How long without UVB is dangerous?

[DanteChiacchia]

Hello!

I just woke up and realized my bearded dragon’s UVB bulb has been off, and likely for a week or so. It’s in a double dome lamp so I didn’t realize it has been off, and don’t know when it was turned off. I feel extremely bad and don’t want him to get MDB as he already has issues with adenovirus .

[claudiusx]

Well, unfortunately the only bulbs that fit in the double domes are the compact coil bulbs, which means hes been without proper uvb for as long as you've had him.

The compact could do not put out proper uv for dragons. And the uv they do put out, diminishes rapidly as distance from the bulb increases. Basically youd need to have the compact bulb only a few inches from the dragon unobstructed for it to get a decent amount of uvb.

Are you sure the issues he is suffering is from adv and not MBD?

Either way, the best thing you could do is to upgrade to the reptisun 10.0 or the reptisun 10.0 HO. Both of these bulbs are long fluorescent tubes, so you will need the appropriate fixture for whichever bulb you get. If you need any help let us know. We can also link you to a few options online if youd like to order it.
But you really should ditch the compact bulb completely.

-Brandon

[DanteChiacchia]

Well, unfortunately the only bulbs that fit in the double domes are the compact coil bulbs, which means hes been without proper uvb for as long as you've had him.

The compact could do not put out proper uv for dragons. And the uv they do put out, diminishes rapidly as distance from the bulb increases. Basically youd need to have the compact bulb only a few inches from the dragon unobstructed for it to get a decent amount of uvb.

Are you sure the issues he is suffering is from adv and not MBD?

Either way, the best thing you could do is to upgrade to the reptisun 10.0 or the reptisun 10.0 HO. Both of these bulbs are long fluorescent tubes, so you will need the appropriate fixture for whichever bulb you get. If you need any help let us know. We can also link you to a few options online if youd like to order it.
But you really should ditch the compact bulb completely.

-Brandon

Oh jeez I didn’t know that!! I feel so bad! I’ll pick one up soon. I am certain it’s adv rather than mbd as he’s had issues walking since he was young and the vet told me it’s not mbd. He also is very active, although his back legs don’t work properly, but he still darts across his terrarium and eats very well!

Thanks for the tip tho, I’ll pick up a fixture and bulb asap

[AHBD]

Good thing you checked here + will be getting the better uvb bulb ! It is most likely MBD since the dragon has not had good uvb. Most vets can't tell you if a dragon has MBD, many are not experts with lizards + beardies at all. Is your dragon a baby, over 12" or adult ? BTW, you can have a test done for ADV.

[DanteChiacchia]

Good thing you checked here + will be getting the better uvb bulb ! It is most likely MBD since the dragon has not had good uvb. Most vets can't tell you if a dragon has MBD, many are not experts with lizards + beardies at all. Is your dragon a baby, over 12" or adult ? BTW, you can have a test done for ADV.

Hello again!

I went to a reptile specialist to have them check him out. He doesn’t have any bone issues or appetite problems so they said it’s probably not MBD. Wilmo is just under 2 years old now, and is about 12 inches long now even though his growth was stunted. I adopted him in the condition he’s in and he’s only gotten more active since getting him. Do you really think it could be MBD? His condition has remained the same in the year that I’ve owned him.

Edit: the pet store I got him from also got him tested for mbd now that I think about it. They said it was negative and the vet told them it was likely brain damage which could have resulted from adv

[claudiusx]

You cant really test for MBD, you can only confirm or deny symptoms that may or may not be caused by MBD. However, you can test for adv. So you can know if adv is present or not.

I would still wager MBD over adv. But that being said, some breeding practices just dont produce healthy dragons, and that is always something that could be the case too. The morph market is driving the health of our dragons through the mud in the process. Which is why it's important to only support responsible breeders.
Im rambling.

-Brandon