Full spectrum lighting

[AniMom]

Here in the still partly frozen north (Montreal) where spring refuses to visit for more than an occasional day this year, I’m concerned about our squirrel’s sunshine exposure (only through thermal glass) as she sometimes gets a bit shaky despite a proper diet (including rodent mineral block) and exercise and a cage situated beside a window. I’m wondering if installing a full spectrum light above or beside her mesh cage would help. Does anyone do this? If so, what type of lamp works best? Any advice would be much appreciated!
AniMom of Cloud

[CritterMom]

Yes. I have large enclosures instead of cages that have 4 foot fluorescent fixtures on top for light, and I always have a mixture of regular daylight fluorescents and reptile UV lights in them. I buy the Zoomed - and get them here - best pricing I have found: https://www.petmountain.com/category/reptile/reptile-light-bulbs/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs

Make sure you get the fluorescent types, not the heat emitting basking lights.

[AniMom]

Yes. I have large enclosures instead of cages that have 4 foot fluorescent fixtures on top for light, and I always have a mixture of regular daylight fluorescents and reptile UV lights in them. I buy the Zoomed - and get them here - best pricing I have found: https://www.petmountain.com/category/reptile/reptile-light-bulbs/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs

Make sure you get the fluorescent types, not the heat emitting basking lights.

Thanks for such detailed info! Your supplier unfortunately doesn’t ship internationally but the information from you and their site should help me to locate a Canadian supplier of these product types. Cloud also sends her thanks.:hug

[Harleygirl1692]

Yes. I have large enclosures instead of cages that have 4 foot fluorescent fixtures on top for light, and I always have a mixture of regular daylight fluorescents and reptile UV lights in them. I buy the Zoomed - and get them here - best pricing I have found: https://www.petmountain.com/category/reptile/reptile-light-bulbs/reptile-fluorescent-bulbs

Make sure you get the fluorescent types, not the heat emitting basking lights.

. Hello oh, I was wanting to ask you how many watts are your lights and any other information like fluorescent lights that you use along with the reptile UV how many watts are those? Thank you

[CritterMom]

. Hello oh, I was wanting to ask you how many watts are your lights and any other information like fluorescent lights that you use along with the reptile UV how many watts are those? Thank you

The T8 fluorescent bulbs (the skinny ones, not the old style fatter bulbs) are approximately 8 watts per foot - I use the four foot bulbs so they are 32 watts each. The four foot shop light fixtures take two bulbs, so I use one UV bulb and one regular fluorescent bulb. The "color" (Daylight, Bright White, Warm White) you choose for the regular bulb is entirely up to you and strictly a matter of personal color preference.

I use four foot lights because I have huge enclosures, and because four feet is an industry standard for fluorescents. The shop light fixtures are available only in 4 foot. The regular four foot bulbs are actually less money than 3 and 2 foot bulbs!