Are these lights suitable for my redfoot tortoise?

EllisEditz

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just wondering if these lights i have for my 12month old redfoot are suitable :)
 

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ZEROPILOT

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No to the first photo.
Yes on the second one. Though optimally you need a 6%
This will provide all the light and UVB that it'll need.
Then use a CHE for warmth. CHE provide the heat without any extra light.
Redfoot do not like bright lights
 

Tom

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just wondering if these lights i have for my 12month old redfoot are suitable :)
No spot bulbs for any tortoise species, and certainly not for a RF.

Use a thermostat on the CHE that ZEROPILOT suggested to maintain ambient temps where you want them. Radiant heat panels work well for this too..
 

EllisEditz

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No to the first photo.
Yes on the second one. Though optimally you need a 6%
This will provide all the light and UVB that it'll need.
Then use a CHE for warmth. CHE provide the heat without any extra light.
Redfoot do not like bright lights
Could you provide links to purchase ?
 

EllisEditz

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No to the first photo.
Yes on the second one. Though optimally you need a 6%
This will provide all the light and UVB that it'll need.
Then use a CHE for warmth. CHE provide the heat without any extra light.
Redfoot do not like bright lights
So I need to change my uvb light strip bulb to a 6% one ? And my basking bulb is bad could you recommend me a bulb to buy possibly send me a link please and thankyou ?
 

Tom

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So I need to change my uvb light strip bulb to a 6% one ? And my basking bulb is bad could you recommend me a bulb to buy possibly send me a link please and thankyou ?
No basking bulb is needed for RFs. Just set the thermostat that controls your heat to 82-85. The 6% bulb will light up the enclosure.
 

EllisEditz

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No basking bulb is needed for RFs. Just set the thermostat that controls your heat to 82-85. The 6% bulb will light up the enclosure.
No basking bulb is needed for RFs. Just set the thermostat that controls your heat to 82-85. The 6% bulb will light up the enclosure.
So literally just put my thermostat to 82-85 with that heat bulb, and replace my 12%uvb for a 6%
 

TeamZissou

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Or remove that basking bulb ?

Get a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) and a thermostat. You may need a couple CHEs based on the size of your chamber. Radiant heat panels spread out the heat more, if they are available in the UK. You do not need a basking bulb as Tom said.

You can just use the UVB bulb you have rather than buying a 6%. RFs don't need a lot of UV, so you can run the UV lamp for a couple of hours midday. Of course, the height of the bulb changes the UV intensity. With a 12% bulb you could probably mount it 24" above the substrate and still get a UVI reading in the 3+ range, but a Solarmeter 6.5 is the best way to dial it in precisely.

You could get some LED lights to run for the rest of the day. Something in the 6500k color temp range, but not high intensity since this is a forest dwelling species.

High humidity is critical for this species.

 

EllisEditz

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No spot bulbs for any tortoise species, and certainly not for a RF.

Use a thermostat on the CHE that ZEROPILOT suggested to maintain ambient temps where you want them. Radiant heat panels work well for this too..
So literally just put my thermostat to 82-85 with that heat bulb, and replace my 12%uvb for a 6%
Sorry I’m not quit understanding ?
Get a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) and a thermostat. You may need a couple CHEs based on the size of your chamber. Radiant heat panels spread out the heat more, if they are available in the UK. You do not need a basking bulb as Tom said.

You can just use the UVB bulb you have rather than buying a 6%. RFs don't need a lot of UV, so you can run the UV lamp for a couple of hours midday. Of course, the height of the bulb changes the UV intensity. With a 12% bulb you could probably mount it 24" above the substrate and still get a UVI reading in the 3+ range, but a Solarmeter 6.5 is the best way to dial it in precisely.

You could get some LED lights to run for the rest of the day. Something in the 6500k color temp range, but not high intensity since this is a forest dwelling species.

High humidity is critical for this species.

aren’t CHE’s a (coil bulb) coil bulbs are bad for torts eyes right?
 

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Or remove that basking bulb ?
Yes.
Replace the basking bulb and replace it with a CHE on a thermostat.
A CHE provides no light.
Electronic devices are different here and in the UK. But this is what a locally available CHE looks like:
 

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Tom

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Sorry I’m not quite understanding ?
Another thing that leads to all sorts of confusion is conflicting advice from pet shops, vets, and internet sources. You've probably been given all the same usual wrong info that people always get for tortoise care. Now, here on TFO, you have found the correct care info from people who actually keep, raise, and breed all these tortoise species, and are not trying to sell you anything.

You've been told tortoises need a basking lamp, and some species do, so you are asking which one you should use. Here we are telling you not to use one at all. All of us here are frustrated with all the misinformation circulating around the world about tortoise care, and we work tirelessly, one person at a time, to help correct this terrible problem.
 

lovingthelakes

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Another thing that leads to all sorts of confusion is conflicting advice from pet shops, vets, and internet sources. You've probably been given all the same usual wrong info that people always get for tortoise care. Now, here on TFO, you have found the correct care info from people who actually keep, raise, and breed all these tortoise species, and are not trying to sell you anything.

You've been told tortoises need a basking lamp, and some species do, so you are asking which one you should use. Here we are telling you not to use one at all. All of us here are frustrated with all the misinformation circulating around the world about tortoise care, and we work tirelessly, one person at a time, to help correct this terrible problem.
Thank you so much for putting this forum together! I’ve received & found so much conflicting information. It’s a relief to finally have information from those who really know & care for red foot tortoises.
 

Tom

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Thank you so much for putting this forum together! I’ve received & found so much conflicting information. It’s a relief to finally have information from those who really know & care for red foot tortoises.
@Josh is the founder, and we have a wonderful helpful team of moderators that do a great job of keeping things running as they should. I am merely a member. This is a great community and it is very much a team effort.
 

EllisEditz

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Yes.
Replace the basking bulb and replace it with a CHE on a thermostat.
A CHE provides no light.
Electronic devices are different here and in the UK. But this is what a locally available CHE looks like:
im also in the uk thankyou for so much your information, aint those coil bulbs bad for tortoise?
 

ZEROPILOT

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im also in the uk thankyou for so much your information, aint those coil bulbs bad for tortoise?
I say "if it screws in, throw it away" as far as UVB sources go.
Yes. They are known to cause serious eye issues and don't provide UVB in a wide enough area and too much in some spots.
The light output is also very harsh. Especially annoying for a Redfoot
 

EllisEditz

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And these are coil bulbs:
so is this what im looking for.?
 

ZEROPILOT

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so is this what im looking for.?
Yes
That is the CHE that we speak about.
You will need a ceramic based hood/fixture that is rated for at least 100 watts to mount that in.
 

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