Reptile Heating - Teflon

[riddick07]

So I realized yesterday that while I knew this it wasn’t always common knowledge for those who own both reptiles and birds. Bulbs that we use (both floodlights & reptile specific) and especially if they have shatter resistant in the description can have a Teflon (PTFE) coating. Another thing not everyone realizes is exactly how hot these bulbs can get trying to heat up reptiles. Even if your basking spot is at 120 the bulb itself is much higher and ridiculously hot. Much hotter than the threshold studies show Teflon breaks down and releases fumes. A warning for those of us who have both and to check out the bulbs you are using to see if they have the coating.

For the non believers. This is the temp of my bulb on a bearded dragon enclosure. Several hundred degrees higher than studies show Teflon starting to break down.

 

[noodles123]

So I realized yesterday that while I knew this it wasn’t always common knowledge for those who own both reptiles and birds. Bulbs that we use (both floodlights & reptile specific) and especially if they have shatter resistant in the description can have a Teflon (PTFE) coating. Another thing not everyone realizes is exactly how hot these bulbs can get trying to heat up reptiles. Even if your basking spot is at 120 the bulb itself is much higher and ridiculously hot. Much hotter than the threshold studies show Teflon breaks down and releases fumes. A warning for those of us who have both and to check out the bulbs you are using to see if they have the coating.

For the non believers. This is the temp of my bulb on a bearded dragon enclosure. Several hundred degrees higher than studies show Teflon starting to break down.

Good to know- thanks!
The MSU agricultural program lost a ton of birds due to the installation of Teflon coated bulbs (heat lamps). Necroscopy confirmed the cause of death.

I would like that add (for the non-believers) that although studies quote high temperatures as the fault in Teflon/PTFE/PFOA deaths among birds, there are far too many instances of birds meeting their demise from Teflon/PTFE/PFOA heated at far lower temperatures. If there were just a few, anecdotal deaths associated with presumed Teflon toxicity at lower temperatures, I would be inclined to say it was coincidence (and that perhaps there was illness or an unknown gas-leak), but repeatedly, numerous birds have died from Teflon poisoning well within the supposed "safe" heat ranges (not just one, but entire flocks at once).

I think that some this variation may have to do with the bird (I say this because some birds seem to handle very low-level exposure better than others, and some bird owners will tell you that they have used XYZ without incident over the years--sadly, what a bird survives one day it may not survive another, and what kills one person's bird may not kill yours (for whatever reason- and vice-versa).

I think that in many cases, repeated and low-level exposure may also have an impact over time, as does the age and quality of the device being heated....but then there is so much that we don't know.

In my opinion, the benefits of avoiding Teflon/PTFE/PFOA altogether far outweigh the risks. If Teflon/PTFE/PFOA only off-gasses at high temperatures, then how is it that droves of birds have died (all at once) from standard uses of Teflon in kitchen settings that never involved burning food or temperatures exceeding safe limits (when no other factors were at play and cause of death was confirmed to be respiratory distress)?

Not worth the risk...not at all.

 

[ParrotGenie]

Avoid anything with Teflon/PTFE/PFOA. I know a Zoo in the area that lost a few birds a couple of years ago due to a heat lamp that was coated with Teflon and they didn't realize it, till it was to late.