hey ed - did you read my posts? i already made sure nuggular knew not to put a tank in the sun and that the turtle would need a fluorescent tube-type uv bulb. guess you read my mind! 8)
Dough!!!! I'm sorry. I must have read right over that part. My bad *keeps my nose in the snake forums*
I'll get right on that UVB bulb. I just hate how expensive they are. The vet told me that they run out of Good UV light after light 3 months and then they are useless. Cant they make one that last long enough to compisate for the money we pay for them. Does anyone know a good place to get a good price on UVB bulbs.
no way do they run out of good uv after only 3 months! i would definately change mine once a year but certainly not every 3 months! i've found that they are pretty much the same price everywhere (from about $17 - $25). get one that gives off 5% or 7% uva and uvb. the ones that only give off 2% or 3% are cheaper, but worthless.
Actually he's right the decay of the UVB bulbs is pretty insane. their output drops almost in half within the first 2 weeks of use. By 6 months they are totally trashed. Even the MV bulbs decay similarly. I am told the new bulbs by Westron are "Supposed" to keep for a year. My Zoomed bulbs are a streche to last 3 months before burnig out. Definately send in the warranty card with those.
you've got to be kidding me. i have NEVER heard of it going that quickly. usually people say to replace every 12 months. what a crock . . . definately still going to use them, but only cuz my little guys have to have them . . .
Yeah I was pretty shocked. This guy bob Mc cargar( i prolly butchered his name) Does all kinds of readings and measurements of UVB production from various bulbs. I was pretty ticked. I too had heard that you can change them every year I have heard that if your gonna use the MV lamps your actually better off using the 60W externally ballested bulbs. The big problem with the higher wattage internally ballasted bulbs is that the ballast fails in the bulb. I got my Zoomed ones and they raved how long lasting they were and withing 3 months they burned out all a day apart. I didnt send the warranty card in and when they went I contacted Zoomed told them I still had the bill of sale, and they pretty much told me in a polite way to pound sand since i didnt send in my warranty card. This time Im gonna try T-rex. I really want to try westron, but they are hard to come by. I think that guy Bob is affiliated with them in some way.
Nah you can get them on ebay for like 35-40. i also saw them on a site reptiledirect for 33-35.00 The westron ones are real close to the same price. If you buy them retail in a pet store yeah I've seen them here for 100. Online is the way to go with them.
i should have known - retail petstores are always insane. our local petstores sell puppies for $1000 which you can get for $300 from a breeder, bearded dragons for $90 which you can get from a breeder for $35, and corn snakes for $50 which you can get for $20 from a breeder. i would be afraid buying them online, though, that they would break during shipping. of course, the petstores have to have products shipped to them and most of it arrives okay. so do these mercury vapor bulbs have to have a special lamp or will they work in any heat lamp (as long it is okayed for the wattage)?
They work in a regular lamp socket. The bulbs are actually packaged very nicely. You would REALLY have to kick it around with the intent on breaking them to do some damage. They are packed tight in styrofoam. Mine were shipped ad had no problems. The short life is due to the high temps from the bulbs and the delicate ballasts inside them.
cool beans. well i've had some shipping problems in the past - when i got my viper gecko ravi i just knew he was dead inside the mangled, crushed box i recieved. somehow he was okay in there, but i was so upset. i used to have photos of the box (it was pathetic), but i don't know where they are. it even said, like 5 times, on the box "handle with care - live animal inside" and "this side up".
No Wonder. those are all UPS terms for Kick me hard and throw against the wall, and squish me into that tight space in the truck.lol I worked for ups at one time, I felt sorry for anyone getting packages from us.lol
