Here's What No One Told You But You’ve Always Wanted to Ask About UVB!
What is the difference between UVC, UVA and UVB?
UVC: Should not be part of pet lighting. Only used in sterilization technology.UVB: Long wave UVB is essential for D3 needed for calcium metabolism which is a vital for bone, muscle, nerve, kidney,and heart health amongst others.
UVA: Vital to the immune system, reproductive health, hormonal secretion (serotonin), feeding response, and natural behaviors of your pet.
Is UVA and UVB actually important?
You cannot supplement UVA through diet. The only way to provide it is through sunlight or UV lighting for your pet. Arguably, UVB is often considered the most essential due to the vital role it plays in calcium metabolism. UVA, however, is essential for stress hormones, reproductive hormones, and other endocrine pathways.What does UVB do?
UVB hits the skin and produces vitamin D3 which is essential for bone, hearth, and muscle health. Vitamin D is a hormone that regulates your pet’s Calcium and Phosphorous balance via selective absorption and excretion. There are two ways animals can obtain their D3 needs: diet or UVB lighting. The majority of reptiles, birds, and mammals (except dogs, cats, & seals) require UVB!Do crepuscular & nocturnal reptiles need UVB?
Repeat after us: “there are no such thing as nocturnal reptiles”. There are many animals that are crepuscular, where they are the most active from dusk to dawn but they are still active during the last or first hours of the day. UV is reflected off sand, pavement, and water as well expanding exposure.Which is better, a spot light for UV or a strip light for UV?
Spot lights have the advantage of offering a gradient coupled with a more intense basking area for UV. Reptiles have been shown to pick basking sites based on UV levels rather than temperature proving that basking is not always a thermoregulatory behavior. Strip lights offer a long line of stable UV across the entire enclosure however, it does not provide a gradient nor a way for your pet to escape UV.Are you Ready to Rethink Lighting?
VivTech's SurSun UVA/UVB 3W bulb series are the answer. To learn more, click here!
