# uvb question??



## Adzi (Jul 22, 2009)

Just a quick question, i think i read somewhere that moniters and tegus dont actully need uvb lighting??

is that true because i dont think it is??

thanks

adam


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## cabral (Jul 22, 2009)

this is not true

tegus and monitors do require uv , if u dont provide your tegus or monitors with this there is a great chance ur tegus and monitors get metabolic bone disease


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## DaveDragon (Jul 22, 2009)

As they are growing, yes they do need it. As adults, I've heard it isn't necessary, but I'd give them some anyway, even if it's going outside 2 or 3 times per week for an hour.


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## Ratchet (Jul 22, 2009)

UVB is provided through mice so once a monitor gets old enough it doesnt need it anymore...same for a tegu once they reach adulthood they don't need uvb and giving it to them anyways can also lead to MBD...too much d3 isnt good...i actually kow of people who dust their animals food with D3 and calcium instead of UVB lighting and they say it works just fine for them(mainly monitors not recommended for you tegus)


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## Red Earth Exotics (Jul 22, 2009)

Ratchet said:


> UVB is provided through mice so once a monitor gets old enough it doesnt need it anymore...same for a tegu once they reach adulthood they don't need uvb and giving it to them anyways can also lead to MBD...





Wrong.


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## Ratchet (Jul 22, 2009)

D3 coems from UVB...many people don't use them when they are adults...so i'm NOT wrong its just NOT smart...its also taken out of context..using both D3 powder and UVB can lead to MBD =.=


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## Red Earth Exotics (Jul 22, 2009)

uvb does not come from mice. 


uvb does not give them mbd


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## DaveDragon (Jul 22, 2009)

> Metabolic bone disease (MBD) is an umbrella term that covers a number of disorders related to the weakening of the bone or impaired systems function caused by an imbalance in vitamin D3, calcium and phosphorus. This imbalance may be caused by a lack of or too much of one of these three essential elements or the failure to provide one or more of them in a bioavailable form. Many foods highly touted for their calcium content, such as spinach, carrots, collards, chards and other thick leafy greens, contain calcium oxalates that bind calcium. This renders most or all dietary calcium, both that contained in the foods and that added to the foods as supplements, unavailable for maintenance and growth, depending on the quantities ingested.





> Quite simply stated, vitamin D3 (dietary or derived from exposure to ultraviolet B), calcium (dietary and matter recycled from the bone matrix) and phosphorus (dietary) interact together to perform a number of functions besides bone growth and maintenance, including muscle contractions and blood coagulation. The result is a well-functioning system, with calcium restored to and, in the case of growing animals, added to the bone matrix. Too much phosphorus can throw this process off, as can too much or too little vitamin D3 or too little access to ultraviolet B wavelengths. As the dangers of calcium deficiency become more widely known, there is increased risk that pet owners may add too much calcium to their reptile's diet. This results in hypercalcemia, a condition as fraught with peril as is hypocalcemia. To date, however, hypercalcemia is quite rare, occurring most often in healthy gravid iguanas in which such a state is desirable for the health of the female and the developing embryos (see the article on dystocia).
> 
> Signs of metabolic bone disease include hard knobs in the long bones of the legs, bumps along the vertebral column of the back and tail, bilateral softening or hard swelling of the lower jaw, and softening of the plastron or carapace. All of these signs may be felt before they can be seen, making a careful physical exam important. Visible signs of moderate to severe MBD include jerky gait when walking, repeated tremors and twitches in the limbs and muscles of the legs and toes when at rest, and shakiness when being held. (The occasional single myoclonic jerk that happens is not considered indicative of MBD.)
> 
> ...



Ref. http://www.anapsid.org/mbd.html


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## Ratchet (Jul 22, 2009)

Red Earth Exotics said:


> uvb does not come from mice.
> 
> 
> uvb does not give them mbd



DUH UVb doesnt come from mice and thats not what i said...once again OUT OF CONTEXT...D3 comes from UVB and also comes from mice...NOT Ultra Violet rays come mice thats just stupid...the Vitamin D3 does...and too much d3 can contribute to D3...thanks DAve for the clarification


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## rrcoolj (Jul 22, 2009)

If you want really detailed and good study on uvb check out this sight

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.uvguide.co.uk/index.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.uvguide.co.uk/index.htm</a><!-- m -->

It will tell you everything you need to know and then some. I learned a ton!


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## Red Earth Exotics (Jul 22, 2009)

Ratchet said:


> UVB is provided through mice





say what you mean, mean what you say...


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## Ratchet (Jul 22, 2009)

Ratchet said:


> D3 coems from UVB...



first sentence...i made a mistake..sheesh...i meant D3


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## Red Earth Exotics (Jul 22, 2009)

i know that, but some people might not. that's why i said it was wrong. i would hate for some new guy to read that and then just feed mice and take away the uvb light. don't be so defensive.


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## GOT_TEGUS (Jul 22, 2009)

Red Earth Exotics said:


> i know that, but some people might not. that's why i said it was wrong. i would hate for some new guy to read that and then just feed mice and take away the uvb light. don't be so defensive.




awesome Guys :-D NOTE new members you need uvb/uva light to keep your tegu healthy and happy.


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## Toby_H (Jul 22, 2009)

According to Bobby Hill (Owner/Breeder of VarnYard Tegus) Vitamin D3 supplements are not an acceptable replacement for UVB : 

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rxhuuIcnTA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rxhuuIcnTA</a><!-- m -->

Be careful whose advice you trust


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## CaterpillarGiraffe (Jul 23, 2009)

Yeah, D3 isn't a substitute at all for UVB lighting, as Bobby has preaches 300 times. Some people still don't seem to understand it.

If you have an animal that say doesn't use UVB, like a Leopard Gecko. Never give D3 in it's calcium, because it's got no UVB to process it.


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