to position it so that it faces away from me, but I'm not sure exactly how I'll do that.

So, nobody knows how much time they need with the UVB bulb every day?

You could try reflecting it away from you with mirrors or aluminum foil and have it concentrate on only the basking spot and move it away a little more. Then barely any light will reach you. I think it's more harmful to look at it than your skin though so don't look at the bulb too often.

[camee1991]

Just my opinion...I dont know if your light is on a clamp lamp to the side of the tank or what...BUT you can get a reptile lamp stand pretty cheap at Petsmart/Petco or online. It slides under the tank and has an adjustable stand and an adjustable metal bar that goes over the basking area with a hook on it. It is to be used to hang the light on or clip it on so that it is facing totally downwards. UVB/UVA bulbs state that they all should be facing directly down. (No tilting at all)

I also use the Powersun all in one bulb. Costs around $37.00 online. And should last around a year.

I use them for my tanks and the light and rays are emitted directly downwards to the turtle dock and not around the room or my eyes. If your bulb is bigger than your clamp lamp, get a larger one so that the light will sink in a bit reducing the rays that you can see.

It makes a world of difference.

[Billy Black]

Just my opinion...I dont know if your light is on a clamp lamp to the side of the tank or what...BUT you can get a reptile lamp stand pretty cheap at Petsmart/Petco or online. It slides under the tank and has an adjustable stand and an adjustable metal bar that goes over the basking area with a hook on it. It is to be used to hang the light on or clip it on so that it is facing totally downwards. UVB/UVA bulbs state that they all should be facing directly down. (No tilting at all)

That's a really good idea. I'll have to look for that.

[untsmurf]

If you could post a pic of your tank we'd be able to give you some better advice.