UV Light for Reptiles and Frogs SOFARUV光的爬行动物和青蛙至今.pptVIP

UV Light for Reptiles and Frogs Dr Amisha Patel Sugarloaf Animal Hospital Todays Talk 1) Why is UV light important? 2) How to provide UV light 3) Where to get reliable information 4) Summary 1) Why is UV Light Important? What is UV Light? UV light is confusing – what are the different types?! Important: UV -A and UV -B UV UV -A: responsible for normal behaviours such as feeding, basking, mating etc UV -B: synthesis of Vitamin D which helps to process calcium (UV -C: harmful)? Why is UV Important? General wellbeing and normal behaviour Feeding, mating, daily routines, growth, immune function Important for muscles, blood, bones and every other process in the body! Vitamin D conversion allows proper absorption and metabolism of calcium How Does is Work? UV light → skin → vitamin D synthesis → increased calcium absorption from diet Complex interplay between calcium, Vitamin D, various organs and hormones! And if we dont get it right? (Assuming that nutrition and temperature are perfect....)? Too little AND too much UV? Brittle bones or softening of bones → fractures Swollen limbs, soft swollen jaws Constipation Stop eating and emaciation Partial paralysis Tremors/twitching Turtles – soft shells Burns, blindness, cancer, infections Generalisations Snakes: require UV-B but not high requirements (natural diet of whole prey has high levels of calcium and vitamin D)? Amphibians also do not seem to require UV-B Anecdotal evidence of improvement from exposure Diamond pythons, lizards and turtles require UV-B ALL SPECIES REQUIRE UV-A 2) How to Provide UV Light Source 1) Sunlight 2) Fluorescent light bulbs Species dependent – 1-2 hours per day Sunlight Best form Dont expose during hottest parts of day Ensure they have a cool, shady area to retreat to Need natural unfiltered sunlight Fluorescent Light Bulbs Heat source should be separate from UV light source, but at the same end of the enclosure Glass and plastic filter out 95% UV-B rays Bulb must be ke