Zoo Med ReptiSun Tropical Compact Fluorescent UVB Lamp 26 Watts

I’ve been buying Reptisun bulbs for years (13 and 26w and T5 high output tubes ), but I recently saw some ads for Exo Terra’s UVB bulbs and thought I’d give them a try. Although I’ve bought a lot of the Reptisun bulbs through Amazon and have never had a problem with them working, all three of the Exo Terra Repti-Glo bulbs were dead or dying on arrival. Needless to say, I won’t be trying Repti-Glo again in the near future as they don’t seem to ship well.Last week, I experienced my first issue with a Reptisun bulb. Because Amazon’s 30 day return window had already closed, I emailed Zoo Med directly explaining that the lamp had separated at the base while in use and I sent along a photo of the lamp and a copy of my receipt. They responded immediately and I received a replacement two days later.Although a lot people say you have to replace these every 6 months, I follow the manufacturer’s recommendation and replace all of the bulbs on an annual basis on New Year’s Day. I do, however, keep a spare of each type of bulb on hand in case one burns out mid-year. If you’re new to UVB, beware there’s a ton of old info online saying that compact fluorescent bulbs aren’t safe. While it’s true there were issues years ago, they were redesigned and are safe now under normal circumstances. I am, however, extremely careful to purchase bulbs from reputable manufacturers and distributors only – I won’t buy cheap or generic knock-off brands.I use UVB in all the terrariums, including with corns snakes, as the latest studies/literature indicate that all these guys benefit from some exposure (just make sure there are hides available). I use13w minis primarily in 10 gallon terrariums with inhabitants that don’t require high amounts of UVB (I make sure that they can’t get too close to the the light) in 5.5” dome fixtures which cast a smaller footprint, though I’m also using the same arrangement for my daughter’s diurnal, shade-dwelling lizard whose terrarium is twice as large (it’s in a double dome fixture with his basking lamp). There are some excellent iso-irradiance charts available online that can give you an idea of how far the UVB will spread and what the intensity of the rays will be. Just be sure the bulb is near the heat lamp as reptiles need both heat and UVB for vitamin D synthesis. Also, be aware the if you have a mesh screen top, the finer the mesh is, the less UVB the animal will get (I’ve read that the reduction ranges from 30-50%); however, a reflective dome can focus/intensify the UVB which can make up for the loss-it just depends on your setup). Likewise, never place ordinary glass or plastic between the UVB bulb and the lid- they’ll filter out the rays.I’ve also bought the 26w model for her diurnal snake’s enclosure. It’s installed in a canopy light next to the domed basking light in a 40 gallon breeder tank (36x18x18”), providing a large UVB gradient that overlaps the temperature gradient. I set the UVB to come on an hour after the incandescent and LED lights and it shuts off an hour before the other lights so Race has an opportunity to bask with and without it present. The 26w is too long to fit in the mini-domes I buy, though.All-in all, the mini compact fluorescents are great for smaller enclosures and for those guys that don’t require a ton of UVB or for creating more specific zones of exposure. They 13w lamps also fit smaller dome fixtures as well as canopy tops, but they can fluctuate several dollars in price so you may want to watch the cost. I’ll definitely be buying more.

Love this uvb for my snake but… I opened the packaging took off the bubble wrap and the light was broken. There weren’t any tiny broken pieces in with packaging so it must have broke prior to being shipped. Really disappointed considering how expensive it is.

I bought this for the winter time light I have for my conure. She seems to enjoy it.

As expected

I just purchased my 4th Reptisun CFL (in over 2 years) and I would swear by them. The bulb emits steady, bright light without much heat, which is perfect as I have separate lights and devices to control heat. I live in the mid-Atlantic which means we cannot have our skinks' habitat near a window at least 4 months out of the year. This light provides plenty of UV especially in those dark winter months. I have it in a 12" hood and the light reflects to light all of a medium-sized terrarium very well. The light spectrum is a cool blue. The only drawback is the lamp itself will continue to work long after the UV effects have (theoretically) diminished, but there's no way to tell that it has happened. I have to set a reminder to re-order; what I do is write the date I started using it on the bulb's base with a Sharpie, and then set a calendar reminder to re-order. Our Pet* stores usually charge close to the MSRP (high $30s to low $40s), even on sale. I still purchase at the store if it is convenient, but as long ass my reminder system is working I prefer to purchase through Amazon because I'll be saving at least $10 even if there is a sale at the Pet* store.

The one we got here was actually a 26w one. It was pretty large and didn't fit the mini-twin, but we made it work. As a bulb, it was fine. It worked for about 8 months, then just stopped working. I've heard that you have to replace them after about a year anyway because they no longer produce the right UV light, or the right amount or whatever, so this just made that happen a little sooner. No worries. It's pretty bright, and got us worried about shining directly in our eyes, but a few glances here and there didn't seem to make us blind or anything.

In my opinion, this has got to be the best uvb bulb out there. Ive tried all the other brands, and none of them even last 30 days for me. The thickness of the glass on this bulb is perfect. It's provides plenty of bright uvb light, and it has lasted longer than 30 days each time I had one. I will never buy another brand uvb again. Zoo med reptile sun is it for me and my box turtle 😊

Yes this gives good enough UVB for your friendly chelonian. This bulb can be used in standard clamp lamps that have a ceramic holster. It runs at only 28 watts so don't expect it to be a good basking lamp on it's own. It's more of a supplement to your regular incandescent. The nicest treat, I think, is that it's self ballasted; so you won't have any other expensive equipment to buy other than the clamp lamp.Anyway, the point is... If you have a setup that involves you being unable to install the larger more traditional fluorescent lamp covers and you want UVB lighting for your reptile this is an excellent alternative.

La lampadina e arrivata intatta con una consegna velocissima.Non la trovavo da nessuna parte ma finalmente qua l’ho trovata !Vi aggiornerò se funzionerà o meno tra un po’ di mesi !——————AGGIORNAMENTO——————La lampada dopo ben 6 mesi funziona ancora alla perfezione ma RICORDATE CHE OGNI 6-8 MESI VA COMUNQUE CAMBIATA PERCHÉ I EAGGI UVB UVA SCANDONO E LA LAMPADINA NON SERVE PIÙ A NIENTE!

classica lampada uvb che usavo prima di prendere un impianto solar raptor . ottima e amazon consegna tutto integro

funktionniert gut..seit 1 Monat...natürlich kann ich nicht wissen ob die Schildröte sind Happy... aber es sollte passen, ich hoffe doch

pas eu le temps de m occuper du retourmais lampe arrivée dans carton bien fermémais visiblement ayant subi des chocs lors du transporta l'ouverture la lampe parait en bon etat mais une fois installéla lampe ne fonctionne pas suite surement au choc un contre temps ne ma pas permis de m'occuper de cela et du retour ni du remboursementje suis bon pour en recommander une autre autre partavec un meilleur service de livraison un peu plus sérieux

Buen foco