Which best bearded dragon UV light? Bearded dragons have become increasingly popular pets in recent years due to their friendly temperaments and easy-to-care-for needs.
While they don’t need a lot of special equipment, one essential piece is a UVB light source. This provides key vitamin D3 and other benefits to keep your dragon healthy over its long life.
UVB lights for bearded dragons are an incredibly important part of their habitat, as it allows them to process calcium and synthesize vitamin D3, both needed elements for their health.
In this article, we will discuss all aspects that should be considered when selecting the right UVB light for your bearded dragon, including the best types of bulbs, placement tips, and more!
Should I Buy Bearded Dragon UV Light?
Bearded dragons need UV light in order to synthesize Vitamin D3, which is essential for their health and wellbeing.
Without the right amount of UVB, your bearded dragon can suffer from metabolic bone disease, a condition caused by a lack of calcium and Vitamin D3.
The best way to ensure your pet gets the correct amount of UVB is to provide them with a good quality UV light.
When choosing a UV light for your bearded dragon, it’s important to consider how much UVB they need. Generally speaking, adult bearded dragons should receive around 10-12 hours of direct exposure to UVA/UVB each day.
This can be achieved through either natural sunlight or artificial lighting such as fluorescent bulbs or mercury vapor bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are usually the most cost effective option and provide enough UVB for most adult bearded dragons.
However, if you have a larger enclosure or multiple dragons, then you may want to consider investing in a mercury vapor bulb which provides more intense levels of both UVA and UVB.
Why Does My Bearded Dragon Need UV Light?
Bearded dragons are native to the deserts of Australia, and as such they require a certain amount of ultraviolet (UV) light in order to stay healthy.
In the wild, these reptiles would bask in the sun for hours each day, absorbing its UV rays and using them to create and regulate their own levels of vitamin D3.
This is why it is so important to provide your pet bearded dragon with an artificial source of UV light within their vivarium.
The most common type of UV lighting used for bearded dragons is called UVB lighting. This type of lighting mimics natural sunlight and provides your pet with the necessary UV rays needed for them to produce vitamin D3.
Without this essential vitamin, your bearded dragon may suffer from metabolic bone disease or other health issues due to a lack of calcium absorption.
Additionally, providing your pet with proper UV lighting will also help them maintain their natural behaviors such as basking and thermoregulation.
How Much UVB Does My Bearded Dragon Need?
When it comes to providing the right UV light for your bearded dragon, it is important to choose a bulb that most closely replicates natural sunlight.
Unfortunately, not all UV lamps are created equally and simply choosing a tube based on its advertised output (10%, 12% etc) is not the best approach.
To ensure you are getting the right amount of UVB for your pet, you can use a UV meter such as the Solarmeter 6.5 UV Index Meter to measure “UV Index”.
Research obtained from wild bearded dragons shows us that an effective level for those in captivity is between 4-6 on the UV Index scale.
It is important to note that this should be used as a guide only and other factors such as distance from the lamp, enclosure size and type of substrate should also be taken into consideration when determining how much UVB your bearded dragon needs.
Additionally, regular monitoring of your pet’s health and behaviour is essential to ensure they are receiving enough exposure to beneficial levels of UVB radiation.
Conclusion
Providing your bearded dragon with the right amount of UV light is essential for their health and wellbeing. Generally speaking, adult bearded dragons should receive around 10-12 hours of direct exposure to UVA/UVB each day.
Fluorescent bulbs are usually the most cost effective option and provide enough UVB for most adult bearded dragons, however if you have a larger enclosure or multiple dragons then you may want to consider investing in a mercury vapor bulb which provides more intense levels of both UVA and UVB.
Additionally, it is important to use a UV meter such as the Solarmeter 6.5 UV Index Meter to measure “UV Index” and ensure your pet is receiving the right amount of beneficial radiation.
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