UV GUIDE UK

Advances in Reptile Lighting

A resource for all reptile keepers

what's all this about?
find out about UV light
the vitamin D story..
the meters we are using in our tests
all about sunlight
the UV requirements of different species
UV transmission tests
UV lighting for reptiles
Introduction to the 2005 Lighting Survey
fluorescent tubes on test
compact fluorescents on test
mercury vapours on test
merc vapours for large enclosures
more info soon..
further reading
related websites
meet the team

 


 

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UV Guide.co.uk - Ultraviolet Light for Reptiles

Welcome
to the website of a small team of reptile keepers
researching the use of ultraviolet light in reptile husbandry

 

 

NEW: Special Report : A problem with some of the new high UVB fluorescent compact lamps and tubes

Please read our report concerning hazardous UVB output from several brands of high-output "desert" type UVB fluorescent lamps, causing eye problems (photo-kerato-conjunctivitis) and ill health in some pet reptiles.

December 2007 - New range of lamps in UK and Europe also identified as having similar hazardous output:
FERPLAST Desert Lamp T8 UVB 10% series

IMPORTANT:
Do you have a new ZooMed Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 COMPACT LAMP ?

These lamps should have instruction sheets in each box giving very important information about minimum safe basking distances.

If there was no leaflet in your box, get your instruction sheet here, today.

 

Read our introduction to find out why many reptiles need ultraviolet light

The UV Guide Lighting Survey
We are now testing all lamps sold worldwide for use with reptiles

Sunlight and Natural UV
Find out about UV light in nature
Collecting Data with the UVB Meter
The best way to use your Meter

Mercury Vapour Lamps on test.
Here are the results of the Survey

Fluorescent tubes
The results of our tests on all UK brands, and the effect of reflectors
Ultraviolet Light through Reptile Skin Shed
We investigate the way your reptile's skin is adapted to cope with the UV in its native habitat.

 

 

Do you have a Namiba Terra Replux Light Unit ?
Does yours have a plastic cover ?

If so please read this.
The plastic cover may not be letting any UVB through.

 

 

Latest News :

  • We are beginning a major update of the website during winter 2007.
  • It is two years since we first launched UV Guide UK. We never expected it to be so popular - since our launch we have had over 30,600 visitors, averaging 40 a day, from an astonishing 103 countries worldwide!
  • Since 2005, however, there have been some fascinating advances in our knowledge and we have tested many new lamps.
  • We also have important new information about the UV Index and how using a UV Index meter can help identify lamps which may have a UVB output not as "sunlike" as those we've been used to..
  • A full update of all our test results is now essential.
  • It will take a while to complete the update, page by page. Please bear with us if things are a bit chaotic while the work takes place....

 

 

Disclaimer

We wish to make it clear that it is not our intention to promote or "recommend" any of the products that we have tested.

Nor do we intend to compare any of the products we have tested, one with another. We do not, and will not, recommend any one product over another, nor will we declare any product "the best". We are merely reporting the results of our tests, so that you, the reptile keeper, may learn more about the wide range of products now available.

Although we have done our best to research, and report upon, the UV requirements of different species we are not able to make specific recommendations about which type or brand of lamp would be most suitable for a particular set-up. We hope that you will find our reports useful in deciding for yourself which product seems most suitable for your reptile and your vivarium.

All the recordings reported here were made by the authors themselves unless specified otherwise. We would encourage UVB meter owners to repeat our tests on their own lamps and confirm our results.

Please understand that we are hobbyists. We are NOT experts. We present our information in good faith; our conclusions are based upon our own observations and our understanding of the work of others. Like everyone else, we do make mistakes. Although our information is correct to the best of our knowledge, we would be grateful to have your feedback if you believe any details on our website to be incorrect or misleading.

 

Copyright details

All the text, graphics, photographs, graphs and charts on this website are the property of the authors, and are fully copyrighted.
All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1956, no part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or be transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without our prior written permission as copyright owners.

You are welcome to link to this site. Please contact us with details of your website link.

If you wish to copy and upload any material from this site onto another website, or print it in any format (ie., a magazine, journal or handout) you must contact us and obtain written permission. Copyright infringement is a criminal offence; but asking for permission isn't terribly difficult and we'll most likely say "yes"...

 

 

© 2007 UVGuide.co.uk