# Crested Geckos, lighting and UV



## kitschyduck (May 30, 2010)

I've been reading a few caresheets and a lot of them state that no one really knows if UV is beneficial to crested geckos, but to provide 1-2 hours of low UV a day to stay on the safe side. My issue is that I only have room for one bulb for light, so I can either have a UV bulb in for half the day or not at all.

Or would it be best if I got a nighttime bulb in a wavelength the geckos can't detect? Light from the window MIGHT be sufficient I suppose.

However, if I need extra heat for them during the winter times, I'd need a day time bulb too....

How many different bulbs do these guys need?! 

I'm just curious how everyone else has their set-ups, so I can get it straightened out in my head how I need to prepare their enclore exactly.


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## Ryanc (Feb 3, 2011)

I wasnt sure about this either when i first strated getting into cresites, but after looking through a different caresheets and speaking chaz thompson i decided to use a low level uv light, 5.0% it will benefit the gecko more then a night light etc also behind the mesh on the exo terras it lowers the % by half anyway so the uv in the vivarium will be 2.5% and with all the branches and hiding areas then the gecko is not constanly exposed to the uv light a beardie for example. i use a 5.0uv now in all my cresties vivariums it can really only be beneficial. yes maybe not essential but it cant really do harm aslong as it isnt too high or the geckos are to exposed to the light. 

also for heating i just have a heat mat on one side connected to a thermostat so if the temp drops to low at night or in the winter it will bring the temps back up as my house is rather cold due to its age.


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## Nix (Jan 23, 2008)

I have my cresties in full planted setups so my lighting might be a bit crazy for what you want. 

I used a ceramic heater on a stat for air temps as my house got freezing in the winter - it was what I already had at home. Now I have a statted mat stat on one side. I use a dulux 36w full spectrum bulb (see dartfrog.co.uk) for light during the day all year around for my plants. I don't use any extra heating during the summer as it is warm enough.


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

kitschyduck said:


> I've been reading a few caresheets and a lot of them state that no one really knows if UV is beneficial to crested geckos, but to provide 1-2 hours of low UV a day to stay on the safe side. My issue is that I only have room for one bulb for light, so I can either have a UV bulb in for half the day or not at all.
> 
> Or would it be best if I got a nighttime bulb in a wavelength the geckos can't detect? Light from the window MIGHT be sufficient I suppose.
> 
> ...




A really good question, recent studies proves that most of these geckos are not nocturnal as once thought but crepuscular, this as you know means that they can be active in low light, early morning/ evening. They will use transferred sunlight in the sleeping position during the day in the wild. Sunlight reflects off of broad flat leaves. These animals are total miracles if you have had chance to read any of my work you will see the info I have written about the house gecko. These animals do use u.v.a and u.v.b in exactly the same way as say a bd or other desert animal, because of thier biology they simply need less light in lower powers to have exactly the same chemical and hormonal changes in the body. So yes good quality u.v lighting in the natural sunlight spectrum will be beneficial, the previous post is right. The mesh onto of glass vivs cuts out roughly 60% of the usuable u.v so if you place the lamp on the outside of the enclosure use a 6% lamp instead. If the lamp is inside the 2% natural sunlight will be fine. Provide plenty of plants and hides so the animal can choose when and where to bask, u.v regulation is just as important as thermoregulation. The use of reflectors will triple the down force of the lamp and help with the power output and stop a lot of wasted light spilling into your living space. Be careful with synthetic supplements when useing u.v lighting as synthetics are not passed through the body like good safe D3 made naturally from exposure to u.v.b.your question about placing them in the sunlight window will do nothing, glass is a 100% u.v stop, you would simly only risk over heating the viv.change European u.v lamps once a year and Asian lamps every four months to be sure of good levels of u.v.b.

I hope that this is helpful


John courteney-smith Arcadia products


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## kitschyduck (May 30, 2010)

Thanks! That was all very, very helpful! Is there any particular brand of 2% UV bulb you'd recommend for inside the enclosure? What do you mean by being 'careful' with synthetic supplements? Also, how long should I keep the UV bulb on? One caresheet says to only have it on two hours. Shouldn't I keep it on for 12 though?


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## quizicalkat (Jul 7, 2007)

Arcadiajohn said:


> A really good question, recent studies proves that most of these geckos are not nocturnal as once thought but crepuscular, this as you know means that they can be active in low light, early morning/ evening. They will use transferred sunlight in the sleeping position during the day in the wild. Sunlight reflects off of broad flat leaves. These animals are total miracles if you have had chance to read any of my work you will see the info I have written about the house gecko. These animals do use u.v.a and u.v.b in exactly the same way as say a bd or other desert animal, because of thier biology they simply need less light in lower powers to have exactly the same chemical and hormonal changes in the body. So yes good quality u.v lighting in the natural sunlight spectrum will be beneficial, the previous post is right. The mesh onto of glass vivs cuts out roughly 60% of the usuable u.v so if you place the lamp on the outside of the enclosure use a 6% lamp instead. If the lamp is inside the 2% natural sunlight will be fine. Provide plenty of plants and hides so the animal can choose when and where to bask, u.v regulation is just as important as thermoregulation. The use of reflectors will triple the down force of the lamp and help with the power output and stop a lot of wasted light spilling into your living space. Be careful with synthetic supplements when useing u.v lighting as synthetics are not passed through the body like good safe D3 made naturally from exposure to u.v.b.your question about placing them in the sunlight window will do nothing, glass is a 100% u.v stop, you would simly only risk over heating the viv.change European u.v lamps once a year and Asian lamps every four months to be sure of good levels of u.v.b.
> 
> I hope that this is helpful
> 
> ...


 
wow really interesting - thanks

Can you post a link to your articles please? I, for one, would be very interested in reading them.

Also, I was under the impression that I would need to change my arcadia uv every 6 months for my desert iguanas? But you say every 12? Can you confirm that is correct please.

Thanks OP for the question - would be nice to get a definative answer on cresties and uv. I tend to use low level uv all day for my breeders, just to be safe but, as John said, they have plenty of places to get away from it.


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