Habitat - Indoor :: New Reptisun, now turtles wont bask

[xsavingsaturdayx]

I looked at the box, and it says nothing about positioning it 2 feet away from an animal (it should though, there would probably be less people having problems with their animals eyes)

Anyways, she also mentioned that I'm not the first to call about the 10.0 having a bad effect on a turtle. She told me that she herself owns a turtle (YBS) It's 7 years old and that she has been using 3% UVB bulbs and recently 5% and has never had a problem. She made it clear that those MVB and 10.0 bulbs everyone likes arent all that neccesary for a turtle, and that turtles do fine with low output UVB bulbs, and doesnt know why everyone thinks the more UVB, the better. The MVB bulbs are excellent, just not for turtles she said.

I know theres alot of MVB users, so what do you think? I never used an MVB, so i cant say anything it. Though everything I heard about them was good, never bad.

[DavidY]

I only use my old MVB's from my Chameleon and Bearded Dragon setups for the turtles. It is more UV than the turtles probably need, but having the heat and the UV combined in one bulb is really nice. Also, the MVB bulbs still don't come close to natural sunlight, so I wouldn't think it would be harmful as long as it was kept directly above them and at a good distance. The light spread from the MVB flood lamps is also nice and wide and evenly distributed. I wonder if there is something about the CF (Compact Flourescent) 10% bulb that is focusing the UV output in spikes at certain points. Or else maybe it's just because most people point their CF bulbs at an angle while people with the MVB bulbs read the directions (because they are so much more expensive) and place them directly overhead.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

zoo med should realy, realy have some kind of directions on their product box's, though.

[DavidY]

(ok, here I go musing again...)

Or maybe it's because the MVB bulbs are able to project light and UV at a gradually decreasing amount, further away, and at a wider pattern. I'm thinking since the bulb is placed at a greater distance, it still emits UV to the rest of the tank but at lower levels. And it even penetrates the water to a small degree. Therefore, the turtle is pretty much always exposed to some UV during the day and when they are anywhere near the surface.

This allows their exposed tissue/shell to adjust to the radiation, much like we tan gradually as the summer sun approaches. When the full summer sun is here, we are much less likely to burn if we have been able to spend time outside on a regular basis. But for those who spend very little time out in the sun, when they do decide to go the beach on a sunny summer day, they get sunburn.

So in a tank lit with a CF bulb, since the UV drops off dramatically with distance, and since the bulb is pointed at an angle towards the platform and away from the rest of the tank, maybe it's like going from indoors directly to the outdoors without having had any exposure to low UV levels. And if there is something different about the output spread of the reptisun 10 bulbs, that would magnify the problem.

What d'ya think?

[DavidY]

zoo med should realy, realy have some kind of directions on their product box's, though.

I agree with you there. No doubt about it. Especially if they've had so many compaints about it before.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

I got off the phone with my vet, He told me that it is normal for them act lethargic since they cant realy see anything due to their swollen eyes. He told me what you told me davidY, keep the room quiet and focus on making these few days as stress free as possible. He however said, that the turtle eye drops couldnt hurt and that though it wouldnt cure the problem, it does provide some relief to the turtle. If it doesnt clear up in a week, he told me to take them in and he'll see them free of charge and see what he can do.

Their eyes seem a little bit better, one of them keeps his eyes open alot more, though he still closes them for hours. And the other one is still the same. Thankfully they both still eat, I caught them begging with their eyes closed a few hours ago

[SpotsMama]

Your poor little turtles!

I think I've mentioned before that Spot is basking about 8 hours a day now since I got him a T Rex MVB and nice acrylic basking platform ("diving board" style). He's up there right now. He never basked like that before. When he basked the most in the past was when he was outside in his little pool. He liked that, too. He's had no issues with his eyes or anything else. I'm a big fan of the MVBs.

I never used a compact flourescent. Before the MVB I used tube flourescents. (Before that I used nothing at all! Not good!) I thought the tubes were good but Spot never basked under them like he has with the MVB.

If I couldn't use an MVB I'd use a tube. Never heard of a problem of any sort with a tube.

[DavidY]

You've got a really good vet there. That's really nice for him to give you free advice and to even offer to examine your turtle for free. That's someone who really loves animals.

I've only used tube flourescents (and still do) before I started getting the MVB's as I have a bunch of strip lights for them. I use the tubes for my baby lizards and they work great.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Yeah, my vet is a pretty cool guy - he was brave enough to give my turtles a little kiss on their beaks when i took them in a few months ago, he looked like he realy enjoy'd seeing them. I'm cool with him so if there is ever an emergency and I dont have the money right then and there, he would cut me some slack..he said. Though, me and him dont agree on my turtles nutrition needs. Overall, he's nice..and realy loves animals.

www.southkendall.com That is his clinic, his name is Dr. payne, so if you live in the Miami area, and have a sick animal that needs to be seen: I suggest you go to this guy.

[DavidY]

Oh man, that's not a good name for a doctor, lol!

[octpusgirl8]

Well i'm glad you got some info out of Zoomed about those bulbs, i can't believe they don't say anything about 2 feet away on the packaging. If they know that this has been causing problems they should really have at least put some kind of advisory on the package. Jerks. Anyway, i'm glad your turtles are eating and improving, they'll be better before you know it!

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Quick update: My two turtles eyes are open and fine, though they look a bit puffy - they have no trouble opening them anymore. I'm so happy,

[DavidY]

yay!

[SpotsMama]

xsavingsaturdayx, terrific news. I inquired on another thread as to how your turtles' eyes were doing. You don't have to respond here since I've seen your answer here.