# Heat Lamp on or off at night?



## kassijo3432 (Feb 10, 2014)

Lately I've been turning off my tortoises heat lamp at night. The cage is open at the top and I keep my room around 65 to 70 degrees. And the heat lamp keeps the cage about 85 to 90 degrees. Is it safe to turn off the heat lamp at night or no? I'm not sure what the temp of the cage should be at night....


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## AZtortMom (Feb 10, 2014)

What type of tort do you have?


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## kassijo3432 (Feb 10, 2014)

He's a Greek tortoise.


And I'm in Washington if that makes a difference.


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## ascott (Feb 10, 2014)

Do you keep the substrate damp? If yes, I would offer then a night heat source so your tort can move to that spot if the tort feels the need ....


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## Dizisdalife (Feb 10, 2014)

If you use a "heat lamp" at night it should not emit any light. Just heat. A ceramic heating element (CHE) works great for this.


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## kassijo3432 (Feb 11, 2014)

Yeah he lives in Timothy hay and it stays dry.... And all he has is the heat lamp. I should have another light in his cage as well?


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## Tom (Feb 11, 2014)

Your Greek needs it dark at night and he does not need heat at night for those temps.

He might not need more light, but does he have a UV source? Where are you and does he get sunshine?


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## ascott (Feb 11, 2014)

> Yeah he lives in Timothy hay and it stays dry



May I inquire as to your thinking for housing on hay?


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## kassijo3432 (Feb 12, 2014)

Ok. He only has a heat lamp and we're in Washington so no sun here right now. Lately it's been snow.


Ascott, I was told that glass aquariums aren't good for tortoises.... And they recommended Timothy hay. The store I got this info from was an exotic pet store and they owned this massive tortoise. They seemed to know their stuff so I changed his aquarium and so far the plastic tub aware is the best I've got so far. And surprisingly he doesn't even eat the Timothy hay. Why do you ask?


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## WillTort2 (Feb 12, 2014)

The timothy hay will get moldy when damp and dusty when dry. Neither is good for your tort. Many keepers prefer a coco coir substrate to avoid the mold issue.


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## Tom (Feb 13, 2014)

Pease click the first link in my signature and read. Pet stores are notorious for giving bad advice, and yours appears to be no exception.

Here is a Russian tortoise care sheet, but it will work just fine for a Greek too:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-80698.html

There was nothing wrong with your aquarium, hay is not a good substrate, and your tortoise needs a UV source over winter if you are not goings to hibernate him/her. The pet store will likely try to sell you a coil type cfl. I recommend you not use that since they can sometimes burn tortoise eyes. Instead use a mercury vapor bulb for heat light and UV all in one, or use a long tube style florescent light along with the basking lamp you already have.


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## kassijo3432 (Feb 13, 2014)

So your suggesting coco coir bedding and a glass aquarium. With the heat lamp as well as a uv lighting. How big of a tank should he be in? He's 6inches now. That page you gave me said go big. Haha so idk what "big" would be for his size. 


They have a heat lamp and a uv light all in one?....


I heard humidity isn't as big of a deal for Russians is that true? And does it relate to the Greek as well? Cause I don't have a source of humidity and it's fairly dry here.


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