New Pac Man Frog Owner!

[GrifTheGreat]

I said never use a "heat" lamp, not a normal 25-50 watt lamp. I use a 11 watt CFL for my pac, and it actually throws a bit of heat.

I'm not bashing on your methods Royce. You can use heat lamps they are fine as long as you have a dimmer switch on the lamp. I use basking lamps with a concentrated beam of light during the day and infrared heat lamps at night. Fluorescents are bad for the frogs eyes because they are always bright and cannot be used with a dimmer switch. As long as you keep the soil moist and mist daily there will be no issue. Since they stay burrowed during the day they will not be harmed by the light. Especially if you have live plants or fake plants for cover. The instinctually will burrow away from the light. Although occationally they will burrow between the cool side and where the light shines down. And vice versa with the warm side and where the light shines. The frog will decide where it wants to be and whether it wants warmth or cool. As long as ther is a gradient all will be well. Plus it has the advantage of false sun light to help with their day night cycle.

[Poly]

I'm not bashing on your methods Royce. You can use heat lamps they are fine as long as you have a dimmer switch on the lamp. I use basking lamps with a concentrated beam of light during the day and infrared heat lamps at night. Fluorescents are bad for the frogs eyes because they are always bright and cannot be used with a dimmer switch. As long as you keep the soil moist and mist daily there will be no issue. Since they stay burrowed during the day they will not be harmed by the light. Especially if you have live plants or fake plants for cover. The instinctually will burrow away from the light. Although occationally they will burrow between the cool side and where the light shines down. And vice versa with the warm side and where the light shines. The frog will decide where it wants to be and whether it wants warmth or cool. As long as ther is a gradient all will be well. Plus it has the advantage of false sun light to help with their day night cycle.

That's what I mainly use my CFL's for, day & night cycle, and plant growth, but no one told me they could harm my frog's eyes!? I give them lots of plant cover, almost a canopy type thing, but the fact that CFL's may harm my frog has be a bit uneasy now. Can you recommend a good, low wattage incondescent? Can you get incondescent bulbs that will also stimulate plant growth? I'm currently using twin Sylvania 6500K CFL's.

Thanks for the info!

EDIT: I use 6500K's for my painted frog, pacman frog, toads, and soon to be tree frogs, hmm...

[GrifTheGreat]

That's what I mainly use my CFL's for, day & night cycle, and plant growth, but no one told me they could harm my frog's eyes!? I give them lots of plant cover, almost a canopy type thing, but the fact that CFL's may harm my frog has be a bit uneasy now. Can you recommend a good, low wattage incondescent? Can you get incondescent bulbs that will also stimulate plant growth? I'm currently using twin Sylvania 6500K CFL's.

Thanks for the info!

EDIT: I use 6500K's for my painted frog, pacman frog, toads, and soon to be tree frogs, hmm...

With a lot of shaded cover the lights probably won't do any harm. Fluorescents are always so bright especially those meant for plant growth. There are daylight blue bulbs available in incandescents. Exo terra makes one and I believe they also make a natural bulb. Ofcourse these are all UVA bulbs. A lot of people believe that its the UVA and UVB rays that damage the frogs eyes which is quite possible in much stronger brighter bulbs. If you are able to adjust the amount of light output coming from the bulb then there will be no issue. That's what hurts their eyes bulbs that are too bright. I don't have any links to post but I may be able to get names I believe the daylight bulb is actually called Daylight blue and the other is nature sun. I believe these both work well with plants. Ofcourse when it comes to plants fluorescents tend to do a better job. The daylight blue bulb does emmit farely decent heat as well as light. Its a white light. Stimulates plant growth. Look them up and see what one best suits you. Also its wouldn't hurt to buy a lamp with a dimmer switch as these bulbs release more heat than fluorescents and if you aren't having trouble keeping your frogs warm enough then these may make them too hot.

[Poly]

With a lot of shaded cover the lights probably won't do any harm. Fluorescents are always so bright especially those meant for plant growth. There are daylight blue bulbs available in incandescents. Exo terra makes one and I believe they also make a natural bulb. Ofcourse these are all UVA bulbs. A lot of people believe that its the UVA and UVB rays that damage the frogs eyes which is quite possible in much stronger brighter bulbs. If you are able to adjust the amount of light output coming from the bulb then there will be no issue. That's what hurts their eyes bulbs that are too bright. I don't have any links to post but I may be able to get names I believe the daylight bulb is actually called Daylight blue and the other is nature sun. I believe these both work well with plants. Ofcourse when it comes to plants fluorescents tend to do a better job. The daylight blue bulb does emmit farely decent heat as well as light. Its a white light. Stimulates plant growth. Look them up and see what one best suits you. Also its wouldn't hurt to buy a lamp with a dimmer switch as these bulbs release more heat than fluorescents and if you aren't having trouble keeping your frogs warm enough then these may make them too hot.

