When turtles are in the wild they receive an abundance of UV light. The benefits of lengthy ultraviolet exposure cannot be underestimated. In captivity you must also supply them with UV light as it is essential to proper growth and their overall health. Furthermore, UV light is vital for your turtle to produce Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is required to help your turtle absorb calcium. If they are unable to absorb enough calcium their bone and shell development will be stunted significantly. Many turtle owners, especially beginning turtle caregivers do not truly understand the importance of proper ultraviolet exposure.

Ultraviolet light is composed of both UVA and UVB rays. UVB is the primary light that your turtle requires. UVA light will assist your turtle in staying active and help it to digest its food. On the other hand, UVB light is required for the Vitamin D3 production which is why it is particularly important.

Since not all turtles and tortoises are the same, they may have different requirements for UV light to ensure proper Vitamin D3 production. This depends largely on whether they primarily eat plants or meat. Furthermore, its location in the world can also have an impact on their ultraviolet requirements. Its always best to check the individual requirements for your turtle, however the information contained in this article will give you a good general idea.

Many turtle caregivers make the mistake of having the UVB light travel through a sheet of glass before it touches the turtle. This will essentially render the UVB light useless. It is not even able to properly penetrate a screen. Some times it will be necessary for you to have a screen on the top of the cage to prevent your turtle from escaping. In this case use a screen with the largest possible openings. Basically, an unobstructed path will be necessary from the ultraviolet light source to your turtle. The light source should usually be placed within a foot of your turtle, however some high quality bulbs may be able to be placed further back. High quality bulbs will also have a better chance of penetrating
screen or glass, although this is not usually recommended.

It is not sufficient to purchase a UV bulb and expect that it will last for the life of your turtle. You will certainly need to replace it, usually this will be every six to twelve months. The length of time between replacements will depend largely on the quality of the bulb. The bulbs will not always completely stop working immediately, however their output will be reduced significantly over time. Therefore, you cannot rely on a visual inspection of the bulb to verify its output, you will merely have to replace it at regular intervals.

As mentioned earlier you will certainly have to research the needs of your particular turtle before purchasing a bulb. Different species may have different requirements for intensity and length of exposure.
bio = The Turtles Zone contains information about turtles care. Check out the turtles library for more specific care information.

View their website at: http://www.turtles-zone.com

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