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UV light in reptiles is the primary source of Also if you are using a live planted enclosure
vitamin D3 which is required in order for them you will mostly likely see more sustainable and
to absorb and use Calcium. Lack of the correct improved plant growth.
levels of D3 can result in conditions such as
Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD).
FIGURE 2 – An example of a HO T5 Lamp from Arcadia
Visible Light or the midrange speakers of the hi-
fi system:
FIGURE 3 – An example of a GU10 LED lamp
Most people would argue that providing a light Infrared or the subwoofer speaker of the hi-fi
emitting basking lamp along with the visible system:
light emitted from the UV source would class
as the ‘visible light’ element required. That is This part of the spectrum is not visible to the
partially correct but it only provides part of the human eye but is vitally important. Infra-red is
visible light spectrum (depending on the lamp known to have healing and medicinal properties
used). For example standard tungsten halogen which is why it is used in both human and animal
lamps usually produce around 2700-3000K which medicines to aid and speed up the healing
is down towards the red light scale end of visible process. In the case of keeping reptiles most
light. T5 tubes generally speaking sit around tungsten based halogen lamps along with the
7000K+ which is at the very blue/white end. So purposely developed Deep Heat Projector lamps
what about the bit in the middle? These tend from Arcadia will emit the correct infrared wave
to get forgotten or disregarded, but there are lengths. These are the real work horses when it
simple and effective ways to include these. By comes to warming your animals up. It’s these
using a selection of LED lamps of various colours wave lengths that penetrate the skin and warms
spread across the remainder of the visible light the animal up from inside. The same feeling you
spectrum you can fill this gap. get when your sun bathing on a beach and you
start to have that warm tingly feeling, that’s the
From my own personal experiences, and hearing infra red penetrating your skin.
the same from others, getting this part of the
full spectrum right can have huge positive What’s also important with this element of
impacts on the activity levels of your animals. the spectrum is to have an object with a large
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