Even Vox Mythbusts Arcadia and The Reptile Lighting Forums
Ultraviolet light for reptiles is generally 280-320nm and often not comparable to the same methods used for disinfecting pathogens in the air. It is explained why we don't use this around humans to destroy all pathogens for several reasons.
Vox Explains Why "UV Disinfects Everything" Proponents
There is no shortage of media explaining exactly why John Courteney-Smith, The Reptile Lighting Forum, Advancing Herp Husbandry, Animals at Home Network Podcast, Liam Sinclair's Reptiles and Research, and on and on and on ... are wrong.
The video above was published on YouTube in February of 2024.
The video discusses 220nm UV light, or far UV, as the light used to reduce pathogens. Ultraviolet light for reptiles is generally 280-320nm and often not comparable to the same methods used for disinfecting pathogens in the air. It is explained why we don't use this around humans for several reasons.
The automatic reaction of content creators and light bulb companies is to start screaming about bearded dragons and MBD. This is a very limited scope within the reptile hobby as they simultaneously state sentences like every living thing needs UV – which is completely wrong. Not only is this untrue for most of the animal world it is also unverified for most reptiles.
In December of 2020 The nocturnal leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) uses UVb radiation for vitamin D3 synthesis was published illustrating that leopard geckos supplemented with vitamin D had no discernible differences when compared to leopard geckos exposed to reptile lamps. This is a much safer approach for the animals and their keepers. Vitamin D supplementation reduces waste. It's cheaper. And it's safer in most aspects.
This is a fact – not the misinformed information that John Courteney-Smith uses to sell light bulbs.
