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Thread: New habitat lighting help

  1. #1

    Default New habitat lighting help

    I am trying to set up a habitat for a fire belly toad. I am very confused about what type of lighting to get. The lady at Petco tried to sell us a 100w uvb bulb with mini dome. I thought that sounded to high as the care sheet says low watt. I have done some research online but am finding conflicting info. Can someone please help. The light is the last thing we need before getting our frog. Some websites say no uvb lights others say yes please help.

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    100+ Post Member monster's Avatar
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    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    Hello and welcome to the forum, yes you are right that is a little bit overkill. And unfortunately yes lots of these people working in these big chain stores have absolutely no clue what they are talking about. You are also right that some people will say no uvb and others will yes. From my observations when I had them they were a lot more active and brighter colour when I gave them uvb lighting, I didn't always have it. if you choose to use uvb you don't need anything to strong, I just used a Zoo Med Repti-Sun 5.0. For the heat I used A 60 watt Zoo Med daylight bulb, it was one of the blue bulbs. My tank was a 29 gallon long so it was 3 feet long by 12 in x 12 in. The uvb bulb was a 2 foot bulb and i set it across the back on top of the screen and the heat more towards the front but placed dead centre on top of screen lid. The temps right under the bulb were 78f and off to the sides it was 75f to 74f. By placing it in the middle it gave them warm and cold parts in both the water and on land. I found they would bask under the light for abit then venture off to cooler parts. So all in all yes they are more cold tolerant then warm so I would say if you want to give them a basking site I would go any higher 78f but some people will go to 80f, 78f is just my preference. And then have a cooler part sitting in the mid 70's. You don't need a basking site either if don't want to and just keep the whole tank in the mid 70's, but they will hang out there if providing. And the uvb is also up to you, I would give them abit just because they are a bolder frog and are out in the open a lot, and I imagine in the wild they are exposed to some sort of sun during the day. But as long as your giving proper vitamins they wont die without it. Hope this helped abit.

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    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    Are you meaning a UVB100? Fire bellied toads are active during the day and bask. I have kept them with and without and they do much better with it. Remember a lot of online care sheets are bad or outdated. They will live without UVB or a basking spot but it's not the best husbandry, we can do better. The UVB100 (which is a 5% UVB, the lowest effective lamp when placed over screen) should be fine in most cases.

    There is a lot of conflicting information on many aspects of their care but I have found the books Amphibians in Captivity by Marc Staniszewski and Popular Amphibians by Philippe de Vosjoli to be good authorities. Here's some links that will help:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24810567
    http://www.exo-terra.com/en/explore/uv_rating_index.php
    http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/wp-co...belly-toad.jpg
    http://www.amphibian.co.uk/bombina.html
    Last edited by jasonm96; June 10th, 2016 at 02:29 PM.

  5. #4

    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    Yes the uvb100. I bought a reptisun uvb 5.0 yesterday and the lady told me I should have bought the reptisun uvb 150. Both are 13 watt bulbs. O can exchange the bulb I bough if needed

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    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    I use a 5% on a 12" tall tank but the toads can get closer than that to the bulb, distance between the light and the toads is probably around 9" and seems fine to me

  7. #6

    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    This is the bulb I bought with a mini dome. I just read on another thread on here not to use a reptile bulb but to use a bulb meant for freshwater fish. I am so confuse

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    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    They're wrong. That bulb should be fine. It's labelled as a reptile bulb but is also suitable for amphibians, but fish bulbs are not designed for this. I don't know much about fish lighting but I'm sure it's more for the plants and light cycles, but reptiles bulbs are designed to produce UVA and UVB, which most/some reptiles and amphibians need

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    100+ Post Member monster's Avatar
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    Default Re: New habitat lighting help

    I have made the mistake once of purchasing a fish bulb for FBT's when I had them and it lasted about half a day. They didn't seem to like it all, they just stayed hidden away from the light.

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