# Can you use a regular flood bulb for a heat lamp?



## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 26, 2019)

I have tried to buy heat bulbs before, and it is super confusing. Is there a good bulb (Not Mercury Vapor) that can be used for russians? I have heard that you can use regular flood bulbs as a heat lamp. Does anyone have any specific flood bulbs that they know work? 

Thanks!


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## Maro2Bear (Nov 26, 2019)

Take a look at these bulbs here.

https://www.reptilebasics.com/heat-emitter/halogen-heat-lamp-100-watt/


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 26, 2019)

Thanks. It looks like it might fit my lamp.


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## Tom (Nov 26, 2019)

Maro2Bear said:


> Take a look at these bulbs here.
> 
> https://www.reptilebasics.com/heat-emitter/halogen-heat-lamp-100-watt/


Halogens are extremely desiccating and contribute to pyramiding. I would never use one over a tortoise.


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## Tom (Nov 26, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> I have tried to buy heat bulbs before, and it is super confusing. Is there a good bulb (Not Mercury Vapor) that can be used for russians? I have heard that you can use regular flood bulbs as a heat lamp. Does anyone have any specific flood bulbs that they know work?
> 
> Thanks!


I use regular 65 watt floods from the hardware store. Phillips or Sylvania. I buy them in 6 or 12 packs so I always have extras on hand. Adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can also go higher or lower wattage as needed to get the correct temp under your bulb.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 26, 2019)

Thanks for the info. Bulbs, in my opinion, are the most confusing part of tortoise keeping.


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## MichiganMan (Nov 26, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> Thanks for the info. Bulbs, in my opinion, are the most confusing part of tortoise keeping.


But your name is the Tortoise Masterman!


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## Danny Graham (Nov 27, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> I have tried to buy heat bulbs before, and it is super confusing. Is there a good bulb (Not Mercury Vapor) that can be used for russians? I have heard that you can use regular flood bulbs as a heat lamp. Does anyone have any specific flood bulbs that they know work?
> 
> Thanks!


Ceramic heat lamp


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## Danny Graham (Nov 27, 2019)

Danny Graham said:


> Ceramic heat lamp


I ordered a 2 pack from Amazon 100watt $21.46 including shipping


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 27, 2019)

> But your name is the Tortoise Masterman!



And now the master has become the student.


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## William Lee Kohler (Nov 28, 2019)

Before Ceramics I used Red Flood lights for heating.


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## Maro2Bear (Nov 28, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> I have tried to buy heat bulbs before, and it is super confusing. Is there a good bulb (Not Mercury Vapor) that can be used for russians? I have heard that you can use regular flood bulbs as a heat lamp. Does anyone have any specific flood bulbs that they know work?
> 
> Thanks!



I forgot to ask you what size of enclosure you are heating up, and is it fully enclosed with a lid or is it open top? Are your Russians youngsters or adults? Good luck too!


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 28, 2019)

Adults, 2.2 by 3.5 by 1.5 enclosure, open top.


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## Tom (Nov 28, 2019)

Danny Graham said:


> I ordered a 2 pack from Amazon 100watt $21.46 including shipping


That is very expensive and probably more than you need. Your thermometer will answer this question for us.

Here is a 12 pack for about that same price.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Philips...ulb-Soft-White-2700K-12-Pack-248872/100560688


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 28, 2019)

I found two 65 watt Sylvania flood LED bulb in my garage, but both of them together still didn't heat it very well. I think I need to up the wattage.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 28, 2019)

Probably because it is pretty cold this time of year.


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## Tom (Nov 28, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> I found two 65 watt Sylvania flood LED bulb in my garage, but both of them together still didn't heat it very well. I think I need to up the wattage.


LED bulbs don't produce heat... And they aren't 65 watts. If you read the package a little closer, you'll see that they are producing the equivalent amount of light that you'd get from an incandescent 65 watt bulb. They probably use somewhere around 9-10 watts.


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## enchilada (Nov 28, 2019)

we should get a new thread discussing what we buy from hardware stores to replace expensive "professional" reptile keeping equipment.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 29, 2019)

Ok thanks. I have one light bulb that says it is LED, but also 65 watt.


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## Tom (Nov 29, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> Ok thanks. I have one light bulb that says it is LED, but also 65 watt.


A 65 watt LED would light up an entire parking lot. I have 4 pole mounted 49 watt LEDs that light up my entire 5 acre ranch at night. The labeling can be confusing. Unless we are talking about a very large bulb that lights up a large outdoor area, what you have is a 65 watt bulb "replacement'. Meaning the bulb is intended to replace the 65 watt incandescent bulb, produce a similar amount of light, but use a lot less electricity.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 29, 2019)

Ahh.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 29, 2019)

> we should get a new thread discussing what we buy from hardware stores to replace expensive "professional" reptile keeping equipment.



