Your thoughts on UVb lighting and ponds ???

#1 (**permalink**) 11-16-2002, 09:19 AM

We are in the process of setting up a couple of [ dang I forgot what they are atm.. either RES or painteds UGH]..ANYWAYS... Setting them up in an aquaria set up with both land area and also a wet area. They are tiny ones .. about 2" carapaces basically. We got them from the Audobon society recently and set up the tank for them also. They stay in the water about 99.999999999999999999999% of the time....under water that is even. They seem to have no interest in coming outta the water much at all. Oh well whatever they want is fine with me, but land is available if they want it anyways.
I was setting up their UVB etc lighting over them and after doing such started contemplating the placement of the lighting for them even and what use it was actually going to be for them even. So here's the thing I have been wondering in regards to this..

[i]IF the turtles are staying under the water all the time..then how the heck are they going to benefit from having the lighting placed over their enclosure at all ? I would think that the UVB doesn't penetrate through the water just like it is lost coming through a window even. Anyone know what the case is with this at all ? Am I thinking correctly her eor not with that they will not benefit from UVB if they are spending all their time under the water. ? [ AND NO I am not contemplating forcing them to stay outta the water at all either atm] I was just wondering was all.
NOTE : The size on them is ok for us to have due to the education thing we do with the reptiles for those contemplating the 4" ruling [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img] ]
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BrianB · #2 (**permalink**) 11-16-2002, 09:47 AM

Almost all animals need UVB to create D3 to process calcium. The question is how much. Humans only need about ten minutes' exposure per day on the hands and face. Fast growing lizards need a lot more. Nocturnal animals much, much less (and there is ambient UV even at night.)

Calcium deficiencies are common in turtles, and it's suggested to put them out for some UV on a regular basis (careful not to cook them) or to provide a UVB light.

Here's a caresheet from Melissa Kaplan's site for RES:

http://www.anapsid.org/reslider.html
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#3 (**permalink**) 11-16-2002, 09:59 AM

[img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img] I know all about their needing it..and the calcium and vit d thing as well. my question was relative to the actual placement of the UVB over a pond of turtles and whether the UVB would actually get "through" the water to them or not [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
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JuliusSqueezer · #4 (**permalink**) 11-16-2002, 08:05 PM

They aren't fish Lori....they do come up for air...at which time they will get plenty of UVB if provided. But even still...I'm sure the water filters some but beaming straight down, it won't filter it all out. Proof of this is that aquatic plants have to have it to grow...and they grow quite well even submerged. WIndow glass seems to not allow much in mostly because of the angle that the sun hits it. If it hits the window directly at all, it doesn't hit it for very long. But a green house on the otherhand made of all glass allows in plenty of uvb. I don't think you have much to worry about. They will get plenty of benifit from the light. Artificial UVB though still may not be everything they need. A good supliment in the diet is still a good idea. The most common ailment of these turtles in captivity is avitaminosis....(vitamin A defeciency) early symptoms are apparent eye infection and resp infection.
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BrianB · #5 (**permalink**) 11-16-2002, 11:17 PM

Lori, that's what I was getting at with the different amounts for different animals thing: It's possible that they only need as much UV as they get when they poke their heads out of the water for air. Heck, I don't know if the UV gets through their shells or not. =)

Sorry I didn't make that clear last night, I was tired. =)
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Nyte · #6 (**permalink**) 11-18-2002, 05:24 PM

RES and Painted turtles do spend almost all of thier time in and under the water. They do come up for air when they need to, and will occasionally just kinda float there for a while. You may not notice this behavior until they get a little larger and more confident. Also, if a rock, log, or piece of flaoting bark is provided, with a basking light shining on it, they will readily bask when they want, which becomes more frequent with age, and the amount they eat. Depending on the size of the enclosure, I would try to have the uvb tube run alone the long way about the middle, so that most of the enclosure surcafe is in good range for the uvb emmissions. Friend of mine had an RES that at first he didn't provide a uvb tube, for the same thinking that the water would filter it out. Inside of a month the poor little guy had soft shell problems. Fortunatelly, it was corrected quickly. A good undergravel filter also does wonders with em. A few snails will keep the alqae managable. You could put some of the low, near to the bopttom plants, but be ready to replace them, the turtles may tear em up.

Hope that helps,
Brian
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Kohm · #7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2002, 05:45 PM

I think it should be fine. I have a couple of softshells turtles in a terrarium with no land area. I decided not to give them any after they weren't even basking, and it made things easier. They aren't having any problems despite being in the water all the time, either swimming or buried in the gravel.

But I have to ask...

I have a homalopsine in a tank with a persplex cover. She spends all her time in the 2 inches or so of water which covers the entire tank bottom, though there's plenty of dry rock and pot. I don't think spending her time in water will really influence her UVB intake, but I'm not so sure about the persplex cover. I'm afraid the persplex filters off the UVB so I slide the cover off partially and turn on a full-spectrum light for her a few hours a week. Is it enough? Should I give her light all the day, rather than just a few hours a week?
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