30 ultimate exotics | september/october 2015 | www.ultimateexotics.co.za
*
Lighting
Ultra-Violet (UV) lighting is one of the most important elements of keeping reptiles in captivity, but yet it is massively under researched and a huge underinvestment in the exotic animal industry. The importance is often overlooked, especially by those keeping reptile species for the first time. However, it is not entirely the fault of keepers or breeders; like many things in life it boils down to the age-old saying of “knowledge is power.” This knowledge has been kept from reptile keepers and in many cases people are too busy to research the matter themselves.
Today we are going to start you on a journey of knowledge because, after all, reptile lighting is a process, not a bulb!
The Ultra Violet spectrum and what it means.
• Ultra Violet A = 320nm - 400nm, UVA is visible light, which we as humans can see as well as our reptiles.
• Ultra Violet B = 290 - 320nm, UVB is not visible to the human eye but is visible to certain reptilian species.
This wavelength is critical for the synthesis of Vitamin D3 and the absorption of calcium. UVB is completely filtered by ordinary glass and by most plastics but specialized UVB- friendly glass is available which allows the UVB wavelength to pass through unfiltered.
• Ultra Violet C = 100 - 290nm, UVC is harmful to all living cells and for this reason is only used in fish filtration units to kill bacteria. UVC is naturally filtered from sunlight by the ozone layer and UVC should never be used with Exotics or any other living creatures.
(µW/cm²) = Micro watts per square centimetre. This is the standard unit of measure for UVB radiance.
Ultra-Violet Light:
the Mega Story of Misconception
ARTICLE BYLuke Beart of Be-Art ReptilesLux = A measurement of the total “amount” of visible light present.
Many UV bulbs on the market state the UVB output, which is not always an entirely accurate reflection of the true output of those bulbs. So what is the solution?
1. We live in sunny South Africa. In many instances, South Africa receives a very comparable UV intensity to that in the natural habitat of our exotic friends, so it is crazy not to utilise it. Using natural light is in the interest of both the health of our exotics and the budget of the keeper, as it saves the cost of running any of the artificial alternatives.
2. With the well known high unit and running costs of the manmade alternatives, it would be great to have an artificial UV source that lasted longer than a few days or even the six months or so claimed.
3. With so many products available and so many different requirements of our exotics, how can we match the product claims and varying degrees of actual light output with our exotics species specific requirements? Only by measuring the various wave length intensities from the products at the actual basking area for your exotic specimens!
All these things exist:
Natural UV Solutions
These are available in the form of exotics enclosures specifically designed to secure the exotic whilst allowing exposure to all the ambient and natural UVs for free. Right here in South Africa, Be-Art Reptiles has designed and manufactured its first line of outdoor vivariums, which will give you the economical and efficient way of providing free, natural UV to your reptiles. These options will obviously have their limitations, depending on region.
For example, precautions should be taken against dangerous drops in temperature,
dangerously high temperatures and with certain species over exposure to UV. It is of key importance to research the specific requirements of your individual exotic species and plan the process accordingly.
If you don’t have the inclination to do so, you should consider not keeping exotics at all, as these are living beings that deserve to be happy and healthy.
On a clear winters morning in Gauteng (9:50am on 4th August 2015) the sun’s UVB output was 136µW/cm² and UVI of 2.5. The total output is good but low
compared to summer in South Africa, but it is far higher than most bulbs are actually producing and it is FREE. You must just ensure adequate shade for hot days and the climate is hot enough for your specific exotic species.
Mega-Ray® Lighting as an artificial UV source
Artificial UV is important for those relying on an artificial environment for the constant housing of exotic species. Within the last few months Mega-Ray® pet care lighting has been introduced to South Africa.
32 ultimate exotics | september/october 2015 | www.ultimateexotics.co.za
Mega-Ray® pet care lighting was originally developed 12 years ago in the United States and has been available in the UK and Australia for many years.
