In this video, I dive into the they types of basking lights needed for a Red-Eared Slider. While the focus of this video is on lighting for Red-Eared Slider turtles, these requirements are the same for most other types of aquatic turtles including painted turtles, diamondback terrapins, map turtles, yellow-bellied slider, etc.
What type of lighting is needed for a Red-Eared Slider?
A Red-Eared Slider requires two types of UV light, UVA and UVB. UVA rays help stimulate their appetite, regulate day/night cycle, promotes activity, and reduces stress. On the other hand, UVB light helps a Red-Eared Slider synthesize vitamin D3. This is extremely important, because Red-Eared Sliders need vitamin D3 in order to metabolize calcium, which is needed for their shells, overall bone health, and much more. UVB light also helps support their immune system and helps with digestion.
It's important to note that Red-Eared Sliders require lights that are specifically made for reptiles, as household lamps do not emit the UVA and UVB rays that they need.
What temperature should a Red-Eared Slider’s lights be?
Red-Eared Sliders also need light that is able to produce heat. You want the light to be able to produce a basking temperature that is around 90 to 95 degrees fahrenheight. Usually, a UVA bulb is able to produce this heat, but if it doesn’t, you will need to separately get a heat lamp for your Red-Eared Slider.
What type of light bulbs should you get for a Red-Eared Slider turtle?
There are two main types of Red-Eared Slider lights that provide the required UVA and UVB rays. The first option is to get a light fixture with two sockets, which allows you to put a UVA bulb in one socket, and a UVB bulb in the other.
The other option is to get a combination light, which consists of one bulb that emits both UVA and UVB light. These lights tend to be a bit cheaper, and it is easier to position the basking light.
When choosing a UVB light for a Red-Eared Slider, its very important that you confirm that the light actually emits UVB rays. There are a lot of cheap bulbs on amazon that claim to emit both UVA and UVB light, but they usually emit very little UVB or no UVB at all. For this reason, you should always check the reviews to see if anyone mentions the UVB output. There are also UVB testing cards you can get in order to test the UVB strength of a light bulb.
How far should a Red-Eared Slider’s light be from the basking platform?
While it depends on the strength of the light, you usually want the basking light to be positioned around 6-10 inches away from the basking platform.
How much UVB light does a Red-Eared Slider need?
Red-Eared Sliders need a light that has a UVB output between 5.0 and 10.0.
How long should you keep the basking light on for a Red-Eared Slider?
You should keep your basking light turned on for around 12 hours per day. I usually turn mine on at 8am and turn it off at 8pm.
What happens if your Red-Eared Slider turtle doesn’t get enough light?
If a Red-Eared Slider doesn't get enough light or UVB rays, it can be extremely dangerous. Their body will not be able to metabolize enough calcium, which can have a devastating effect on their bone structure, growth, and shape of their shell. This can eventually lead Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD), which can be fatal.
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