Really though. Most plastic tubs are better than vivariums, and most professional hides are worse than something you make.


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## Tom (Nov 29, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> Really though. Most plastic tubs are better than vivariums, and most professional hides are worse than something you make.


I don't agree about the tubs being better than vivariums. Not for any species. Its much easier to maintain stable conditions and either moderate or high humidity, depending on the species, in a closed chamber. Testudo and other temperate species can be successfully raised in open topped enclosures, but tropical species can't.


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## William Lee Kohler (Nov 29, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> I found two 65 watt Sylvania flood LED bulb in my garage, but both of them together still didn't heat it very well. I think I need to up the wattage.



LEDs save energy by giving off zero or very little waste energy as heat.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 29, 2019)

> I don't agree about the tubs being better than vivariums. Not for any species. Its much easier to maintain stable conditions and either moderate or high humidity, depending on the species, in a closed chamber. Testudo and other temperate species can be successfully raised in open topped enclosures, but tropical species can't.



True. I mostly have Russians, so I use tubs often, mainly because of the variety of shapes and sizes, as well as their inexpensiveness.


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## Tortoise MasterMan (Nov 29, 2019)

Tom said:


> A 65 watt LED would light up an entire parking lot. I have 4 pole mounted 49 watt LEDs that light up my entire 5 acre ranch at night. The labeling can be confusing. Unless we are talking about a very large bulb that lights up a large outdoor area, what you have is a 65 watt bulb "replacement'. Meaning the bulb is intended to replace the 65 watt incandescent bulb, produce a similar amount of light, but use a lot less electricity. LED bulbs don't produce heat... And they aren't 65 watts. If you read the package a little closer, you'll see that they are producing the equivalent amount of light that you'd get from an incandescent 65 watt bulb. They probably use somewhere around 9-10 watts.



I finally found where it states this on the bulb's packaging. Thanks for all your help!


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## Sue Ann (Dec 6, 2019)

Tortoise MasterMan said:


> I found two 65 watt Sylvania flood LED bulb in my garage, but both of them together still didn't heat it very well. I think I need to up the wattage.


I changed to CHE bulbs. Much better heat.


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## ryanlocsin22 (May 22, 2020)

Tom said:


> I use regular 65 watt floods from the hardware store. Phillips or Sylvania. I buy them in 6 or 12 packs so I always have extras on hand. Adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can also go higher or lower wattage as needed to get the correct temp under your bulb.




Hi tom. im currently having problems getting a br30 incandescent flood bulb here in my country. is a regular 40w incandescent bulb and a reflector fixture good enough? this is what i found


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## William Lee Kohler (May 22, 2020)

One thing to be aware of with HEAT lamps/ceramics is to get CERAMIC socket fixtures for these. Cheap plastic ones degrade and become brittle in time and will break apart. I USED to use these for my heat lamps years ago.


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## Tom (May 22, 2020)

ryanlocsin22 said:


> Hi tom. im currently having problems getting a br30 incandescent flood bulb here in my country. is a regular 40w incandescent bulb and a reflector fixture good enough? this is what i found


Those should work in a hooded fixture. You might have to move them closer to the tortoises. Your thermometer will tell you.


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## ryanlocsin22 (May 31, 2020)

Tom said:


> Those should work in a hooded fixture. You might have to move them closer to the tortoises. Your thermometer will tell you.


hi thank yoi for replying!!! can you guys help me?
i have a prebuilt open top tortoise table that i invested a lot already. so i made some revisions for the humidity. The table is 6ft x 3ft and 24inches in height. it has wheels so i can move it anywhere. it opens at the top ill be putting a screen on top.and i have a plastic to cover the top of the whole screen to make it more humid. the insides are all lined with a pond liner the area at the back which has a door that can be opened and closed to acces the small "house" for them to hide in. it is also lined with hard plastic. so moisture wont be a problem for the wood. the table will be outside in our front porch

question.how do i set my lights?

do i put a CHE inside the small #House" and then another CHE outside? plus a tubelight for lighting and a uvb t5 Ho 10.0 light plus a 50w incandescent for the basking spot? in what order do i do the lights?should i cover the entrance to the "small house" with rubber black door flaps to make it dark ? or should i use clear plastic flaps? 

ive take a pic of the night time temp and humidity inside the table that is still with the sides and top open so when i close the side door and then put the plastic on the top of the screen door makes it more humid

im from the Philippines btw im new here but i learned a lot reading. so im making sure to make the most out of what i have already to make the enclosure more humid.


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