The brand originated in the US and was developed by iguana rehabilitator and reptile enthusiast Bob MacCargar. Bob originally designed the lighting for his own reptiles, and specifically the specialized requirements for previously disadvantaged animals who where suffering from the effects of insufficient or no UV provision in their artificial environments. The brand quickly became recognised for its quality and the business practice formed around the quality product, maintaining an ethos to put the wellbeing of animal before profits and provide keepers with a reliable artificial source of Ultra Violet lighting.
Now, after many years of operation, the brand is available on 4 continents and boasts Ultra Violet quality far superior to that of other UV lighting on the market, in both quantity and longevity of UVB output. Now, you are probably thinking:
“If it’s so good, why haven’t I heard of it before? Why is it not on the shelves of every pet shop in the world?”
I thought exactly the same thing when I
discovered Mega-Ray® pet care lighting 8+ months ago.
It is down to simple economics. Retailers can make 5 times the profit on bulbs from other brands and nowhere near that with Mega-Ray®. This is down to the manufacturing costs of Mega-Ray® bulbs being higher than other brands that are able to produce hundreds of thousands of bulbs at a time, which reduces costs.
This is economy of scale (economics 101)! Another cost cutting method is reducing quality! Consumers need to use more products in one enclosure and they need to replace them far more frequently (6 months suggested replacement time) it could be actually far less, depending on the type bulb of course. But this is how organisations make money. BUT should it be done? We are talking about our beloved reptiles – our family and friends - so no!
Should it be done at all in this world? No!
Unfortunately this is not unique to the reptile industry; this is how business works.
But again I ask you, should it be done at the expense of our natural environment?
Because ultimately, at the end of the day, it is the environment that always has to pay the price of our mistakes. Economics should not be a primary motivator in
any animal industry; animal health and wellbeing is my motivation and for this reason Mega-Ray® has been introduced to South Africa.
The data included in the table demonstrates a frightening trend in the market of Mercury Vapour PAR 38 UV bulbs. This poor quality translates to the lower end (popular) Linear and Compact Fluorescent bulbs. Using a bearded dragon as an example, their natural lighting environment at this time of year (August/Winter) will have a UVI (Ultra Violet Index) reading of approximately 4.5 to 6.0 and a UVB reading of 170 to 200µW/cm² (Micro watts per sq cm) both measurements would be under clear sky conditions. If we take those requirements and try to replicate them in an artificial manner the independent test results show only one bulb that achieves these levels, and that is the Mega-Ray®
bulb. Not only does it deliver the necessary quantity but it also delivers it for up to 3 times longer.
Mega-Ray® safety warning
With these bulbs being so efficient at producing artificial UV light, we must issue a safety warning for their use: they
are NOT toys! They should be treated as highly professional herpetologist tools as that is exactly what they are.
The Decay of Mega-Ray® UV Lighting The decay rate graph for the Mega-Ray®
100watt reference (MB2) was compiled by Dr Frances M. Baines (M.A., Vet. M.B., M.R.C.V.S) on a different bulb to the one in the table (BM47). The graph depicts a decay of approximately 10µW/cm² at 12’’
(30.4cm) in the first 65 hours, which is a decay rate of 3.6% and only 18% over 6000 hours of use. So basically, the output of this particular bulb at 12inches started at 280µW/cm² and after 6000 hours of use it was still producing 230µW/cm². So if you are running a 10.5 hour lighting day for your exotic species this bulb could run for 572 days (1.56 year) and only lose 18% of its UVB output. This light is still producing usable UV for another 3000+
hours. Mega-Ray® bulbs have been reported to last over 2 years but data for this has not been published. However, this is the potential lifespan of a Mega-Ray®
bulb. That said, I only recommend testing this longevity if you are frequently testing the output with a handheld radiometer.
Measuring UV light
We have mentioned the different Nanometer ranges of UV A, B & C, all of which can be measured by a handheld device called a radiometer. These units are affordable and when considered as a vital tool for utilising the full life span of your UV lighting, they will save you money in the long run. The best units available are the SolarTech Solarmeter®
range. A range of 12 different models are available to measure different types of light and calculate their unique properties.
