Should you get the Exo Terra Solar Glo? A lot of reptile owners recommend this bulb as it mimics natural sunlight which is beneficial to reptiles. Do you still need a UVB bulb when you have this one? Which reptiles can use this bulb?
The Exo Terra Solar Glo is a mercury vapor bulb that is three in one. It serves as a visual light, heat source, and also UVB lighting. Its light is full-spectrum and was tuned for its peaks to help with your reptile’s activity, appetite, and optimum calcium absorption.
Is the Exo Terra Solar Glo for you? Keep on reading our in-depth review to find out its features and pros and cons!
Table of Contents
Do We Recommend The Exo Terra Solar Glo?
We recommend getting the Exo Terra Solar Glo especially if you are a reptile owner that is pressed for space. It is undeniably an all-in-one solution as far as lighting and heating go.
It is also easy to install, so beginner reptile owners can get this bulb to work in no time.
Further, you do not need a ballast for this as it already has its own integrated circuit. It is a high-quality product that delivers true to its claims.
Some people say that it can be expensive compared to other bulbs. However, it is good to keep in mind that with the Exo Terra Solar Glo, you are paying for what could have been three bulbs.
If you add the expense of two or three bulbs, you will realize that this bulb has fair pricing.
What Does The Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb Do?
The Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb provides visual lighting, heating, and UVA and UVB lighting to the enclosure of your reptile. It has a mercury vapor bulb.
Mercury vapor bulbs are known to be more efficient when it comes to energy compared to their incandescent bulb counterparts. It is also proven to last longer than other bulbs.
Further, it emits a clear and high-intensity white light output. Which makes it perfect as overhead lighting.
This bulb mimics natural sunlight which can help with the appetite and activity of your reptiles. Additionally, calcium absorption levels are at an optimum level due to the Vitamin D3 production as a result of exposure to this light.
Features Of The Exo Terra Solar Glo
We ordered the Exo Terra Solar Glo online and it arrived safely. No damage on the box and no damage on the bulb.
The Solar Glo Is Compatible With Standard Fixtures
The bulb itself fits an E27 fixture and according to the recommendation of Exo Terra, it works well with the Exo Terra Reptile Dome. But you can also use this fixture in case the Exo Terra Dome is not available.
However, we found out that any type of dome or fixture will work well with this bulb, just as long as it has an E26 socket.
Keep in mind that it also depends on the wattage that you get, whether you should get a porcelain or ceramic bulb holder. The Exo Terra Reptile Dome we recommended above is for bulbs with up to 160W.
Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb Heat And UVB Output
At the back of the packaging box, you can see the projected distance, UVB output, UVB rating, and temperature of the bulb. So we tested the bulb to see how accurate the information is.
These projections are not uniform. It is also based on the wattage of the bulb. In our case, we tested the 80 watts. The Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb also comes in 125 watts and 160 watts.
After several tests, we determined that the actual temperatures are close to the information in the packaging.
Even if the temperatures are a bit higher as seen in the picture above, it is good to note that we only tested it against a styrofoam background.
When the enclosure is properly set up, there are other factors to consider as well. Such as the location of the
So with all of that in mind, we concluded that once the
In order to measure the UV index, we used the SolarMeter 6.5R. The measurements were taken left to right with the following distances:
- 30 cm. or 11.8 in.
- 25 cm. or 9.8 in.
- 15 cm. or 5.9 in.
These measurements are significant in terms of determining the Ferguson zones. These zones are categorized into four, and they indicate the different basking temperature requirements of various reptiles.
