Final Thoughts On The Best UVB Bulbs For Turtles…<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nBest UVB Bulbs For Turtles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n If you’re short on time and want to know the best UVA UVB light for turtles without reading the whole article, here are my top picks.\ud83d\udc47<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nZoo Med Reptisun 10.0 UVB Mini Compact Fluorescent<\/a> (Best Compact Bulb)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nZoo Med Reptisun 22″ 10.0 T5-HO UVB Fluorescent Bulb<\/a> (Best Tube Bulb)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nMega-Ray Mercury Vapor Bulb – 100 Watts<\/a> <\/a>(Best Mercury Vapor Bulb)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nZoo Med Aquatic Turtle UVB Heat Lighting Kit<\/a> (Best Starter Kit)<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\nFischuel Reptile Adjustable Heat Lamp with Clamp<\/a> (Best Light For Smaller Tanks)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWhy Do Turtles Need UVB Light?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n Turtles need UVB light<\/strong> to help their body produce vitamin D3 which metabolizes the calcium in their diet. This is essential for keeping their bones and shell healthy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn the wild, a turtle will absorb UVB light naturally as they bask in sunlight during the day. An indoor pet turtle needs to have a UVB light provided or they risk developing metabolic bone disease<\/strong> (the reptile equivalent of osteoporosis) which is extremely painful and often proves to be fatal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSadly, a lot of owners don’t realize just how vital<\/strong> a UVB light is for their turtle’s health.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut, the good news is, you can easily avoid your turtle getting metabolic bone disease by providing them with a UVB lamp that I’ve suggested in this post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UVA vs UVB Differences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n When it comes to UV light bulbs for turtles, don’t confuse UVA with UVB<\/strong>. They’re 2 different parts of the light spectrum and you need to provide your turtle with both<\/strong> if they are to live a long and happy life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The light spectrum<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nUVA light<\/strong> is needed to help your turtle’s immune system, mood, metabolism, breeding health<\/strong>, and general activity levels throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\nUVB light<\/strong> helps them produce vitamin D3 which metabolizes the calcium<\/strong> in their diet to keep their bones and shells healthy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nUVC light<\/strong> is harmful to all living cells and should not be used at all<\/strong>. The earth’s ozone layer blocks out UVC which is why everything is moving towards being environmentally friendly and protecting the ozone layer nowadays.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTypes Of UVB Bulbs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n There are 3 types of UVB bulbs available and each has its own pros and cons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Compact Fluorescent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n A compact fluorescent bulb, as the name suggests, is a smaller bulb<\/strong> than a fluorescent tube and generally has a lower price point<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThey focus their energy on a smaller spot in your turtle’s tank so are a good option if you only want a small area where your turtle can bask <\/strong>to absorb their UVB light.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThere are reports of these types of bulbs causing damage to a turtle’s eyesight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, this can be avoided by making sure your lights are not at an angle. They need to be pointing directly down<\/strong> at the basking platform<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCompact fluorescent bulbs have a shorter lifespan than tube-style bulbs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTube Fluorescent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n A fluorescent tube spreads its UVB light across a wider area<\/strong> within your turtle’s tank and has a longer lifespan than a compact bulb.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBecause their light is spread over a wider area the light is much less intense<\/strong> than that from a compact bulb so you have almost no risk of damaging your turtles’ eyesight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThey are more expensive<\/strong> than a compact bulb and are a more complicated setup<\/strong>, but they have a longer life span.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMercury Vapor Bulbs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n These bulbs are an “all in one” type of bulb<\/strong>, providing UVA, UVB, and heat<\/strong>. They are convenient<\/strong> if you’re short on space or electrical outlets.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, they focus their UVB light on a very small<\/strong> area directly below the bulb, so if your turtle doesn’t naturally bask a lot during the day, it may miss out on a lot of its UVB light<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere the mercury vapor bulb really excels<\/strong> is the much wider spread of UVA light<\/strong> which means your turtle will get the right amount of UVA light wherever they are in their tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMercury vapor bulbs are not suitable for a smaller turtle tank<\/strong> as they give out a lot of heat and you risk overheating your turtle.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nBest UVB Light For Turtles Reviewed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n I’ve picked out the best UVB bulbs based on my experience and research, so you can be sure you are choosing the best UVB lamp for your turtle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n