Posted: Sat Jun 30, 2007 8:42 pm
3% is okay, but 5% is better IMO. If you are going to use a bulb that puts out 3% UVB, make sure it is no farther than 6 inches away from the basking area and be sure to supplement with natural sun atleast 2 - 3 hours a week, you dont have to stand in the sun for 2 - 3 hours straight, take your turtle out for 30 minutes one day, then another 30 the other etc, just make sure that it is warm out and not cold, and that there is no cool breezes as this will cause pneumonia.
If you use a 5% bulb you can set it up farther away (up to 12 inches) and your turtle will receive more adequate UVB.
Just be sure to change the bulbs every 6 months. They start to lose UVB after a few months...
1.1.0Trachemys scripta elegans
0.0.1Sternotherus odoratus
1.1.0Platemys platycephala
0.1.0Pelomedusa subrufa subrufa
0.0.1.Graptemys pseudogeographica