# Help! Wrong Tortoise basking temps!



## Rainbow Tortoise (Oct 3, 2018)

I recently got a 1 year old horsefield tortoise and thought his temperatures were fine as I was using a 100W bulb and a temperature gage on the side of the cage said it was 30 - 35 degrees Celsius. However I recently got a temperature gun that says the temperature directly under the bulb is around 60 degrees! My tortoise seemed to like the heat as he would bask under it and now I have changed the bulb to a 75W one and it is around 40 degrees but my tortoise seems less active and I was wondering what I should do. Any help is greatly appreciated.


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## pguinpro (Oct 3, 2018)

Rainbow Tortoise said:


> I recently got a 1 year old horsefield tortoise and thought his temperatures were fine as I was using a 100W bulb and a temperature gage on the side of the cage said it was 30 - 35 degrees Celsius. However I recently got a temperature gun that says the temperature directly under the bulb is around 60 degrees! My tortoise seemed to like the heat as he would bask under it and now I have changed the bulb to a 75W one and it is around 40 degrees but my tortoise seems less active and I was wondering what I should do. Any help is greatly appreciated.


Are all temps in Celsius?


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## Rainbow Tortoise (Oct 3, 2018)

Yes. Sorry for any confusion


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## pguinpro (Oct 3, 2018)

Sorry but I highly doubt that temps were 140°F under a 100w bulb how close is the light to the basking spot? Maybe read the manual for that thermometer it may need to be calibrated.


Rainbow Tortoise said:


> Yes. Sorry for any confusion


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## Rainbow Tortoise (Oct 3, 2018)

Ok. The bulb is 30cm away and I will try callibrating the temperature gun and measuring again tomorrow as I’ve turned my tortoises lights off for the night. I have tested the gun on in other places and the readings seem to make sense however I will try again tomorrow. Thank you for your help.


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## pguinpro (Oct 3, 2018)

Rainbow Tortoise said:


> Ok. The bulb is 30cm away and I will try callibrating the temperature gun and measuring again tomorrow as I’ve turned my tortoises lights off for the night. I have tested the gun on in other places and the readings seem to make sense however I will try again tomorrow. Thank you for your help.


Np 30cm sounds like a good distance.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 8, 2018)

Double check your settings on the temperature gun. It sounds more like Farenheit.


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## Tom (Oct 8, 2018)

If the 100 watt is a spot bulb, it could certainly reach those temps.

It sounds like reducing the basking temp may have also dimmed the lights a bit and cooled the ambient temp too. You might need to add some LED lighting for brightness and a CHE or RHP set on a thermostat for some ambient heat.

CHE=Ceramic heating element
RHP=Radiant heat panel


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## Rainbow Tortoise (Oct 26, 2018)

The bulb is a spotlight bulb and I’ve changed it to a 75 watt one, however the temps vary as when the heating is on in the house it reaches about 35 degrees Celsius and when the heating isn’t on it bearly reaches 30 - this is what the temperature gun says after being calibrated. With the heating on the opposite side of his cage is about 22 degrees Celsius. I’m not sure what to do about it as my tortoise has been a lot less active since I switched the bowls (and substrate) and is bearly eating.


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## Sterant (Oct 26, 2018)

Can you send pictures of your setup?


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## Tom (Oct 26, 2018)

Rainbow Tortoise said:


> The bulb is a spotlight bulb and I’ve changed it to a 75 watt one, however the temps vary as when the heating is on in the house it reaches about 35 degrees Celsius and when the heating isn’t on it bearly reaches 30 - this is what the temperature gun says after being calibrated. With the heating on the opposite side of his cage is about 22 degrees Celsius. I’m not sure what to do about it as my tortoise has been a lot less active since I switched the bowls (and substrate) and is bearly eating.


If ambient temp is not consistent, basking temp can't be either. Can you leave the house heat on so the temp stays consistent in the house? Then you can use the bulb that works for that temperature.


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## Sterant (Oct 26, 2018)

Tom said:


> If ambient temp is not consistent, basking temp can't be either. Can you leave the house heat on so the temp stays consistent in the house? Then you can use the bulb that works for that temperature.


Yeah. If you don't isolate whats going on in your tortoise enclosure from whats going on in the house (temperature wise) you will always struggle with temperature and humidity issues. I'm guessing this is an open top tortoise table setup? Consider using a closed chamber.


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## Rainbow Tortoise (Oct 26, 2018)

The enclosure has a lid but it’s just like a metal grate and is only there to stop the cat getting in. I can’t have the heating on during week days (from 8:00am to 3:00pm) as my parents won't let me, and I can’t change his enclosure as it was expensive and I can’t afford another one. Thank you for your help. I’m not sure what to do about this.


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## Cheryl Hills (Nov 11, 2018)

Put tin foil over the grates to keep heat and humidity in.


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## drew54 (Nov 11, 2018)

Rainbow Tortoise said:


> The enclosure has a lid but it’s just like a metal grate and is only there to stop the cat getting in. I can’t have the heating on during week days (from 8:00am to 3:00pm) as my parents won't let me, and I can’t change his enclosure as it was expensive and I can’t afford another one. Thank you for your help. I’m not sure what to do about this.



You can put a plastic shower curtain over it also to keep temps and humidity up.


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