Zoos and Vets Using Active UVHeat |
Zoo & Institutions Using Active UV Heat | Andrew Odem Zoo | Akron Ohio | Arizona-Sonora Museum, AZ | | Arizona-Sonora Museum, AZ | Cape May County Zoo, NJ | City of Lake Forest, Il | | Cleveland Metroparks , OH | Dallas Aquarium, TX | Dallas zoo, TX | | Denver Zoological Gardens, CO | Disney Animal Kingdom, Fl | El Paso Zoo, TX | | Fort Worth Zoo, TX | Henry Doorly Zoo, NE | Houston. TX | | Indianapolis Zoo, IN | Los Angeles Zoo, CA | Mandalay Bay Aquarium, NV | | Memphis Zoo, TN | Metropolitan Toronto Zoo, CDA | Miami Metro Zoo, FL | | Miller Park Zoo, IL | Minnesota Zoological Garden, MN | National Aquarium in Wash. D.C | | Nashville Wildlife Park, TN | New Orleans Zoo, LA | Newport Aquarium, KY | | North Carolina Zoological Park,NC | Oklahoma City Zoo, OK | Pittsburgh Zoo, PA | | Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, WA | Pretoria Zoo, South Africa | Riverbanks Zoo, SC | | Santa Barbara Zoo, CA | South Carolina Aquarium | Sunset Zoological Park, NY | | University of California at Berkeley | University of California at Santa Barbara | University of Georgia | | Woodland park zoo, Seattle, WA | Zoo Atlanta, GA | Zoological Society of Buffalo, NY | | | | |   
Why the Active UV Heat lamp is an important advance.
Confusion abounds in popular magazines regarding reptiles, lights, and vitamin D. Requirements are unknown except for a few lizards and some must get vitamin D3 from an ultra-Violet (UV) source instead of the diet. Various lamps are labeled as full-spectrum whether they are or not. Light output is stated in very general terms of output but effective distance and exposure time are not mentioned. Direct sunlight is the ultimate solution for maintaining proper vitamin D3 levels in diurnal (day-time) lizards. Considerations of housing or climate may limit direct sunlight exposure to part of the year or none. The best measure of any UV lamp is the ability to maintain or elevate 25 -hydroxyl vitamin D3 blood levels. This is the standard used for man and many animals. A study of vitamin D3 in large monitors in the wild and captivity has established normal and deficient vitamin D3 level for these species. Monitors in the normal group had direct sunlight access part to all of the year or other significant UV exposure such as UV-permeable acrylic skylights in their housing area. Monitors in the deficient group were inevitably kept indoors with no artificial UV source or with perhaps an UV source too far away to be effective for the animal. Thus a solid standard could be used in evaluating the effects of Active UV Heat in vitamin D3 "synthesis for these species. A female crocodile monitor (Varanus salvador) had no Ultraviolet (UV) light source or dietary vitamin D3 supplementation for several years. The animal was exposed to a 300-watt flood Active UV Heat bulb for four months at a ceiling high distance (2.0 to 2.2 meters). 2.5-hydroxy vitamin D3 levels were low-normal (100 nmol/L) as compared to other large monitors with exposure to direct sunlight. Then the animal was given UV through a focus-spot 160-watt Active UV Heat bulb at the same distance (2.0-2.2 meters) and vitamin D3 blood levels were measured again 30 days later. Vitamin D3 levels had continued to climb to mid-normal range (157 nmol/L). Daily exposure averaged 8-10 hours. There were other significant improvements in this animal's condition. A strong improvement occurred in the animal's appetite to include only balanced prey items, which had not been previously possible. This species yellow spots became a bright gold as achieved with exposure to abundant natural sunlight. Three other crocodile monitors in this collection also demonstrated enhance natural colors under these lights. In one other zoo both a water monitor (Varanus salvador) and Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) have been documented with normal to fairly high levels of vitamin D3 with use of the Active UV Heat lamp at distances of 4-7 feet away. Consistently there has been a need in reptile exhibit lighting for a bulb that could project ultraviolet for some distance (many fluorescent UV-B lights project over an effective distance of only 12-18 inches). It would be even better to utilize incandescent fixtures. The Active UV Heat bulb does this on a real time basis for large monitors. Added advantages of heat and excellent visible-light spectrum make this bulb ideal for most reptile enclosures. Anecdotal experience with appetite problems that resolved after lamp use with a crocodile monitor and python would suggest problem feeders in variety of reptile species would benefit from it use. --- Don Gillespie, DVM El Paso Zoo
"I believe that "Active UVHeat" ultraviolet-B emitting bulbs are quite beneficial for the captive husbandry of many sun-loving reptiles. I highly recommend these bulbs to veterinarians as a husbandry aid for reptiles suffering from or in danger of metabolic bone disease."
