Bad UVA?

[Hammie2496]

Can a bad uva, 100°f-102°f, cause a beardie to not eat and have bad diarrhea? My beardie has some bad diarrhea and im getting ready to switch out his uva bulb since its only putting out temps of 100-102°f. I know that is bad for them but im worried my beardie might have something else wrong with him. Im just wayyyy to over protective right now. Also his uvb is a reptisun 10.0 those small twisty looking bulbs. Not sure if that is also a bad idea.

 

[KarrieRee]

Small twisty bulb is a coil??? Yes that is a bad UVB--- this is what you need
Which UVB light should I use?
The best UVB light is a ReptiSun 10.0 fluorescent tube HO (Or Arcardia 12% in the UK). Compact or coil bulbs do not emit the proper amount of UVB light for a bearded dragon, and should not be used. Other brands, such as the Zilla Desert Series and ReptiGlo have been known to cause eye problems and other health issues with bearded dragons, and should be avoided. The reason that some UVB lights (Zilla, ReptiGlo, coils/compacts, ect.) are considered dangerous is because the wavelength of UVB that they emit is shorter and more intense than the wavelength of the "safe" lights (ReptiSun, Arcadia).
UVB lights should be replaced every 6 months. The T5’s are a strong bulb and only need to be replaced once a year – the T 8 every 6 months--- where as the T 8 are not as strong—they need to be placed inside the tank the T 5 10.0 bulb approx 10-11 inches from basking spot – the T 8 approx 8-10 inches from basking spot—the cover needs to be off the bulb for full effect of the UVB rays-- make sure its a 10.0 and not the 5.0 HO -- they are more for tropical reptile--- please get it changed out ASAP and you will notice a difference in his/ her behavior
Karrie

 

[Hammie2496]

Wait what! ?I also have a t5 arcadia 12%in there with him i thought i was supposed to have both a uvb bulb, the arcadia long bulb and a uva bulb?

I will provide a picture of his lights below.
°on the right is the coil bulb i forgot to turn it off befor ei took the picture. I am now getting super worried for him

 

[KarrieRee]

Ok so all you need is one UVB-- it also has UVA-- you need one basking bulb for lights- if you want to light your tank completely during the day you can use a regular house hold bulb like a 60 watt that's what's in mine-- cool side of tank - my tank runs 80ish during day--
Karrie

 

[Hammie2496]

Oh thank goodness, sorry i thought i completly ruined his setup for a second ?. Thank you very much!

 

[KarrieRee]

That looks like a heat emitter? Is it a light too? the heat emitter shouldnt be putting out light unless its bright white but w/ the basking bulb there too its probably too hot--- leave the Arcadia that is a good bulb----- are you taking basking temps w/ a infrared heat gun? ---- you dont need 2 UVB bulbs-- get rid of the coil UVB-- if the one coil I am seeing is a heat emitter w/ no light you can keep it --- it it has a light you might want to move it to the dark side of your tank -- can he get under the UVB --- ?
Karrie

 

[Hammie2496]

The heat emmitter is not a light. I use it at night for him because it gets to cold in his tank. The heat emmiter is the bulb on the left of the first pic. With the cage around it. Beside that one is his basking light his bad uva light. The arcadia is in the middle and the other uvb is on the right. I thought for some reason he needed two uvbs. My neighbor came by, he works for a serpentarium, and tested his uva bulb using the little heat gun, he said it is bad. And he has a very large branch where he can sit in the middle of the arcadia light and enjoy every bit of it. I didnt know that coil light was super bad for them.

 

[KarrieRee]

You only need one basking light ---- it needs to keep temps up to around 95-105 or so ---- you can try using a house hold bulb for that --- they never worked for me --- cant get the temp up to where its supposed to be so I use a Exo Terra 100 basking light
Karrie

 

[kingofnobbys]

I have not heard of bad UV causing that symptom , I checked this to confirm :
A Guide to Health and Disease in Reptiles and Amphibians by Dr B. Carmel and Dr R.Johnson

I think the runny poos is dietary or result of a GIT parasitic infestation.

I suggest you have a fecal done as your first order of business if this can't be explained by a dietary change or inadequate warm zone and basking spot temperatures.

Exactly what is his diet , specifics please ?
Zone temperatures , basking spot temperature , and how are you measuring these ?

 

[kingofnobbys]

The heat emmitter is not a light. I use it at night for him because it gets to cold in his tank. The heat emmiter is the bulb on the left of the first pic. With the cage around it. Beside that one is his basking light his bad uva light. The arcadia is in the middle and the other uvb is on the right. I thought for some reason he needed two uvbs. My neighbor came by, he works for a serpentarium, and tested his uva bulb using the little heat gun, he said it is bad.
<<< too hot ?
<<< too cold ?
<<< inadequate UVA flux ?
<<< bad brand ?


And he has a very large branch where he can sit in the middle of the arcadia light and enjoy every bit of it. I didnt know that coil light was super bad for them.

CFL UVB globes are bad if they are not made properly (as is the case with cheaper Chinese clones often pushed by online sellers and petshop chains as shop branded products) , if it's an Arcadia , or an Exo Terra (ie a 26W UVB200) , or Zoo Med , and rated at 10% UVB and 26W , it's OK (for smaller vivs and raring tubs).
The issue with the nasty elcheapos is poor UV spectrum ( poor cheaper phosphors used ) , poor quality quartz used ( which leak UVC ) , and poor quality inbuilt electronics.

 

[Drache613]

Moved by Moderator from General to Enclosures