UV-B lighting is essential for the metabolic health of many reptile species kept as pets, yet inadequate provision remains one of the most common causes of preventable disease and suffering.
Metabolic bone disease caused by UV-B deficiency is preventable but remains common in pet reptiles. The suffering it causes - skeletal deformity, jaw weakness, pathological fractures, and pain - is severe and prolonged. Many keepers are unaware that their UV-B bulb may have lost effectiveness even if it still appears to glow. Veterinary education on reptile UV-B requirements, clearer product labelling, and better keeper guidance from pet shops would substantially reduce the incidence of this entirely avoidable condition.