Most leopard geckos survive in captivity without UVB light and do not get any issues. These reptiles hunt at dawn and dusk and thus only get exposure to minimal UVB rays in their native habitat. Even so, it might be helpful to consider providing UVB in captivity as some of these lizards have been reported to develop metabolic bone disease, which sometimes arises due to a lack of enough UVB.
Leopard geckos are crepuscular, meaning they come out to hunt at dawn and dusk. As such, they get little exposure to UVB rays but not as much as diurnal and not as little as nocturnal animals.
For this reason, most pet leopard gecko owners wonder whether UVB light is vital. Below, we discuss this more.
Is UVB Important To Leopard Geckos?
As opposed to the common belief that leopard geckos are nocturnal animals, the fact is that these lizards are crepuscular, so they get some UVB ray exposure.
For most animals, UVB is vital as it aids digestion and enables them to produce sufficient vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is critical in the absorption of calcium, one of the most crucial minerals for lizards.
Vitamin D3 is equally vital for leopard geckos. Luckily, they maximize UVB light absorption in the wild since their skin is pretty absorbent. Thus, leopard geckos can get enough from the low light at dawn and dusk. You should get a UVB light source if you are not providing the lizard with Vitamin D3 supplements.
Even though metabolic bone disease cases in few among captive leopard geckos, it is still good to ensure that you facilitate effective calcium absorption to avoid the risk.
Is UVB Light Necessary for Pet Leopard Geckos at Night?
Evidently, it is wise to have UVB light in your leopard gecko’s enclosure if you are not giving the lizard Vitamin D3 supplements. But is it necessary to do so at night?
No, leopard geckos do not need UVB light at night. It would be best to imitate the leopard geckos’ natural environment, where they are not exposed to UVB rays at night. In addition, if the UVB source produces light, it will interfere with your pet leopard gecko’s sleep pattern, which is not ideal.
How Much UVB Do Leopard Geckos Need?
As in the wild, leopard geckos do not need a lot of UVB. A UVB source of between 2 and 7% is sufficient for the reptile’s needs depending on whether the leopard gecko is an albino or has more skin pigmentation.
Conclusion
The debate on whether to provide leopard geckos with UVB remains a vast disagreement among many. Even so, there is no doubt that leopard geckos get some UVB in the wild. As such, it is good to provide a source of the same in captivity, even in low amounts.