At the same time, the length of exposure of different reptiles in order to know with utmost accuracy the natural UV requirements of a specific reptile. The categorization of the Ferguson zones is as follows:
- Ferguson Zone 1
- Shade Dweller or Crepuscular Reptiles
- Maximum UVI: 0.6 – 1.4 in the basking zone
- Zone range UVI 0 – 0.7
- Ferguson Zone 2
- Occasional Basker or Partial Sun Reptiles
- Maximum UVI: 1.1 – 3.0 in the basking zone
- Zone range UVI 0.7 – 1.0
- Ferguson Zone 3
- Partial Sun or Open Basker Reptiles
- Maximum UVI: 2.9 – 7.4 in the basking zone
- Zone range UVI 1.0 – 2.6
- Ferguson Zone 4
- Mid-Day Sun Basker Reptiles
- Maximum UVI: 4.5 – 9.5 in the basking zone
- Zone range UVI 2.6 – 3.5
| Ferguson Zone | Reptiles In That Zone |
| Ferguson Zone 1 | leopard geckos, crested geckos, tokay geckos, royal pythons, Burmese pythons, milk snakes, green tree pythons, reticulated pythons, Fiji banded iguanas, carpet pythons corn snakes |
| Ferguson Zone 2 | emerald tree monitors, Australian water dragons, green anoles, pygmy chameleons, monkey-tailed skinks, red foot tortoises, ornate box turtles, garter snakes, boa constrictors, western hognose snakes, red-tailed rat snakes, blue-tongued skink, Chinese water dragon, common musk turtle, panther chameleon |
| Ferguson Zone 3 | frilled lizard, black and white tegu, Standing’s day gecko, Indian star tortoise, Yemen chameleon, leopard tortoise, diamond python, spotted turtle, bearded dragon, green iguana, bosc monitor, painted turtle, African spur-thighed tortoise, red-eared slider |
| Ferguson Zone 4 | uromastyx, chuckwalla, Texas horned lizard, rhinoceros iguana |
It is good to note that we also measured the UVI by putting the lamp on a screen cover. This is a good test as people may think that the UV output will become lower when there is a cover as the mesh may block the UVB rays.
The result of this test is good news! The measurements do not have a significant difference that drastically alters the UV output when using a screen cover.
Pros
- Powerful light
- Consistent UVB output
- Easy to set up
- Three in one bulb
- Not a fire hazard (comes with a safety mechanism for overheating)
Cons
- The projected life span is short (may become longer when used properly)
- Some people have reported that it makes a slight humming noise when turned on (which did not happen in our case)
- Made to be used vertically, when set up at an angle, the bulb may give out (nature of mercury vapor bulbs)
Does The Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb Have A Warranty?
If you buy from the Exo Terra site, the product has a limited warranty. Only the bulb can be replaced and you must have the original receipt. The warranty period is for six months from the date of purchase and with normal daily usage.
The warranty does not cover misuse of the bulb, personal damage, animal damage, and property damage. Without the receipt, you cannot do any warranty transactions.
On the other hand, if you purchase from Amazon, you need to purchase an additional support package in order to get the limited warranty.
The good news is, you can still return the product within the allowable number of months.
You can check how much time you are given before you are refused of a return when you check out your purchase.
Why Does My Solar Glo Bulb Randomly Shuts Off?
You may think that you have a defective bulb when you see that it suddenly shuts off. But do not fret as this is just part of their safety feature in connection with overheating.
It has a built-in overheat protection mechanism which will prevent the bulb from restarting for approximately 15 minutes after it shut down.
Therefore, even if you keep on turning it on and off, it will not light up until the reset of the switch.
How Often Should You Replace The Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb?
Based on the instructions of Exo Terra, the Solar Glo Bulb is expected to work perfectly for six months. Therefore, in theory, you need to replace it every six months. However, some people have found success in using it for a whole year.
Keep in mind that this bulb also emits UVB. Naturally, UVB outputs decrease over time, even if you can still see visible light. This is just the natural course of things.
Just to be safe, if you want to use the Solar Glo longer than the recommended six months, you should check the UVB output to know exactly when to replace the bulb.
If it falls too low on the accepted range of UVB output for your reptile, then it is time to change bulbs.
Conclusion
The Exo Terra Solar Glo Bulb is a good choice if you are looking for a light source that can give UVB lighting, as well as heating.
It is also beginner friendly as you do not have to do customize any settings. Just make sure to match the wattage with the bulb fixture you will use to avoid fire hazards.
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