Elongata and UV light..

Martin Martinussen

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How do you make sure your turts get some UV light?

We use a combi bulb. and when its on they just hide inside there humid hide all day long..

So thinking of putting up a t5 tube and a CHE insted . but does it help?
 

Yvonne G

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The UVB rays float around in the atmosphere. Haven't you ever noticed you can get a sunburn on an overcast day?

If they hide from the light, maybe it's too bright?? Try adding a few plants to provide a bit of shade around the enclosure and some relief from the harsh lighting.
 

Martin Martinussen

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They have plants lots of them.
And go to the far corner when they come out.. so 2 mins of UV is not much. when they run tru the uvb bulb.

And if they was outside i wouldn't care about light and uvb.. But they are inside... Why i seeking info on how people with these make sure they get enuff UV light
 

Yvonne G

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Like I said, but probably not plain enough, the UVB rays from your light isn't contained within the circle of light shining down from the bulb. It bounces off objects inside the habitat and is reflected into the shade or wherever your tortoise may be hiding.
 
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Martin Martinussen

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Well let's hope. they hide behind the pots. so not UV getting down on them. but only been here a week.. so can hope they get out some more..
Just wanted to know /see what people do now that these don't like basking spots. or some do and others don't .
 

Markw84

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Just to clarify... Love you Yvonne, but UV light does not "float around". UVB is a specific wavelength of LIGHT. It is light and acts just like light. So since it is not totally dark in the shade, light, and UVB does bounce off some objects and get reflected. So in direct sunlight, where you would see a UVI reading of 9 in summer, a few feet into the shade under a tree will have a UVI of maybe 2 or so. Deeper in the shade it will diminish to practically 0. A good rule of thumb is - how bright is the light where you are looking? The more light being reflected - the more UVB will be as well if the main source of light contains UVB. Bright, unobstructed = the most. Well illuminated but shady areas - OK. Dark shade - probably none. Your sunburn on a cloudy day is because just as most sunlight does go straight through a cloud layer, so will some UV. However since we don't feel as much warming from the direct sunlight on overcast days, we don't "feel" the UV burning our skin and often stay out much longer than we would if we felt the heat.

Many tortoises do passively bask - in the shade under the edge of bushes, or a rock. There they get plenty of reflected UVB yet feel more secure. In my enclosure, I prefer the HO UVB 12-14% tubes. They distribute a broader UVB zone than a MVB would, and do so over a longer length. Much better for reflected UV. I know hiding under a plant towards the edge of the actual "basking areas" they are getting enough UVB, just need a bit longer.

Pre vitamin D is manufactured in the skin with UVB exposure in a matter of a few minutes. It happens quite quickly. The conversion of pre vitamin D to D3 takes longer and needs to be done with HEATED skin. Most of the basking time is devoted to heating the skin for that conversion. That conversion does not require UVB once the pre vitamin D is there.

Also, @Martin Martinussen Elongated Tortoises, like Redfoot do get a decent amount of D3 from their diet. Ensure you are making that available.
 

Martin Martinussen

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We give them same greens oure Sulcatas get every day. Then they get a little fruit every 2 or 3 day and meat once i week. unless i find a slug or carrion then they get it right away but wintertime now so not many around .
That is the plan. only had em 2 weeks.

We give them some more time and see what happen.. just wanted to make sure there wasn't something better we could do to help them get more UV light.

Was just thinking about how bad it can go for a Sulcata with no or little UV light..
So just msking sure they have what they need .
 

Markw84

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(Thanks, Mark. I amended my statement)
Never know how and when it's appropriate to get too technical. I just always think about how many people might be doing exactly like I did for several years - Look over the forum content for information and Ideas but never post themselves. Many seem to do that and not even join the forum= so no telling how many do that. So I try to be nice and polite, but I always try to be careful and be accurate. You never know what statement people may pick up on! This is such a great learning tool for so many. What a valuable resource!
 

MichaelaW

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Just to clarify... Love you Yvonne, but UV light does not "float around". UVB is a specific wavelength of LIGHT. It is light and acts just like light. So since it is not totally dark in the shade, light, and UVB does bounce off some objects and get reflected. So in direct sunlight, where you would see a UVI reading of 9 in summer, a few feet into the shade under a tree will have a UVI of maybe 2 or so. Deeper in the shade it will diminish to practically 0. A good rule of thumb is - how bright is the light where you are looking? The more light being reflected - the more UVB will be as well if the main source of light contains UVB. Bright, unobstructed = the most. Well illuminated but shady areas - OK. Dark shade - probably none. Your sunburn on a cloudy day is because just as most sunlight does go straight through a cloud layer, so will some UV. However since we don't feel as much warming from the direct sunlight on overcast days, we don't "feel" the UV burning our skin and often stay out much longer than we would if we felt the heat.

Many tortoises do passively bask - in the shade under the edge of bushes, or a rock. There they get plenty of reflected UVB yet feel more secure. In my enclosure, I prefer the HO UVB 12-14% tubes. They distribute a broader UVB zone than a MVB would, and do so over a longer length. Much better for reflected UV. I know hiding under a plant towards the edge of the actual "basking areas" they are getting enough UVB, just need a bit longer.

Pre vitamin D is manufactured in the skin with UVB exposure in a matter of a few minutes. It happens quite quickly. The conversion of pre vitamin D to D3 takes longer and needs to be done with HEATED skin. Most of the basking time is devoted to heating the skin for that conversion. That conversion does not require UVB once the pre vitamin D is there.

Also, @Martin Martinussen Elongated Tortoises, like Redfoot do get a decent amount of D3 from their diet. Ensure you are making that available.
Very interesting comment.
 

Anthony P

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If the tortoises are not coming out to play, that also might not mean that the UV isn't right. They might just be hiding from something else. How long have you had them? How many are together in what sized enclosure? Are they more active at certain times of day? What size are the animals? Ever see any aggression from them? Are they eating? Are they eating near the light?
 

Huckleberry

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I have six elongated tortoises housed outside. Right now it is the 'cool' season in SE Asia (dropping into the 50s-60s at night), and my torts still will not bask in the full sun. They are moving more slowly, but stay in hiding all day, only to come alive at crepuscular times; on nights when the moon is bright, I sometimes find them moving late into the night. All this to say, I wouldn't worry about their 'hiding from the light' behavior.
 

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