Hi,

I am based in London. Are you sure my setup is good enough? I feel mean keeping them in a modified viv when I (now know) that a home-made tort table would be more ideal. I am having problems with temperature as you suggested. Cool end is too cool. I tried the 100 watt basking light today in hope that it might also warm up the cold end a bit but did not. The 100watt also gets the basking spot to high (over 95) in hot end and since I have a viv set-up I cant move it further away. What do you suggest? I think that I will put the 60watt back, and Danny suggested a 25watt 'normal' bulb too to help with getting things a bit warmer.

Laura

An enclosure is an enclosure and the tortoise could care less where it is contained as long as it has enough space to move.

Vivs are especially suited to the UK because not many people keep their entire house or flat heated due to the cost.

Even those that use tortoise tables usually end up enclosing the table or a good portion of it to retain heat to maintain proper temperatures.

Firstly Hi Ed good to see you here
i am also in the UK and my tortoises are kept in tortoise tables with combined bulbs for heat/UV and have never had a problem with keeping my temps up, a couple of mine were viv kept before they came to me and were sorry excuses but are now lively and doing much better since being kept in the open table tops. i do have my heating on low through the night to take the chill off and they are all raring to go the next day. UK winters seem to be getting alot milder than they were and certainly aren't as cold as some areas in the US,
Just my opinion of course

Firstly Hi Ed good to see you here
i am also in the UK and my tortoises are kept in tortoise tables with combined bulbs for heat/UV and have never had a problem with keeping my temps up, a couple of mine were viv kept before they came to me and were sorry excuses but are now lively and doing much better since being kept in the open table tops. i do have my heating on low through the night to take the chill off and they are all raring to go the next day. UK winters seem to be getting alot milder than they were and certainly aren't as cold as some areas in the US,
Just my opinion of course

Hi

Thanks for your posting. Do you use the uv/heat bulb by powersun - or can you suggests an alternative brand? What wattage do you find works best? And what hight do you need to suspend to get hot spot of 95F (ish)?

Regards

Laura

i have 2 different brand of lamps i have the hobby sunlux 160 watt and Trex 100 watt i prefer the hobby out of the two of them and have never tried the powersun but have heard they seem to blow a lot. here is a link to the hobby lamp http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalog...-lamps.asp make sure the holder you get can take the wattage http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalog...stands.asp mine is hung at around 12 inches and reaching the desired temperaturesif you find it gets to hot at that height you can always move it up abit.

Excellent - thank you I will order the same (sunlux one). Do you keep it on a 12 hour cycle or similar? Do you know what the allday light is? Maybe does not give off enough uv a/b?

Cheers

Laura

i haven't had any experience with the allday bulb so can't comment yep i do a 12 hour cycle