Scooter, my problem child, is giving me a hard time again.

He has severe Metabolic Bone Disease and is a real mess, i've had im for over a year now, meaning he's going on 3 years old and he weighs about 20g. He eats well (when he's hand fed), he just doesnt grow.

He's in a 10g tank that i've heated with a human heating pad, it stays around 90 on his warmest spot, with as much gradient as you can get in a 10g tank.

He's never have a light because his tank is poorly placed, but then I just had a very big "DUH" moment today and said to myself "Why haven't you put a UVB light on this poor little lizard?!"

Now he's got a 8.0 uvb tube about 6 inches about the floor of his tank (Due to his Metabolic Bone Disease he can't climb at all so I put it as low as I could)

He's literally lived in 'dark' exsistance where his lighting was ambient and not that great...

Now the problem is that he wont open his eyes...he runs around blind from hide to hide because the lighting is so bright....do you think it's hurting him, or that he just needs to adjust?

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“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

Not being that familiar with leopard geckos I can only speculate. However you may be on to something. Since he has never had any light on his tank it may be freaking him out by suddenly showing up.
Being a nocturnal animal the light may very well be too bright. These are not like igs who spend the day lounging in the blazing sun. And since the tubes are good for 8-12 inches I would try raising it up a bit and see if there is any change.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Aww but I used my whole roll of tape trying to get the light to stay put!

He's eating so I'm not too worried about it now, and he just started his first shed in months...we'll see how he's acting in a couple days.

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“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

I know this is a controversial subject and all, but when I first got King Arthur in he was burned severely and very very starved and I could not get him to eat. I put a very low uvb light on him and within 3 days he started moving around and eating like a champ, and to this day he still does.

For those who dont remember, he is the blind old ratsnake.

I still offer him uvb a couple times a week.

Offer the uv at dusk and dawn when they are out more. That way it is like the sun rising and setting to him, so he wont freak out as bad.

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And I am assuming tha tthe light is not being on at night!

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

Hello,

I doubt she would be leaving it on at night. lol

As Nate suggested, you could do a morning and night cycle with it. The light doesn't need to be on all day for him to get the effects of it. A couple hours in the am and a couple in the evening (before dusk) would be sufficient.

I am all for UV. I don't find the topic controversial at all as stated above. UV isn't required for all species, but I don't know of any it will harm.

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.:: Rich ::.

+ Spread The Info

He seems happy to have it off, i'm not around to shut it on and off myself so he'll just have to deal with it being on until I get home from work, I was going to leave it on the 12 hour timer with my other tanks, but he doesnt seem to care so much for it and it makes a bad reflection on my computer screen so I can't edit so he'll just get it in the hours that im working I guess.

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

Just get you a multi setting timer. That way you don't have to worry. It comes on and goes off whenever you have it set for.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

The only reason I stated it was controversial, is that I have taken a lot of slack for the fact that I use uv lighting on my snakes when they come in not eating or are sick. I am also using a uv light on one frog that came in a few weeks ago with a fungal infection. I got my butt chewed at a herp meeting, by all these "advanced and experienced keepers" stating that I could kill my snakes or any nocturnal animal that does not require uv. I stated that I have had no ill effects and their appetite is excellent now,, and they ALWAYS have a hide. I did ask for any kind of research that states it is harmful and they could not come up with any off hand, lol.
I have also been questioned as to why I would do that by a vet.
My personal opinion is that the uv has worked great for me,,,,that is just my opinion though, lol.

However sometimes it is best not to tell all the " advanced " ,, that it works great! You know the ones who are the real pros and have had their cornsnake for 2 months,, and are thinking of moving up to the gecko, lol