More nubie questions..... Lighting and stats

[Dan0263]

Is a light for during the day on my viv a must or down to personal preference? do I need a UV - some reptiles do I think, but no sure about amphibians?
Pulse stats, micro stats - there are loads. What's best?
I've looked at the magical eye 1's that switch temp for night time, but they where getting bad reviews regarding the sensor. What type are people using?

Cheers

[jasonm96]

Hi dan

Of all the millions of horned frogs kept, most are probably kept without a UVB light and they do well as UVB is not in the husbandry of most books on horned frogs or general information. Because horned frogs have a wild diet that includes a lot or solely vertebrates ( C. Cornuta feeds on frogs) D3 can provided by the diet as D3 is in the liver of vertebrates. It's unknown if they will partly use UVB and until studies are done on this species any suggestions that it is necessary in this species is anecdotal. It is a good idea to use a UVB for non albinos if you can provide plenty of plant cover and shelters as a this will work as a back up should you by mistake not supplement enough with D3. Many brands that sell UVB lights are claiming that they need it but their opinions are biased. Small frogs like dart frogs, fire bellied toads, most true ranid frogs and many small and large tree frogs frogs should be provided with UVB because they are mostly insectivores or high baskers. You will need to provide your frog with a day and night cycle, though.

Pulse thermostats are best with heat mats and you can place the probe under the substrate on top of heat mat. You can also use the day/night pulse ones with a ceramic heat emitter. The dimming the are the only suitable to use with bulbs. The probes are bulky and annoying in most thermostats.

[Dan0263]

What's the best setup for lights on a day and night cycle? And as above, are the day night/stats reliable/do they work ok?

Cheers

[jasonm96]

Most people just use a 12:12 day and night cycle by connecting the lights into a plug timer. If you're using a day light heat lamp and the room is not too dark then this will do, otherwise a UVB or daylight tube made for reptiles. You can also use LEDs. The microclimate day and night thermostats are annoying as they have a light sensor on the box which you need to place in a bright position. So if your room is not light well or the natural daylight reduces in winter then so will the hours of heat. Habistat do one with a light sensor on a cable so you can put this in your viv to sense the internal lighting. I think digital ones don't need a light sensor and it's just programmed. If you're using a mat then you don't need day/night ones but any radiant heater that you'll be using 24/7 will

[Dan0263]

Most people just use a 12:12 day and night cycle by connecting the lights into a plug timer. If you're using a day light heat lamp and the room is not too dark then this will do, otherwise a UVB or daylight tube made for reptiles. You can also use LEDs. The microclimate day and night thermostats are annoying as they have a light sensor on the box which you need to place in a bright position. So if your room is not light well or the natural daylight reduces in winter then so will the hours of heat. Habistat do one with a light sensor on a cable so you can put this in your viv to sense the internal lighting. I think digital ones don't need a light sensor and it's just programmed. If you're using a mat then you don't need day/night ones but any radiant heater that you'll be using 24/7 will

Cheers for the help. I've got more to think about than I initially thought and more kit to buy by the look of things...

[jasonm96]

You could get this

http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/zoo-med...ibian-kit.html
http://www.exotic-pets.co.uk/zoo-med...ome-combo.html

then a day and night zoomed daylight heat bulbs, around blue bulb 40-60w for day and 25w-40w dark purple or red at night or use the nocturnal bulb 24/7 connected to day/night thermostat and compact UVB in the other socket

easy and cheap solution