The two that are of primary importance for your average reptile keeper are the 6.2 UVB meter and the 6.5 UVI meter. The 6.2 UVB Model radiometer measures UV ranging between 280 - 322nm. This is the full UVB spectrum, which we are specifically looking at for our exotics. The 6.5 UVI model Radiometer measures from 280 - 400nm, so both UVA & UVB. This is the most common data you will find online when researching natural habitats of exotic species as this is measured and included in global weather reports on a daily basis.
The UVI scale is an important reference for humans as the regulation of your exposure to intensive UV rays from the sun here in Africa can reduce the chances
of skin cancer in later life. UVI data is arguably of more import as it measures a wider spectrum of light. UVA plays a huge role in the vision and psychological wellbeing of our reptiles as well as our own as humans. UVB plays a huge role in the physical health of both our reptiles and ourselves. Both units should be used as professional tools on a frequent basis.
I cannot rate these tools highly enough in words; no matter what lighting choice you opt for they are truly vital to understanding UV and how to provide for the specific needs of your reptile species.
In Addition
Full Spectrum lighting
Although Mega-Ray® has proven itself to be the superior choice in artificial UV lighting, it (along with other bulbs available on the market) still fails to deliver full spectrum UV light. The spectrum analysis graphs here show the total UV irradiance level in µW/cm². This inability to provide a full spectrum lighting comparable to the sun is clearly visible by the human eye.
Many Mercury Vapour bulbs will show a clear colour cast, either to green or blue;
this fact is identifiable on the spectrum analysis charts.
34 ultimate exotics | september/october 2015 | www.ultimateexotics.co.za
Mealworms for sale!
Minimum Order 2kgs R275 per kg
Wholesale prices available for regular bulk orders.
Superworms for sale!
Minimum Order of 2000 worms R250 for a 1000 worms To order call me on 083 447 3889
or email [email protected]
The purple line indicates the spectrum output of the light from the sun. As you can see, no sources of artificial UV light come close to the natural output of the sun, both in variety and quantity. This leads back once again to outdoor natural lighting solutions being the best choice for the health of your animals. However, this does not suit every species nor every keeper’s capability to provide such an environment.
This fact is the reason behind Bob’s and Mega-Rays philosophy that reptile lighting is a process, not a bulb.
Mega-Ray® Mercury Vapour vs Mega- Ray® Metal Halide
Mega-Ray® Mercury Vapour is a self- ballasted PAR 38, E27 fitting bulb that screws in and requires no external ballast to ignite the element inside the bulb. The Metal Halide bulbs are also a PAR 38, E27 fitting bulb but they require a Mega-Ray®
external ballast to ignite the element inside the bulb. This, unfortunately, makes them a bit more expensive to set up, however you are able to provide far higher LUX and UVB as well as potentially using a lower wattage bulb to achieve the necessary UVB levels for your species.
In an ideal world, for the best results with artificial UVB lighting you would want to use both. A combination of Mercury Vapour and Metal halide on your basking spot(s) is the best you can offer, especially for reptiles that like intense sunlight, for example bearded dragons, iguanas, Chuckwalla’s, monitors etc. This is due to the spectrum range each bulb is able to produce. A Mercury Vapour UV light will deliver a different spectrum of UV light to that of a Metal Halide, as the metal
halide form of lighting is far more efficient at delivering UVB, LUX and heat when compared to mercury vapour lights. It is important to remember that reptile lighting is a process, not a bulb! And even these two hugely effective UVB providing bulbs are not the end of the story of reptile lighting, but merely the beginning.
Results: Using Mega-Ray® pet care lighting
Case study: Wildheart, owner of Reptile- parrots.com, lives here in Gauteng and has been using natural sunlight as one method of UV lighting with her green iguana ‘Forest’ and other rescue iguanas and bearded dragons for many years.
