Sore eyes

[CaramelBeet]

Taking my beardie out to feed him today, I noticed that he's slowly blinking his eyes and I think they might be getting sore (they're normally wide open whenever I'm nearby, he still isn't used to me). I think it might be his UVB bulk; it's a 5.0 t8 reptile one brand. I'm working on getting a reptisun in, but I want the t5 one and it's really hard to find t5 fittings in Australia.

I was thinking of just taking out the UVB bulb. I doubt he's getting much from it anyway, and I don't want to risk eye problems.

What do you guys think? Should I take it out? Is there anything else I can try?

 

[kingofnobbys]

Taking my beardie out to feed him today, I noticed that he's slowly blinking his eyes and I think they might be getting sore (they're normally wide open whenever I'm nearby, he still isn't used to me). I think it might be his UVB bulk; it's a 5.0 t8 reptile one brand. I'm working on getting a reptisun in, but I want the t5 one and it's really hard to find t5 fittings in Australia.

I was thinking of just taking out the UVB bulb. I doubt he's getting much from it anyway, and I don't want to risk eye problems.

What do you guys think? Should I take it out? Is there anything else I can try?

Yep .... sure is ,and reptile stuff is way too expensive here (in Australia too) and too many sellers flog cheap Chinese knockoffs which are very poor quality and can cause issues. I suspect this may be the case with ReptileOne who are selling shop/home branded products.

I gave up hunting for my T5 24W 10% or higher tube fittings locally and looked overseas for my needs via Google.

I ordered my new Arcadia t5 slimline fittings in from overseas - I bought them from a company called Birmingham Reptile , they came with a t5 Arcadia 12% UVB tube already fitted in each set - even better !! and worked out the same price as fittings only offered (IF YOU CAN FIND SOME ONE WHO HAS THEM IN STOCK) here (this included packing and shipping which worked without a hitch).
Only downside is they are set up for UK sockets which is fine as they are also 240VAC 50Hz in the UK ,so it's just a matter of getting a UK to AUS adapter and all is fine.
Alternatively check out AmazingAmazon , I think they carry leading brands in t8 and t5 fittings rigged for 240VAC 50Hz and tubes.

He needs his UVA and UVB , so I'd leave it be , and maybe look at removing the sand if this is your bedding.
Do you have sand as the bedding ? even playsand can scratch and irritate the eyes of a beardie.

 

[CaramelBeet]

I ordered my new Arcadia t5 slimline fittings in from overseas - I bought them from a company called Birmingham Reptile , they came with a t5 Arcadia 12% UVB tube already fitted in each set - even better !! and worked out the same price as fittings only offered (IF YOU CAN FIND SOME ONE WHO HAS THEM IN STOCK) here (this included packing and shipping which worked without a hitch).
Only downside is they are set up for UK sockets which is fine as they are also 240VAC 50Hz in the UK ,so it's just a matter of getting a UK to AUS adapter and all is fine.
Alternatively check out AmazingAmazon , I think they carry leading brands in t8 and t5 fittings rigged for 240VAC 50Hz and tubes.

Do you have sand as the bedding ? even playsand can scratch and irritate the eyes of a beardie.

I'll have to check out Birmingham Reptile, I did look at buying one from overseas but I found most places won't ship to Australia (possibly because of the different power plugs?). Thanks for that!

No sand here, he just has newspaper on the ground. He does have a little fake grass patch though; I wonder if that could've done it? It looks like this:

(Ignore the woodchips on the ground, this was a picture from before he was in the tank; that's all been removed now)

 

[kingofnobbys]

Can't see how , but there is a risk of impaction if he eats it, I had to remove the bits of fake greenery attached my beardies' fake rock grottos because I saw Toothless as a dopey and perpetually hungry little hatchling trying to eat the stuff almost on the very first day .... .

I would consider replacing the suspected dodgey ReptileOne (Chinese made ??) T8 tube with either an Arcadia T8, Zoomed ReptiSun T8, ExoTerra RepiGlo T8, or maybe a Sylvania reptile T8. I know ReptileOne 10% UVB CFB's are rubbish quality, I tried them for a few years before I got my beardies for my skinks but had lots of problems with these dying (sometimes within hours of being turned on).
http://www.turtlerescue.co.nz/turtle-lighting-setup

The tubes that have proven hazardous, to date, have all been of Chinese manufacture. The Chinese use combinations of glass and phosphors which can allow hazardous, abnormally short-wavelength UVB and UVC through. I tested some Chinese samples a while back, which Hot House Turtles suspected could be dangerous. They were right.

