UVB help and Powercut help

[davobmx]

Hey guys few questions.

I recently had a power cut and was wondering what's the longest (safe time ) reptiles can be left at room temp around 22' for without any issues and whats ur back up plan for when this happens.

Also I heard some info the other day that interested me, I have always used UVB for my beardie but I was told that it's not nessecary for adults and protein supplements are enough.

What are your opinions?

 

[user 30368]

i beleive your power would need to be out for at lease a week for there to be an issue. In the wild they dont get 12 hours of heat and sun per day. You can nevr predict a cloudy or rainy day. So if your power went out for 24 hours, i wouldn't stress. (the old me would be on here crying and and begging for help)
But i have learnt a few hours of room temp is nothing to bat an eye lid about.

As for UV, i was alway informed that a dragon needs both UVA and UVB rays along with heat. I provide this for mine plus the calcium/vitamin powder. I know there is a lot of debate over what rays dragons need - but i just stick to what works for me. My dragon is growing and feeding well. So i must be doing something right!

 

[davobmx]

Cheers mate, yeh i have been havin trouble with my UVB bulbs latly but il probs just buy a solar glo bulb

 

[user 30368]

I use the repti-glow 10.0 for my dragon. Has both a high output of UVA and UVB.
I didn't know weather to crank it up when she's older and get a MVB. I have one for my bobtail and they pump out UVA, UVB and heat. Its like the sun is in my spare room

 

[Bluetongue1]

I have little doubt that they can do without power longer than you can. Nothing to worry about if you ask me. Just the equivalent of a spate of cold weather in nature and we all know how chilly that can get.

UVB has nothing to do with protein. UVB light allows dragons to photosynthesis Pre-vitamin D in their skin (from a form of cholesterol). This is then stored in the liver until needed, where it is converted into active Vitamin D. Vitamin D is required by the body to allow it to metabolise (i.e. use) calcium. It is needed for the uptake of calcium from the gut following digestion. It is needed for the incorporation of calcium into bones to strengthen them. It is needed for the utilisation of calcium in the transmission of nerve impulses. It is needed for the role of calcium in muscle contraction. The list goes on.... Calcium is a critical mineral in a whole range of metabolic processes. The level of calcium needs to be kept relatively constant in the blood for normal functioning of the body. This is why animals suffering from a lack of calcium take it out of storage from their bones.

Insufficient calcium in the diet or a lack of exposure to sufficient UVB and therefore insufficient vitamin D, can ultimately result in the condition known as Metabolic Bone Disorder (MBD). There are other causes, such as faulty kidneys that excrete too much calcium.

Iguanas are similar to dragons in that they derive most of their vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. Some initial experiments have indicated that dietary supplements of vitamin D can be successfully substituted for exposure to UVB, given adequate dietary intake of calcium. The experiment involved only Green Iguanas and several died for unknown reasons during the trials. So given that adult Bearded Dragons have fully formed bones, it may well be possible to substitute their UVB exposure for dietary supplements of vitamin D. Unfortunately, I am not aware of anyone who has run a controlled experiment to that effect. If anyone else is, I would dearly like to hear about it.

Blue