# Lighting and UVB

_Permalink: https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/lighting_

Crested geckos do not strictly require UVB because commercial CGD contains vitamin D3. That said, current hobby consensus favors low-level UVB as enrichment and a backup, it costs little, supports natural behavior, and hedges against diet gaps.

- Photoperiod: 12 hours on, 12 hours off. A timer removes the daily chore.
- UVB: Arcadia ShadeDweller 7% or Zoo Med 5.0 T5, mounted above the mesh top, 10 to 14 inches from the highest basking spot the animal can reach.
- Replace UVB bulbs every 12 months, output drops long before the bulb visibly fails.
- Plant lights (LED full-spectrum) are great for live-plant vivariums but produce no useful UVB. Keep them separate from husbandry lighting.

**UVB is optional, not pointless**

- Keepers who use UVB report better pigment saturation, firmer bones in breeder females, and fewer MBD cases over multi-year projects.
- If you do not use UVB, stay strict on CGD quality and rotate brands so no single deficiency compounds.

_Source: Geck Inspect Care Guide. Updated 2026-10-18. Cite https://geckinspect.com/CareGuide/lighting_