That Reptile Blog – Reptile, Amphibian and Exotic Pet Care and Information

Recently I wrote about some exciting information that has recently come to light concerning the effectiveness of Zoo Med UVB lamps (please see my article Product Review: The Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 High Output UVB Lamp and 5.0 UVB Lamp, Part I and Part II for further information).

One drawback inherent in all UVB lamps (bulbs) is the fact that the lamp will continue to burn brightly long after its UVB output has declined or even ceased.  To further complicate matters, the effective life varies from model to model, and among different manufacturer’s lamps.

Zoo Med has recently introduced a service wherein customers are reminded of lamp replacement dates via email.  Lamp purchasers register the purchase date, model, terrarium type and species kept…based upon this information, the company determines the ideal time to replace the lamp and sends an email notice as that time approaches.  Advances in technology that affect lamp life will be incorporated into the system.

A tip: if you have a large collection, you may wish to invest in a small UVB meter.  UVB output and useful life can vary even among lamps manufactured by the same company.  Actually monitoring UVB production will allow you, in some cases, to leave a lamp in place after its usual expiration date.  Also, once UVB output has declined, you can move the lamp to a situation where it can be placed closer to a basking site or perhaps use it for a species that has lower UVB requirements.

You can read about Zoo Med’s new program at:

http://zoomed.com/Join/UVBSignup.php

Note:  Please see my article Product Review: Gel Based Water Sources for House Crickets for additional information on cricket-keeping.

According to studies carried out at the Bronx Zoo, house crickets, Acheta domestica, should be allowed to feed for at least 48 hours before themselves being offered to captive reptiles and amphibians as a dietary item.  This time period allows the crickets to absorb nutrients that will, ideally, offset their naturally poor ratio of calcium to phosphorus (which should, in most situations, be 2:1).

Feeding Crickets

Chick laying mash, trout chow and baby cereal can all be fed to crickets, but none are formulated specifically for these insects, and each has disadvantages.  When feeding crickets in public collections or at home, I now rely exclusively upon commercial cricket foods.  The following products are all very well-accepted by these perpetually hungry little beasts, and the nutritional profiles of the diets (including calcium content) are based on the latest available research:

Ziegler Monster High Calcium Cricket Food

Orange Cube Cricket Food

R-Zilla Gutload Cricket Supplement

Dietary Supplements

As has always been my practice, I add a bit of Tetra-Min Flake Fish Food to the commercial cricket foods.  Both are consumed ravenously, and the wide variety of ingredients in the flakes helps assure that the crickets are receiving a healthful diet.

In addition, I add to their diets the powdery residue left at the bottom of oatmeal, wheat germ, nut and whole grain cereal containers.  Oranges, yams, kale, carrots and other fruits and vegetables should also be provided on occasion, but only in amounts that are consumed quickly, lest mold develop.

The house cricket is something of an insect oddity…at once both an adaptable, widely introduced species and a somewhat delicate captive.  Native to southwestern Asia, it fares poorly in the damp conditions favored by field crickets and other North American species.

Providing a Water Source: the advantages of gels

House crickets will not survive long in damp conditions, but they do need to drink quite a bit of water, and herein lays the main problem in keeping them.

The crickets drown rapidly in standing water, and cotton or gravel-filled bowls foul quickly.  Stagnant water, and mold on damp sponges or oranges (2 other common methods of providing water) supports bacteria that seems, for reasons not completely understood, to rapidly decimate cricket colonies.  Misting the colony, a useful technique as regard many insects, is worse, and again will result in heavy losses.

The advent of gel-based cricket water substitutes is one of the most important recent innovations in food animal maintenance.  These products save time and money by cutting down on losses.  More importantly, crickets that live longer have improved chances of consuming a nutritious diet, and thus are themselves a more valuable pet food.

I use Cricket Drink and R-Zilla Cricket Calcium Drink Supplement exclusively.  Both are fortified with calcium and other nutrients, and are readily consumed by crickets.  No other water source is necessary.  Millipedes and sow bugs will also feed upon these gel cubes, and they would be well-worth trying on scorpions and tarantulas.

