Full Spectrum Light

[SquirrelNut]

I finally purchased a "full spectrum light" at Pet Smart for my squirrel. I was on my own as it seems no one understood a "full spectrum light."

How close should it be above the cage? And, MOST of all, how much time a day should it be on?

Thank-you kindly!

Dana & Nos

:thankyou

[merman]

Hi there..

As far as i remember, it must be approx. 60 cm away.
I have put Mia's light just above the cage wire. And i used to keep it on from morning till evening.

But i guess it must be min. 8 hours a day..

:wave123

[Jackie in Tampa]

ott light was the light that was always being recommended...ott light manufactures are in tampa...so guess who called and bugged them repeatedly...:D .i spoke to alot of sales people as well as their science dept...NO ONE WOULD EVER COMMIT TO SAYING THAT FULL SPECTRUM

LIGHTING CHANGES ANYTHING EXCEPT ATTITUDE.

IT DOES NOT HAVE HEALTH PROPERTIES.

IT IS THE CLOSEST SIMULATION TO NATURAL LIGHTING.

MR.OTT WORKED FOR DISNEY WHEN HE DESIGNED THIS LIGHT...AND IT IS A WONDERFUL

GLOW...BUT I DO NOT THINK IT IS WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR.TO

SUSTAIN HEALTH, UV IS NEEDED TO METABOLIZE CALCIUM ABSORBTION.

UV comes from the sun only.

ott has since discountinued the light we were all using...there are many full spec light bulbs on the market...and if i coud afford to put them in every socket, i would. They are awesome, but not health related, except mentally.

also a member tested the uv on an ott light and it showed nothing..:dono

take your cage outside in a shaded area [not direct sunlight, sqs have died from heat/sun stroke]...also...

in order to metabolize calcium [absorbtion] d-3 is needed...
d-3 is found in the sun, in mushrooms, dairy and fish [cod liver oil]...
4 skwerls blocks have evrything needed to intake calcium and absorb calcium.

also calcium must be maintained daily to promote health.

i am not pushing hhbs or shunning ott lights...
this is just my opinion.
but i will say that i am using ott light on hope, my sun starved sq...if it can get her 'ungloomified' and happy...i want to give her that.:tilt
but true sunlight is best:thumbsup

some full spectrum lighting is total junk anyway, watch how you spend your money...

[CritterMom]

I think that if you want to actually deliver Vitamin D, you need to look at the reptile/herp lights. They are usually fluorescent tubes, not the screw in bulb type. There are a bunch of different kinds, but most sites that sell them have info about spectrum, etc., for the more scientifically minded.

The Otts are nice for sewing or doing other art/craft stuff.

[PBluejay2]

At risk of getting my head chopped off, in my opinion Ott lights are worthless as far as UVB. The reptile lights are (supposedly) manufactured to provide UVB. I use Reptiglow 10 (highest in UVB output, at least in PetsMart here), and thankfully they are screw ins. You want to avoid ones that may also be heat lamps.

[SquirrelNut]

oh, i am confused? which doesn't take much since i am new to squirrels! my light is Repti Sun...5.0 UVB Tropical. it says it is 5% UVB and 30% UVA. should i just return it to Pet Smart?

it is so confusing about squirrel info becos there r mixed signals. i was told initially to purchase monkey biscuits. now, i need to buy something else asap.

today, i have to make a decision about my kitty who might need to be put down due to end stage renal disease. he has been in an emergency clinic since weds. AM receiving IV's. can't imagine the bill esp. since it is california!

i guess i will return this light unless i hear otherwise. need to order those homemade biscuits.

ok, before i start crying about my cat, i need to end this.

you are such WONDERFUL people on this board! thank-you!

[PBluejay2]

oh, i am confused? which doesn't take much since i am new to squirrels! my light is Repti Sun...5.0 UVB Tropical. it says it is 5% UVB and 30% UVA. should i just return it to Pet Smart?

it is so confusing about squirrel info becos there r mixed signals. i was told initially to purchase monkey biscuits. now, i need to buy something else asap.

today, i have to make a decision about my kitty who might need to be put down due to end stage renal disease. he has been in an emergency clinic since weds. AM receiving IV's. can't imagine the bill esp. since it is california!

i guess i will return this light unless i hear otherwise. need to order those homemade biscuits.

ok, before i start crying about my cat, i need to end this.


you are such WONDERFUL people on this board! thank-you!


I'm sorry about your kitty :grouphug I'm afraid your bulb may be a heat lamp also and not really a good idea IMHO. It does put out UV rays, and that's good, but I go for the higher UVB number. NO bulb will replicate the effectivesness of sunlight, again IMHO.

[4skwerlz]

oh, i am confused? which doesn't take much since i am new to squirrels! my light is Repti Sun...5.0 UVB Tropical. it says it is 5% UVB and 30% UVA. should i just return it to Pet Smart?

it is so confusing about squirrel info becos there r mixed signals. i was told initially to purchase monkey biscuits. now, i need to buy something else asap.

today, i have to make a decision about my kitty who might need to be put down due to end stage renal disease. he has been in an emergency clinic since weds. AM receiving IV's. can't imagine the bill esp. since it is california!

i guess i will return this light unless i hear otherwise. need to order those homemade biscuits.

ok, before i start crying about my cat, i need to end this.

you are such WONDERFUL people on this board! thank-you!

Sorry about your kitty.:grouphug

It can be confusing because different people prefer different products. The Ott lights are not proven to actually produce UVB, but are a nice, natural light. Yet you do have to be careful when choosing a real UVB light, as too much can be harmful, and you don't want one that produces a lot of heat. I'd go with the bulb recommended by PBluejay, since he has experience with it. (I don't personally use them.)

A lot of rehabbers and others feed monkey biscuits, which is fine for rehab-to-release squirrels since they'll only be eating them for a short time. But it's not the healthiest choice for a pet or nonreleasable squirrel because they're designed for primates, not rodents, and the nutrition is quite different.

Hope this helps.

[Pointy Tale]

Is this the kind you are talking about?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752589

or this one?

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2811521

Sorry if the link doesn't work, I'm the worst linker.

[luvs squirrels]

I think this may be the one PBJ is talking about. :dono

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752556

http://pet.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/pPETS-3764701t400.jpg

This is what we bought for Samantha

[SquirrelNut]

that was not the light i had purchased from pet smart. just returned it tonight. just ordered henry's blocks for nos.

thanks for all of ur help.

going to bed so sad tonight becos my cat's labs worsened. doesn't look good for him.

[merman]

i am sooo sorry for you cat! :grouphug
:Love_Icon

[scoobysnack]

Sorry about your cat. Renal failure in older cats is very common. It's hard for sure.

I have that same light for Scooby. She's two yrs and three months old now. She's not got outdoor access though I'm going to try and change that soon. Just working out how. Big outdoor cage? Out on a leash with me for chores? I just don't want her running off she's a total marshmallow! A fat one too!

Anyhow she shows no signs of any illness or health problems. Fat, shiny, strong as an ox, energy to burn and bones like rocks (I have a bruise on my knee where she jumped, missed and hit me with her head!).

She is an excellent eater though. I have no issue getting things into her that she should be eating.

[scoobysnack]

By "that" light I mean the one PBJ says he uses and for which Luvs Squirrels posted the link. Just wanted to clarify.

[SquirrelNut]

thank-you all for ur advice. i will check out the one.