Zoo Med NatureSun® - Manual (Page 2)

While some geckos
are diurnal, like this
Madagascar giant day
gecko, many nocturnal
geckos become active at
dusk and receive low levels
of UVB before the sun sets.
I
n the early 1940s, our knowledge of the
effects of light on reptiles and amphibians
was very limited. It wasn’t until 1944
that we learned of the amazing ability of
reptiles to maintain relatively stable body
temperatures through thermoregulation.
This was the result of a groundbreaking
study by herpetologists Raymond Cowles and
Charles Bogert, who coined the terms “ectotherm”
and “endotherm.” Their landmark study inspired
numerous research projects on the effects of light
and heat on reptiles.
Since then, our knowledge of reptile
lighting has increased tremendously. We now
know that many reptiles and amphibians can see
things illuminated by ultraviolet-A, and that they
can make vitamin D in their skin upon exposure
to ultraviolet-B. When housed in captivity
without access to UVB, many reptiles
developed a form of metabolic
bone disease (MBD) that
results in soft, deformed
to
w
b
Courtesy Kirby Spencer / Zoo Med Laboratories
2 | Reptiles