A Warning: Condensation

Even when fruit and standing water is dispensed with, be sure to guard against condensation buildup.  This occurs most frequently in crowded enclosures, and will wipe out your colony in short order.  Adequate ventilation and roomy holding containers are of key importance in avoiding damp conditions.

Next time I’ll review some commercial cricket diets.  Please write in with your own tips for keeping crickets and other food animals.

You can read about the natural history of the house cricket here.

Last time I reported on the Staten Islands Zoo’s use of the Zoo Med 10.0 High Output UVB Lamp (Please see Part I of this article). Today I’d like to provide some specifics concerning tests carried out there.

Test Results
The UVB output readings recorded at the Staten Island Zoo are as follows (note: measurements are expressed in microwatts per centimeter squared, the standard for measuring UVB output):

Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 High Output UVB Lamp

Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB Lamp

As you can see, the basking site’s distance from the lamp has a major impact upon UVB exposure, as does the screen cover’s deflection of light rays. With a bit of creativity, basking spots within 6 inches of the lamp can be arranged in most situations, and this is certainly the way to go for many species. Where safe to do so, dispensing with the screen cover is another option.

Using a Separate Basking Enclosure
If a 6-inch basking site or uncovered top are not feasible in your pet’s terrarium, consider the possibility of utilizing a separate basking enclosure for a few hours each day. When keeping young radiated and star tortoises in high-topped zoo exhibits, where adequate UVB exposure was not possible, I rotated the animals into a low, uncovered container every day or so, and achieved excellent results.

If you go this route, be sure to keep your pet’s individual needs and temperament in mind. For example, a simple, open container that might suit a Greek tortoise would likely cause a good deal stress to a flat-rock lizard. High strung or secretive animals must be made to feel secure in the basking enclosure, or you may do more harm than good.

Reflectors and UVB Output
The group UV Guide UK has found that simply mounting the lamp within a metal reflector nearly doubles the UVB light that is available to basking animals. In addition to focusing all of the lamp’s light into the terrarium, I imagine that the reflector also helps by deflecting back some of the light that has bounced off screen tops or other structures.

An informative article on the role of UVB and basking behavior in Vitamin D synthesis is posted at:
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/vitdpathway.htm

We have learned a great deal about the Ultraviolet B (UVB) light requirements of reptiles in recent years. However, the actual process of providing our pets with UVB of the correct wavelength (290-315 nanometers) remains fraught with confusion.

While helping to set up the new reptile house at New York City’s Staten Island Zoo (former stomping grounds of famed herpetologist Carl Kauffeld), I spoke with several pioneering researchers in the field of reptile UVB requirements, and have since monitored the building’s exhibits.

Recent Tests at the Staten Island Zoo
Recently, the zoo’s reptile keepers ran some tests in order to measure the UVB output of fluorescent lamps (bulbs) used in some of the exhibits and holding cages. While mercury vapor lamps often provide more UVB over a greater range, they are sometimes unsuitable for small cages, or for use with certain species. This study focused on fluorescent lamps, which are commonly used by pet keepers as well.

Using a UVB meter, the staff found that the Zoo Med Reptisun 10.0 High Output UVB Lamp provided high levels of UVB, with the Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UVB Lamp being valuable in some situations as well.

Earlier Research on Zoo Med Lamps
I did a bit of research, and learned that a group known as UV Guide UK (please see below) had earlier cited research showing that the Reptisun 5.0 (the 10.0 was not tested) scored highest of all fluorescent tubes in what is known as the D3 Index (the projected ability of lamp to foster Vitamin D synthesis). UV Guide UK also found that the Zoo Med 10.0 and 5.0 lamps lead other fluorescents in UVB output.

Zoo Med Lamps on Lizard Exhibits
The Staten Island Zoo currently uses the Zoo Med 10.0 High Output UVB Lamp with a number of lizards, including such sensitive species as the crevice spiny swift (Sceloporus poinsetti) and the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum).

Check out the specifics of the UVB output readings recorded at the zoo, and take a look at a simple method of increasing the output of any UVB lamp at part II of this article.

You can read more about the work of UV Guide UK, including the tests mentioned, at the following site (Note: the original tests were in 2005…the Zoo Med Lamps have been upgraded in the interim).