UVB Lighting- An Absolute Essential For WTFS?

[Frogfeet123]

Like Ryan said, I've heard it's not necessary but is beneficial. I use one for mine. C

[LilyPad]

I used UVB lighting for my greys for the first 3 years that I had them. Over the summer, I switched to LED lighting instead and have seen absolutely no change in their behaviors. It leads me to believe that it's not really necessary and the supplements they get are sufficient for good health.

[teslas intern]

At the very least can we not do a poll on here for long term frog keepers and see who is using the UV lights, and how long their frogs are living?

[Lija]

Lol carlos, that's the best I can do

seriuosly though. For a tree frogs I wouldn't bother with uvb, unless for waxies, but uvb is used in treating MBD, in vet literature it's also reccomended that uvb to be used for 2-4 hours a day during a period of rapid growth for all very fast growing frogs (except albinos) as profilactic measure. My thinking is if to use proper food and it's properly supplemented UVB not needed for most frogs.

I'm using uvb in my zoo only for breeding cresties, agricolae and pyxie. Everybody else is just fine without UVB.

to be also noted to the best of my knowledge, UVB bulbs need to be replaced every 6 months.

[Mentat]

Sorry Lija; not trying to be a PITA . It's just that many persons make the most outrageous claims and pull a non-existing scientific reference out of thin air to back their statements. As a trained scientist (BS in Botany and MS in Phycology); find that very annoying .

You are breeding Pixies as in Geckoes or GABFs?

[Lija]

Carlos Lol it's ok sometimes that's how we find out the truth.

sry had to be more specific. I use uvb for pixie that I have one and only and he is not ever going to be breeding. My reasoning is they spend lots of time in a wild out in a open, and they do get lots of sunlight.
I use uvb for breeding cresties as well. I did my own little research on uvb for breeding geckos as there were fights going on message boards on if it's needed or not, it wasn't by any definition scientific research, but I did see substantial improvement in egg calcification and hatching rate, it was all proof I needed, im using it for a few years now, but only for a breeding pairs during their breeding season. Right now is a winter time in a basement, no uvb for anybody

[Mentat]

I added a small UVB tropical CF bulb on Duncan's (mini GABF) enclosure last Spring and after couple hours exposure he moved away from it and took cover under some silk plants. Moved light to corner farthest from his hanging off area and that appeared to be OK. He seems not to care about it being on or off a few hours every day .