Are compact fluorescents bad for your Gecko?

msebar

New Member
Messages
81
Location
Lake Worth, Florida
Are compact fluorescents or regular fluorescents bad for your Gecko? The ones you use for your fish tanks. I was going to use a double 24" being its a 90g tank and replace the white bulbs with black ones.

I read in one post that fluorescents are bad.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

lillith

lillith's leo lovables
Messages
1,923
Location
Land of the Rain and Trees, WA
Under tank heaters are the way to go. They're just about as efficient, and leos prefer not to have overhead light. If it's on in the same room with them, it won't hurt them, just don't keep it on 24 hours a day.
 

T-ReXx

Uroplatus Fanatic
Messages
1,745
Location
Buffalo, NY
I've been using CF lighting for my arboreal species for years. As long as you don't use too high a wattage they are fine as a lighting source. As mentioned, leopard geckos don't require any lighting, but if you just want to light the tank during the day low wattage flouresents are fine, just be sure to use a timer so the animal gets 12 hours of darkness as well as use an UTH/heat tape on a thermostat for a heat source.
 

msebar

New Member
Messages
81
Location
Lake Worth, Florida
I have 2 strips of 2 24" bulbs in each. I was going to use the white ones only when I work on the tank. These white lights are about 5 or so years old so there not the brightest anymore. The other strip I was going to add 2 black bulbs for night viewing. I would use red or midnight blue but I can't find 24" florescents. The blacks I found for 11.00 each.

Well after writing that above I had a vision ( my light bulb went on) LOL.

With the strips on top, I would have to remove them to remove the screen to feed and change water. This will be a PITA

So my solution is:

I found a lamp stand that would attach to the underside of the tank in back that will go up to 39" high. That is more then I need to be able to remove the screen without touching the lights. I also found some benefits, the strips will use 40 watts total where the compact florescents will use 13 or 23 watts depending on which one I get. For the day light I will just turn on the house lights. (DA)

I was trying to use what I had instead of spending more money. Also I was not a fan of leaving a light dome on top of the screen for the cat to knock over. For the extra $20.00 it's well worth not having to remove the hoods each time I feed and take a chance of the cat knocking it off.

Thanks
 

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