The sun ensures perfect living conditions in the natural habitat of our reptiles. Cold-blooded animals not only need the warmth to raise their body temperature, but also often very bright visible light and the important UVB radiation.

Modern UVB metal halide lamps have been developed to meet exactly these 3 requirements:

  1.     UVB radiation to ensure vital vitamin D3 production
  2.     Bright, visible light (up to over 100,000 lux) to increase the well-being of our animals
  3.     Radiant heat like the sun to raise the body temperature and - also - to produce vitamin D3


These UVB MH or HQI lamps are ideally suited to ensure the health and well-being of our terrarium animals. Vitamin D3 is produced by UVB radiation in the top layers of the skin. Strictly speaking, this creates preliminary products that are then converted into vitamin D3 through heat. The plasma calcium level rises and bones can grow or egg shells can be formed. Diseases like rickets (softening of the bones) are prevented. If there is no UVB radiation, the animals have to take the calcium from their bones - this weakens the animal and makes it sick.

How does the technology behind it work?
A gas mixture is ignited in a glass flask. The electronical ballast does this with a very strong starting current. This gas plasma then emits UV light and visible light. A coating on the front glass ensures that only the desired radiation spectrum emerges from the lamp. This also creates UVA light, which many reptiles can even see.

After approx. 3500 hours of operation, however, the UVB component of the radiation drops so much that it makes sense to replace the light source.

Summary:
Reptiles need UVB light and thermal radiation in the terrarium - both are important for vitamin D3 synthesis. The lighting should also emit a bright, natural light in the visible range.
Modern high-pressure gas discharge lamps provide all of this.