Wildheart has performed countless hours of research in care of her reptiles and has coached thousands of people worldwide in the correct care of exotic species. Over the years she has used every major brand of UV lighting on the market before discovering Mega-Ray®; now she is an avid user of Mega-Ray® pet care lighting and uses no other artificial sources of UV lighting. Here is her story.
“Running a forum, I meet reptiles from across the globe and none of them act the same as my iguana Forest or my bearded dragons. All the reptiles were lethargic and even retarded in comparison. This was a big concern for me, especially when I knew that the owners followed my care sheets 100% (covering lighting, diet, heating, interaction, disease identification etc.) Years of research started and I couldn’t find any factual answers. I bought the latest reptile medicine and the reptile surgery handbooks that the herpetologists and veterinary students use so I could
Forest, the Green Iguana.
For More Information Contact us on:
email: [email protected] tel: Juan on 083 285 0534 tel: Shaun on 082 410 1852
Open:
Wed - Sun:
09:00 am - 4:30 pm Where?
Python Park, N6 Highway, Thorn Valley,
East London
study the causes of diseases and recognize the moment that I see something wrong in my own reptiles or any of the reptiles that I help with in South Africa, through my forum and youtube channel. It is with the help of these medical books that I came to the conclusion that the reason for the lethargy must be the quality of the UVB lights that the owners use (as I use sunlight). With the help of UVB meters I was able to test the UVB lights and see that the UVB was not sufficient. This is the reason for their lethargic behaviour and many long-term health issues. On my quest I discovered that Mega-Ray is the only UVB light sufficient for reptile use and I was surprised to see that they are not only cheaper but also last up to 18 months and even longer! My forum members and Youtube followers started changing over to Mega-Ray and a difference in behaviour was noted almost instantly. There was no more lethargy, no more problems with egg laying, constant breaking of bones and fractures stopped, no deformed jaws and all of them had excellent appetites. Most of all, their reptiles became much more alert, curious and even playful, almost the same as Forest.
Unfortunately we had no access to Mega- Ray in South Africa which was a big concern for me until I met Luke!”
Wildheart can be found at www.
reptile-parrots.com & on YouTube at / Reptileparrotsforest
Case Study:
Over exposure to UV for certain species Stephen, a local Gauteng keeper of Madagascan Day Geckos, phoned me one day saying “I think my reptiles are being burned by my UV lighting, please help me, I’m not sure what is going on!”
So I grabbed my equipment (Mega-Ray®
bulbs and range of UV meters) and went
to help. We did a side-by-side comparison of a Mega-Ray® 100w mercury vapour (pictured left) and a Brand 3 100w mercury vapour bulb (pictured right). We found that the Mega-Ray® was delivering 233 µW/
cm² and the other bulb was producing 174 µW/cm². This should not have caused the issues we were seeing, as measurements were taken slightly higher than the actual basking spot. We then tested the UVI at the actual basking height and received a measurement of 10.1 on the anonymous brand and 6.5 from the Mega-Ray®, so the actual total UVA & UVB output was around twice the safe level for this species.
The animal is sitting in the basking spot for heat but it does not perceive the damage to its skin cells until the damage is already done. The image of the gecko is after a few days exposure and then an emergency shutdown of the lighting source. The skin started to shed and the damage was minimal, but if a situation like this is not caught in time it can be deadly.
Although parts of this article may have seemed like an advertisement for the brand I have brought to South Africa, it is really about the care of these animals.
After all, can you imagine yourself living your entire life in a box where you cannot see properly, you ache from pain caused by low bone density, you eat the same thing every day and you have very little social interaction on a daily basis? This is, in essence, the life many animals live in captivity. Should you need any assistance or more information on this subject please feel free to contact me.
Special thanks to:
Wildheart of www.reptileparrots.com for her contribution as a case study.
Dr Frances M Baines (M.A., Vet. M.B., M.R.C.V.S) of UVguide.co.uk for the use of her independent UV lighting findings.
