Using after replaced

[beardie_love]

I heard that tube uv's lose about 50% of their uv output after...6-12 months of use? If that's the case... Say you're using a Repti-Sun 10.0. When you need to replace it after 6-9 months, could you use it (now it has '5% uvb'?) for tropical reptiles?

Just a thought.

I thought about this months ago, before I replaced Charlie's Repti-Glo 8.0 with the Repti-Sun 10.0. I have been using the remaining uvb (now it should be 50% left of the 8.0) for my sister's aquatic turtles.

What's your opinion?

 

[Craiger]

I only use my old UVBs as a secondary source of UVB in the same light fixture as the new one (as they're all double lamp fixtures). They could be used for growing indoor plants, too, but I don't know that I'd use them on any reptiles that require UVB as a primary source. I used to have a couple water turtles. It's just as important to be using the UVB just as you would for our beardies. Their shell (as well as their bones) require this. Otherwise, they're susceptible to what's known as "soft shell"...which can be deadly.

I'm not sure if there's a difference in the needs between a "tropical turtle" and that of a native turtle to the U.S. (such as a red-eared slider), but I think I'd rather error on the side of caution.