| Crocodile Monitor Recovers
With Aid of Active UVHeat | | | |  | |
"A croc monitor with a sutured skin laceration at the base of the tail along with annular lesions between scale rows on the tail failed to heal properly over a period of months. There was no noticeable response to temperature, humidity cycling or vitamin supplements. However, these symptoms dramatically resolved within 2-4 weeks after exposure to Active UVHeat lamps remaining in remission for 15 months now."
Dr. Sam Sweet, former editor journal of Herpetology. |
 " A rare tree boa was returned to me in substandard health, color and with an inadequate feeding response. These problems quickly resolved with the introduction of Active UVHeat in a dramatic way I have rarely experienced!"
--- Dr. Richard Ross, author of the touchstone text "Reproductive Husbandry of Pythons and Boas"
5/23/99 I am writing this to pass on my experience using "Active UVHeat" here at the zoo. In 1995 the Minnesota zoo acquired a pair of adult Komodo dragons from Indonesia. The animals are housed year round in our indoor tropics exhibit. The animals adjusted well to their new home. They showed courtship behaviors the first year, ate well, and were fairly active. By the third year at our facility we were noticing diminished breeding behaviors and began wondering if the light levels were just not adequate. We collected blood samples and on the advice of Don Gillespie DVM we sent the samples to Michigan State University to check 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D3 levels. The results came back that both animals were deficient ( male 23, female 17 nmol/L). Don told us about the "Active UVHeat" bulbs. We had been frustrated with the fluorescent UVB bulbs on the market and thought these might be worth a try. We started using the 275 watt flood light in holding and on exhibit. We checked D3 levels on these animals repeatedly over the next several months. Both animals levels improved within a month. The male had outdoor access with natural sunlight that next summer and quickly resumed normal levels of D3 200 nmol/L plus. The female had only the bulb and some oral supplements of calcium citrate with Vitamin D3. Her levels improved to over 180 nmol/L. Both have been maintained in their indoor exhibit October 1998 through May 1999 with only the bulbs ( I am currently using the 275 watt floods in the holding and the 160 watt spot focus on exhibit.) We recently rechecked the males blood levels of D3 and the results came back greater than 250 nmol/L. We are very pleased with these results. The female will be checked within the next few months. I am optimistic her results will be equally favorable as her appetite and behavior have been excellent over the past year. We also used "Active UVHeat" on a female water monitor. Her beginning D3 levels were 50 nmol/L. We collected blood samples one month after providing her with a 275 watt flood and her levels improved to 120 nmol/L. We also has a 30 plus year old Burmese python that been off feed for 18 months. I provided him with the 275 watt flood and he immediately moved over to lie under it. He was eating again within a week. I am very pleased with the results I’ve seen with this product. I will continue to encourage other animal caregivers to try this product. Sincerely, Beth Jo Schoeberl, Tropics Zoologist, Minnesota Zoological Garden
We have used the 160 watt bulb over some of our South American monkeys for the past 15 months. Our two pairs of white-faced Saki monkeys (Pithecia pithecia) gave birth to two healthy babies while under Active UV Heat. Both babies had physical exams recently and showed that they are in good health. Of particular interest to the zoo was the fact that the radiographs showed that the skeletal growth was healthy and showed no signs of metabolic bone disease. One pair's lighting was with fluorescent tubes, one infrared heat lamp and the 160 watt Active UV Heat bulb. The other pair's lights was two UV transmitting sky lights, one infrared heat lamp and one 160 watt Active UV Heat bulb. In the past we have had some occurrences of metabolic bone disease in our young Saki monkeys. I feel the Active UV Heat bulb has helped in the rearing of healthy baby Saki monkeys.---Bruce Kane, Denver Zoological Gardens
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