Basking bulb

kaitiejane

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I just got a new bulb 3 days ago and i got home yesterday the bulb had already burned out! So I'm wondering what is the best basking bulb I can buy?! I have him under his night time heat lamp which is a 50 watt until I can get to the store! But what are the best basking bulbs?!
 

phebe121

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What kind did u get i like the one i got they seam more active and happy
 

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Tom

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If you need a UV bulb get a power sun.

If your tortoise gets UV elsewhere, like from the sun or a florescent tube, then a regular incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store will work.
 

Clemy

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If you need a UV bulb get a power sun.

If your tortoise gets UV elsewhere, like from the sun or a florescent tube, then a regular incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store will work.
Silly question but are u saying that the incandescent bulbs work ok as a heat bulb?
 

Tom

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Silly question but are u saying that the incandescent bulbs work ok as a heat bulb?
Not silly at all. This thread is almost 8 years old. A lot has changed since then. Here is the current info:
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
  3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.
 

enchilada

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nnnoahhhhhhh

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this works great. no more over priced "reptile" heat bulbs
Hi, I’m scrolling through old posts to find a non-reptile basking bulb. Does this wattage keep a good basking temperature for you? Not too hot? Tom says he uses a 65 watt, and I either find lower or wattages over 200. Thank you!
 

Tom

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Hi, I’m scrolling through old posts to find a non-reptile basking bulb. Does this wattage keep a good basking temperature for you? Not too hot? Tom says he uses a 65 watt, and I either find lower or wattages over 200. Thank you!
65 watts is a good starting point for most applications. Only your thermometer can tell you if it is enough or too much. If you have a large open enclosure in a cold room, you will likely need more wattage, or more basking bulbs. If you have a closed chamber in a heated reptile room, then 65 watts will probably be too much.
 

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