Res and similar turtles bask to absorb warmth and vital uv rays.
Red eared slider uvb lamp.
You can also use heat producing mercury vapor bulbs.
Your tank will need to be large enough for them to swim and exercise as well as have plenty of areas where your turtle can bask and dry off.
Turtles need uvb light.
Uvb rays are not in the visible light spectrum and uvb bulbs will continue to emit light after they have stopped emitting uvb.
Uvb light bulbs need to be changed every 6 months and can be tested using these test cards.
They need it to warm up dry their shell and to soak up uv rays.
Proper lighting is crucial for a captive yellow bellied slider turtle s health.
Red eared slider turtle uv light learn about proper uv lighting and slider turtle basking lamp options.
Vitamin d3 can be naturally produced by a turtle s skin when exposed to sunlight.
For indoor setups most turtle keepers provide uva and uvb through special fluorescent bulbs.
Since uvb is a necessary element for red ear sliders special bulbs are required to provide them.
Uvb light is key component in the production of vitamin d3 which is vital for a red eared slider s calcium metabolism.
The uvb rays should not have a barrier between them and your turtle.
The red eared slider also called the red eared terrapin is an american breed of turtles widely spread across the usa and is quickly becoming an invasive species in many parts of the world it is also the most popular breed of pet turtle in the us and is widely kept as pet around the world.
There are several other ways for red eared sliders to obtain vitamin d3.
While most common light sources offer a usable amount of uva by design they filter or do not emit uvb.
Glass acrylic and plastic block uvb while screens with grids under 1 2 can obstruct a good portion of uvb rays.
Also note that fluorescent bulbs need to be replaced about every 6 to 10 months.
Yellow bellied slider turtles spend a good deal of time in basking spots which for captives must stay at the correct.
Red eared slider turtles are a semi aquatic species so they will usually spend an equal amount of their time both in and out of the water.
This is even more critical for semi aquatic species of turtles such as red eared sliders and painted turtles which live around 75 of their lives in the water.
They also need replacement every 6 10 months.
The uvb providing protion of the light bulb has a shorter lifespan and will fail before other elements of the bulb.
Staying in the water too long can also increase the chance of turtles contracting shell rot.
When paired with a basking light provides heat these combination lights satisfy your red eared slider s heat and lighting requirements.
That doesn t mean you should keep a light on for him all night but it should be on for part of that time.