However, Sylvania Reptistar tubes have a very good spectrum. They are ideal in my opinion for use with reptiles. They are made by a German company and are very high quality.
I tested one about a year ago and the results were very good. Here is the "Conclusion" from the report I wrote for that lamp - a 24", 18-watt T8 tube:

I've heard nothing but good reports about Arcadia, ExoTerra and Zoomed , but know very little about Sylvania's T8 tubes .
Info :
http://arcadia-reptile.com/fluorescent-lamps/t8-d3plus-desert/
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/linear_fluorescent_bulbs.php
http://zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=105&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=5
http://www.sylvanialighting.com.au/products/lamps/reptistar-t8#.WOtMbjE6yHs (but limited to 5% UVB so not suitable for a bearded dragon).

I have been using 26W UVB200 compacts mounted in NanoHoods for my beardies for several years (replacing the globes 2x per year) and have had no eye issues with any of my beardies. This is an good short or medium term solution in your case if you choose to abandon T8 tubes and upgrade to T5 tubes.

AmazingAmazon has all these brands I think in T8.

BTW here's the link to Birmingham Reptile
http://www.reptile-specialist.co.uk/prods/24347/arcadia-slimline-luminaire-24w-60cm-.html

 

[CaramelBeet]

Can't see how , but there is a risk of impaction if he eats it, I had to remove the bits of fake greenery attached my beardies' fake rock grottos because I saw Toothless as dopey little hatchling trying to eat the stuff almost on the very first day .... .

This is all attached in one big piece, so I can't see him being able to eat it.

BTW here's the link to Birmingham Reptile
http://www.reptile-specialist.co.uk/prods/24347/arcadia-slimline-luminaire-24w-60cm-.html

Thanks for that! I found someone who sells a fitting in Melbourne (http://www.growlush.com/productcat/hydro-t5-lighting/), so I'm *hoping* that that's not too expensive... Otherwise, I think Birmingham Reptile might be the way to go :lol:

I've unplugged his UVB bulb for now. If we get some breaks in the weather, then I'll take him outside. Like I said, I don't think it's doing much for him anyway.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Can't see how , but there is a risk of impaction if he eats it, I had to remove the bits of fake greenery attached my beardies' fake rock grottos because I saw Toothless as dopey little hatchling trying to eat the stuff almost on the very first day .... .

This is all attached in one big piece, so I can't see him being able to eat it.

BTW here's the link to Birmingham Reptile
http://www.reptile-specialist.co.uk/prods/24347/arcadia-slimline-luminaire-24w-60cm-.html

Thanks for that! I found someone who sells a fitting in Melbourne (http://www.growlush.com/productcat/hydro-t5-lighting/), so I'm *hoping* that that's not too expensive... Otherwise, I think Birmingham Reptile might be the way to go :lol:

I've unplugged his UVB bulb for now. If we get some breaks in the weather, then I'll take him outside. Like I said, I don't think it's doing much for him anyway.

I hope it's sunny where you are , I'm on the north coast of NSW and it's not nice out there, with only short periods of sun peeking through very grey clouds and very cool and windy here too.

 

[Taterbug]

How are your lights setup? What are you using for a basking light? Shoddy UV lamps aren't the only hazard and poorly positioned basking lamps and high quality UV lamps can cause eye issues as well.

 

[CaramelBeet]

How are your lights setup? What are you using for a basking light? Shoddy UV lamps aren't the only hazard and poorly positioned basking lamps and high quality UV lamps can cause eye issues as well.

I have two basking bulbs (I found this was the only way I could warm the cool side up enough). One is a 60w halogen, and the other is an E-Halogen equivalent to 53 w (That's what the pack said, I don't think it gets quite that warm but it does put out heat).

They're positioned like this:

(Sorry for the dodgy pictures, my phone doesn't handle the lightbulbs very well)
So you can see the UVB in front sort of (it's off for now), and the two basking bulbs, and his little basking log beneath.
The 60w is opaque around the sides, so it mainly puts out light downwards. The other isn't frosted at all.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

The setup looks pretty good.
You turned off your UVB light now?
It looks pretty bright in the tank. One is definitely brighter than the other one.
The Reptile One tube UVB is most likely the issue. It probably emits poor quality of UVB. As suggested, a lot of those China made lights are not very good.
You could get some sterile saline solution to put in his eye (s), to help soothe the eyes.
I hope he is feeling better soon.

