Is this light fine for my enclosure?

Julian32122

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I’ve been using this UVB light for my enclosure and it seems like it has been doing great for my 7-month old Russian tortoise. However, I just wanted some feedback on what you guys think about this UVB light? D16129D4-D37D-42D3-95B5-7402367C4C45.png
 

Tom

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If you put a UV meter under that bulb you will see that it is making hardly any UV. It needs to be around 10 inches or less away from the tortoise, and even then it makes very little UV.

You don't need indoor UV in Vallejo, so you can just keep using that bulb as it lights up the enclosure nicely, in addition to your basking bulb, and it does not harm.

Read this for more explanation:
 

Julian32122

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Location (City and/or State)
Vallejo
If you put a UV meter under that bulb you will see that it is making hardly any UV. It needs to be around 10 inches or less away from the tortoise, and even then it makes very little UV.

You don't need indoor UV in Vallejo, so you can just keep using that bulb as it lights up the enclosure nicely, in addition to your basking bulb, and it does not harm.

Read this for more explanation:
Hi Tom,

Wow, I guess the thing that has been working has been the Mercury Vapor Bulb I’ve had as well inside my enclosure. (I have both the fluorescent bulb and the MVB in my enclosure).

I’m guessing I can just scrap the fluorescent bulb if it gives off no UVB.

Could you please explain what you mean in that I don’t need an indoor UVB bulb in Vallejo? I thought it was always essential to have one so I’m a little confused.
 

Julian32122

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Hi Tom,

Wow, I guess the thing that has been working has been the Mercury Vapor Bulb I’ve had as well inside my enclosure. (I have both the fluorescent bulb and the MVB in my enclosure).

I’m guessing I can just scrap the fluorescent bulb if it gives off no UVB.

Could you please explain what you mean in that I don’t need an indoor UVB bulb in Vallejo? I thought it was always essential to have one so I’m a little confused.
Nevermind! I understand what you mean. I don’t need UV as I can just take my tortoise outside a few times a week.

I’m still curious though, it’s a little too cold sometimes to take my tortoise out. In that case I would assume I still need indoor UV?
 

Tom

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Nevermind! I understand what you mean. I don’t need UV as I can just take my tortoise outside a few times a week.

I’m still curious though, it’s a little too cold sometimes to take my tortoise out. In that case I would assume I still need indoor UV?
There are many ways to do this. On colder days you can use a large black cement mixing tub. Even on a 65 degree day, the temp side the tub can be in the 80s or 90s with sunshine and no wind. You just have to monitor temps closely.

Torts store D3 in their fat cells, so its not necessary to have constant access to UV all day every day. Its fine to skip a few weeks in winter. Babies especially hide from the sun in the wild all day anyway.

I would not use an MVB. Those are unreliable and many produce too much UV, or none at all. MVBs are also too hot for a closed chamber, which is what your baby should be housed in. You need an incandescent flood bulb for basking.

I would keep the florescent. It does no harm and its good light for the enclosure.
 

Julian32122

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Location (City and/or State)
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There are many ways to do this. On colder days you can use a large black cement mixing tub. Even on a 65 degree day, the temp side the tub can be in the 80s or 90s with sunshine and no wind. You just have to monitor temps closely.

Torts store D3 in their fat cells, so its not necessary to have constant access to UV all day every day. Its fine to skip a few weeks in winter. Babies especially hide from the sun in the wild all day anyway.

I would not use an MVB. Those are unreliable and many produce too much UV, or none at all. MVBs are also too hot for a closed chamber, which is what your baby should be housed in. You need an incandescent flood bulb for basking.

I would keep the florescent. It does no harm and its good light for the enclosure.
Great - thank you so much. I'm going to do what you recommended.

I've currently got my baby tortoise in a closed chamber enclosure I purchased from Zen Habitats and I've been very keen on monitoring the temps and what not with my temp gun (especially as we transition into summer). I was looking through your beginners guide article and saw that you aren't a big fan of MVB so I'll go ahead and replace that soon with the appropriate fixture as you recommended. Thanks for sharing the additional info as well! I learned a lot.
 

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