reflector or Hood<\/a> (click to see the price on Amazon) to reflect the light into the enclosure.<\/p>\nThe UV light that these bulbs emit has a tendency to run out before the actual bulb blows. Therefore it is recommended that you change these bulbs on a regular basis. As discussed earlier, if you’re using a T8 bulb this will need to be every six months. Or if you’re using a T5 bulb then this will be every 12 months.<\/p>\n
To make sure that your lizard gets the full benefit of these bulbs it’s important that you keep the correct distance between the lizard and the actual bulb. It is recommended that you maintain a distance of 6 to 8 inches for best results.<\/p>\n
In addition to the distance, you have to be careful about the materials that you place around it the bulbs. Because if you get it wrong, it will not be able to penetrate it. An example is plastic or glass.<\/p>\n
So it is important that you mount it in the enclosure so that the UV\u00a0 light can be passed on to your water dragon effectively.<\/p>\n
Mercury vapor bulbs<\/h3>\n These bulbs are ideal for large enclosures and they have the ability of emitting UVA and UVB rays. They can also provide heat as well as this lighting so they are like a two in one solution.<\/p>\n
The advantages of the mercury vapor bulbs is it can last a lot longer than the fluorescent bulbs, however, there are some debates that the level of UV rays is too intense for reptiles and shouldn’t be used.<\/p>\n
Others have argued and there are many lizard keepers who use Mercury vapor lighting without any issues and swear by it. So it depends on your views on this matter.<\/p>\n
If you do decide to go with the Mercury vapor bulbs it is a good idea to keep a good distance of at least 12 to 24 inches away from your lizard. Also, provide some good cool spots for them to move away from the intensity.<\/p>\n
The compact fluorescent bulb<\/h3>\n This bulb does everything similar to the fluorescent bulbs discussed earlier. However, it has some advantages and disadvantages, as you could imagine.<\/p>\n
Its advantages are it uses less energy than fluorescent lighting. However, they do not provide the same radius of heating because it is a very concentrated UV light.<\/p>\n
There are some concerns that the strength of the UV lighting is too intense for some lizards. Other concerns are it is likely that the bulbs will not last as long.<\/p>\n
They are also only really viable for small enclosures because they concentrate the heating into a very small area.<\/p>\n
Related Questions:<\/h2>\n Can Chinese water dragons be housed together?<\/strong> Yes, they can. However, you need to make sure that you get the group mix correct. They can share in small groups but is very important not to have more than one male in the enclosure. If you have more than one male, they will fight over territory.<\/p>\nWhat fruits can Chinese water dragons eat?<\/strong> They can eat a wide variety of fruits. Such as Melon (such as cantaloupe), blueberries, raspberries and more.<\/p>\nHow can you tell if a Chinese water dragon is male or female?<\/strong> There is a difference in their head size. Females have smaller heads than the male. Also, you can look at their jowls. Males tend to have bigger puffier sized jowls than females.<\/p>\nDo Chinese water dragons shed?<\/strong> Yes, they do shed. As they begin shedding you will notice a difference in their skin color. You should see it get a bit darker until they shed. They also tend to use water as a way to help the shedding process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you have considered getting a Chinese Water Dragon as a pet, then you should know by now that UVB lighting is an absolute must. The question is, which one? Let me explain. What is the best UVB Bulb for Chinese Water Dragon? The Zoo Med ReptiSun T5 Bulb (Click to see the price on […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":907,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Best UVB Bulb for Chinese Water Dragons? (What they really need) - Reptile Follower<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n