This is one case from a series of reports compiled as part of an investigation into photo-kerato-conjunctivitis, possibly occurring as a result of excessive low-wavelength UVB radiation under certain brands of fluorescent UVB lamp. Please do not view this one case without reference to the whole report of which it is a part.

Case History : GG (New Jersey, USA) - Red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)

 

Three red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), one male and two females, aged 8.5 months, were initially housed in a temporary aquarium in September 2006 while a new 90-gallon custom-built tank was under construction. A new ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 Compact Lamp (Lamp BW5) was hung vertically in an 8.5 inch diameter brooder dome fixture, about 14 - 15 inches above the basking area, for about 10 days. No problems were seen. On November 9th 2006 the turtles were transferred to their new tank (Figure 1) in which the compact lamp was mounted horizontally in a highly polished stainless steel reflector hood (Figure 2, below)) mounted 12 inches above the basking area.

After 4 days, all three turtles had swollen eyelids. The male was worst affected (Figure 3).

The ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 compact lamp was removed and replaced by a new Reptisun 5.0 compact lamp; the stainless steel hood was replaced by a similar hood painted flat black with a heat-resistant paint, and the distance from lamp to basking area was increased to 13.5 inches.

All three turtles recovered within a few days and no problems have occurred since.

The ZooMed Reptisun 10.0 lamp was submitted to FB for testing (Lamp ref. BW5, estimated use 150 hours).