no uvb= dark gecko?

[jmlslayer]

to when i did not turn on my low output uvb bulb on my shtct they were very dark and bad looking since i turned the light on the are bright again has this happen to anyone else?

 

[xboxmember1978]

It does the same thing if you use florescent bulbs instead of regular incandescent. The skin of the leo doesn't actually change but its the way the light hits the colors and your eyes see them differently as it makes the illusion that the skin has actually changed when it hasn't


The only time I have ever noticed that light actually changes the leos skin color is when you take a leo outside and let real natural sunlight hit it.

 

[jmlslayer]

what i mean is when i take them out after being under the uvb they are bright but today they were very dark. cuz i did not turn the uvb on? so i turned the light on and 30 min. later i took them back out and they were bright again.

 

[xboxmember1978]

Huh, well I dont have any shtct's, so maybe that's why I haven't noticed it with my current 3 leo's.

However it kinda makes sense to me. The uv rays from the bulb is prolly doing it.

 

[jmlslayer]

so should i take off the light? or keep it on

 

[xboxmember1978]

UVB bulbs are not needed for leopard gecko's however it will not hurt them. I would just use the bulb until it burns out, then just grab a regular household bulb

 

[jmlslayer]

ok thanks

 

[Mel&Keith]

It may actually be the heat that's making them look brighter, not the light. If the temperature of our racks is low the tangerines and Albinos will get darker. If the temperatures stay warm, their colors stay brighter. If you can keep the warm side of the tank 92 degrees with the UTH, they should stay nice colors and you won't need the light.

 

[xboxmember1978]

If you can keep the warm side of the tank 92 degrees with the UTH, they should stay nice colors and you won't need the light.

However if the room that the gecko is in doesn't get enough natural sunlight then a light will still be needed. Normally you can tell if the room is bright enough cause your leos will hide most of the day and if they dont hide for a good % of the day then a light will still be needed to mimic the sun

 

[david13]

My geckos hide alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll day. That is very interesting about the light, i dont know

 

[jmlslayer]

my room is very dark and need light i have UTH on them also the uvb does not put off heat.

 

[SteveB]

However if the room that the gecko is in doesn't get enough natural sunlight then a light will still be needed. Normally you can tell if the room is bright enough cause your leos will hide most of the day and if they dont hide for a good % of the day then a light will still be needed to mimic the sun

Not really... think about how many people keep their geckos in a translucent plastic box with black walls on three sides, top, and bottom...

 

[xboxmember1978]

Not really... think about how many people keep their geckos in a translucent plastic box with black walls on three sides, top, and bottom...

It won't kill the gecko being kept in a dark location all the time, however it will not have the proper day/night cycle which can cause problems like not eating properly and who knows what other bad effects it might have. It's better to give advice to someone telling them to try to mimic a day and night cycle like I did then it is to tell someone its not important.

 

[jmlslayer]

hmmm you both have a point i will talk this over with my mentor:thinking2:

 

[Mel&Keith]

Having a light on in the room is fine but have a regular bulb over the tank is completely unnecessary. They just don't need a bright light over them all day to simulate a night and day cycle. But everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

 

[jmlslayer]

yes that is very true but i dont have household bulb i have a esu 2.0 super daylight bulb that has very low output of uvb

 

[xboxmember1978]

I will stick to my guns and still say what I said earlier. If the room is too dark throughout the day and you notice your leo's aren't hiding alot then do your best to mimic the day cycle with the use of bulbs is your best option in my opinion, however it will not kill your gecko if it doesnt have a proper day cycle though but since it isn't hard to mimic it, I would just do it

Jarrett, How much does your leo's hide throughout the day?

 

[SteveB]

It won't kill the gecko being kept in a dark location all the time, however it will not have the proper day/night cycle which can cause problems like not eating properly and who knows what other bad effects it might have. It's better to give advice to someone telling them to try to mimic a day and night cycle like I did then it is to tell someone its not important.

The simple fact is that tens of thousands of leopard geckos are kept and bred without overhead light and they are thriving. One of the reasons for that is that a rack system keeps temperatures far more consistent and provides far more security than a glass tank ever could.

Regardless, they certainly don't strictly regulate their activity level based on whether it is light or dark. Some would argue that leopard geckos are actually crepuscular, and not nocturnal. Barometric pressure and temperature could have just as much of an influence, if not more. But truly, a sense of security, proper temperatures, and proper humidity are far more important than light cycles.

Designing a naturalistic terrarium for leopard geckos is a wonderful way of maintaining an appreciation for these wonderful animals, but it is almost entirely unnecessary for their health.

 

[xboxmember1978]

I didnt say that an overhead light IS needed nor did I say that the light HAS to be bright infact I never said neither of those. The both of you are putting words in my mouth. All I basically said is that as long as the gecko knows when it's daytime and night time is actually the best advise to give. It doesnt matter what form of light the gecko gets(overhead,bedroom, natural) as long as it is enough. I have never heard of anyone saying it is ok to let your gecko be in the dark all the time.

Were not talking about putting a 300 watt bulb right on top of the tank, heck even a 50 watt bulb should work. I also never said anything about rack systems too

 

[jmlslayer]

they hide all day with the light on