So, the short of the matter is, that CFLs are too bright and can harm the frogs eyes, incandescents emit UVA & UVB rays which can also harm frogs eyes, and they don't provide good plant growth... dam*ed if I do, and dam*ed if I don't...

I DO NOT want bulbs that emit heat OR UVA & B rays, but I want a bulb that won't harm my frog's and slamanaders eyes. I seen a thread in which John posted about how 6500K lights are fine for amphibains, but I can't seem to find it now.

I don't want to "probably not do any harm" I want to make sure they are NOT harmed, but either way I look at it, the CFL's are too bright, and even if you dim the incandescents, they emit UVA & UVB rays.

So, if I provide a natural, forest type canopy of plants, theoritically it's the same difference with the full "sun" colour sprectum CFL's as it would to have sunlight shining directly on the tank?

Is their a light you know of that does not harm their eyes, emit UVA or UVB rays or heat but stimulates plant growth? Zoo-Med & Exo-Terra make the Repti-Glo and Repti-Sun in CFL's adn full size flourescents and they are supposed to be safe for amphibians (only the 2.0 and nature sun bulbs), and the 6500K's are supposed to be the same as these bulbs, so now I'm confused and worried...

[GrifTheGreat]

So, the short of the matter is, that CFLs are too bright and can harm the frogs eyes, incandescents emit UVA & UVB rays which can also harm frogs eyes, and they don't provide good plant growth... dam*ed if I do, and dam*ed if I don't...

I DO NOT want bulbs that emit heat OR UVA & B rays, but I want a bulb that won't harm my frog's and slamanaders eyes. I seen a thread in which John posted about how 6500K lights are fine for amphibains, but I can't seem to find it now.

I don't want to "probably not do any harm" I want to make sure they are NOT harmed, but either way I look at it, the CFL's are too bright, and even if you dim the incandescents, they emit UVA & UVB rays.

So, if I provide a natural, forest type canopy of plants, theoritically it's the same difference with the full "sun" colour sprectum CFL's as it would to have sunlight shining directly on the tank?

Is their a light you know of that does not harm their eyes, emit UVA or UVB rays or heat but stimulates plant growth? Zoo-Med & Exo-Terra make the Repti-Glo and Repti-Sun in CFL's adn full size flourescents and they are supposed to be safe for amphibians (only the 2.0 and nature sun bulbs), and the 6500K's are supposed to be the same as these bulbs, so now I'm confused and worried...

They all say safe for amphibians that have full spectrum light. Fluorescents say the same and have full spectrum. Your lights are bright and as I said with as much plant cover as you say you have there is no need to change bulbs. UVA is in sun light as well as UVB. They aren't exsposed to much in the wild since they hide during the day. They do benefit from about 4 to 6 hours of full spectru light and UVB. UVB doesn't harm their eyes it stimulates the natural production of vitamin D3 in their body which is why the benefit from being exposed to it for limited hours during the day as well as UVA. You aren't damned if you do or don't. Info on what lights are best to use is sparse and contradictory unless you as people who use lights that I use and have no issues. I use UVA heat bulbs that are 50 watts and have no problems. They aren't too bright and don't harm their eyes. If they were recieveing eye damage from them it would have shown by now. Don't panic. You haven't had any issues yet have you?

[Poly]

They all say safe for amphibians that have full spectrum light. Fluorescents say the same and have full spectrum. Your lights are bright and as I said with as much plant cover as you say you have there is no need to change bulbs. UVA is in sun light as well as UVB. They aren't exsposed to much in the wild since they hide during the day. They do benefit from about 4 to 6 hours of full spectru light and UVB. UVB doesn't harm their eyes it stimulates the natural production of vitamin D3 in their body which is why the benefit from being exposed to it for limited hours during the day as well as UVA. You aren't damned if you do or don't. Info on what lights are best to use is sparse and contradictory unless you as people who use lights that I use and have no issues. I use UVA heat bulbs that are 50 watts and have no problems. They aren't too bright and don't harm their eyes. If they were recieveing eye damage from them it would have shown by now. Don't panic. You haven't had any issues yet have you?

Well, I plan on using the 6500K light for salamanders, but they stay hidden during the day so it shouldn't matter for them. It'll just keep the moss and plants growing good

But, I generally have heavily planted vivs for my frogs or I provide them with many spaces to hide. I haven't had any issues, but certainly don't want to! I like the idea of these low watt, blue incandescents, but they don't stimulate plant growth, which will not work in a planted viv!

[GrifTheGreat]

Well, I plan on using the 6500K light for salamanders, but they stay hidden during the day so it shouldn't matter for them. It'll just keep the moss and plants growing good

But, I generally have heavily planted vivs for my frogs or I provide them with many spaces to hide. I haven't had any issues, but certainly don't want to! I like the idea of these low watt, blue incandescents, but they don't stimulate plant growth, which will not work in a planted viv!

Is it because the wattage is too low? I had and incandescent daylight blue that stimulated plant growth. That's weird that those don't. That's what full spectrum light is for.