Tracie

 

[kingofnobbys]

If they are the same mob in Sydney who STILL sell PLASTIC adapters for their very hot GU10 halogens .... then I wouldn't be buying any lights or fittings or electronics (thermostats) with their ReptileOne brand on the packaging from them.



Their e27-GU10 adapters soften and melt and sag and start to char in under a few minutes (from my experience even with 35W GU10 halogens !!! and they say they are good for 50W GU10 halogens !! ?? :O ) , despite keepers like me and others telling them their elcheapo Chinese plastic e27-GU10 adapters are worthless and are fire hazards.

Just injecting this incase you are considering a GU10 halogen (which puts out lots of heat, bright y/w light and UVA (?)) as an option. IF you go down that path , buy an all CERAMIC E27-GU10 adapter and avoid their GU10 halogens.

 

[CaramelBeet]

Hello,

The setup looks pretty good.
You turned off your UVB light now?
It looks pretty bright in the tank. One is definitely brighter than the other one.
The Reptile One tube UVB is most likely the issue. It probably emits poor quality of UVB. As suggested, a lot of those China made lights are not very good.
You could get some sterile saline solution to put in his eye (s), to help soothe the eyes.
I hope he is feeling better soon.

Tracie

Yep, UVB is off.
One looks brighter than the other because it's not frosted at all (so there's light coming towards the camera) while the other one is completely opaque around the sides (no light coming towards the camera).
I'll have to try and find some saline solution. Not sure if he'd let me put it in, but worth a shot.

One thing that I possibly should have mentioned, both bulbs are "warm white" (about 3000k, I think), because I can't buy bright white (6000k?) halogens down here (not sure if they even exist). We have bright white LED's, but those don't put out heat, so a bit useless as a basking bulb.

If they are the same mob in Sydney who STILL sell PLASTIC for their very hot GU10 halogens .... then I wouldn't be buying any lights or fittings or electronics (thermostats) with their ReptileOne brand on the packaging from them.

Don't worry, no more ReptileOne for my guy. The only reason I had that bulb was because it came with my tank. I can't say I've actually seen them stocked anywhere down here (Victoria) anyway.

 

[kingofnobbys]

Hello,

The setup looks pretty good.
You turned off your UVB light now?
It looks pretty bright in the tank. One is definitely brighter than the other one.
The Reptile One tube UVB is most likely the issue. It probably emits poor quality of UVB. As suggested, a lot of those China made lights are not very good.
You could get some sterile saline solution to put in his eye (s), to help soothe the eyes.
I hope he is feeling better soon.

Tracie

Yep, UVB is off.
One looks brighter than the other because it's not frosted at all (so there's light coming towards the camera) while the other one is completely opaque around the sides (no light coming towards the camera).
I'll have to try and find some saline solution. Not sure if he'd let me put it in, but worth a shot.

One thing that I possibly should have mentioned, both bulbs are "warm white" (about 3000k, I think), because I can't buy bright white (6000k?) halogens down here (not sure if they even exist). We have bright white LED's, but those don't put out heat, so a bit useless as a basking bulb.

If they are the same mob in Sydney who STILL sell PLASTIC for their very hot GU10 halogens .... then I wouldn't be buying any lights or fittings or electronics (thermostats) with their ReptileOne brand on the packaging from them.

Don't worry, no more ReptileOne for my guy. The only reason I had that bulb was because it came with my tank. I can't say I've actually seen them stocked anywhere down here (Victoria) anyway.

Check out Philips Par38 clear colourless INCANDESCENT spots, you can likely find them at your local Bunnings if not ask their special orders desk to order them in, and loads of local reptile keepers and breeders sware by them as their basking globes. (NOTE no UVA no UVB from these - but good bright light and plenty of heat).
https://www.bunnings.com.au/philips-80w-es-clear-par38-globe_p4325771
https://www.bunnings.com.au/philips-120w-es-clear-par38-globe_p4320139

 

[Taterbug]

Incandescent bulbs (including halogen and traditional tungsten only) tend to emit warm light and the "daylight" ones usually have a coating that filters yellow out. White to humans... maybe not reptiles though. Your best bet for "daylight" lamps is going to be flourecents, metal halides or high quality LEDS (CREE makes nice one so think). I wouldn't think this is the issue though.

Your lamps are all decently far away so I wouldn't expect glair or IR to be causing irritation. Hopefully turning off the UV helps.