We're just getting started with setting our tortoises up. I placed an order for a 100w mvb and a 100w che. I am now wondering if I went a bit overboard. While awaiting their arrival, I'm using an old heatlamp of the style often used in bathroom fan/light fixtures. It is 65W. To keep the temp in the basking area at a 95 or so degrees it has to be about 4ft high. I am wondering if I should have gone with the lower wattage che and mvb's??? Also, just that one light does a good job of keeping the basking area at 95 degrees and the rest of their house at about 75, so I am now thinking the mvb & che are too much together. I guess it never hurts to have extra heating options lying around though- huh?
A lighting question...
- Thread starter adsum
- Start date
- Status
I don't have the same type of tortoise as you, so won't attempt to give advice about that. But, could your temporary heat lamp possibly be 165 watt instead of 65? It does sound like it is putting out more heat than would be expected of a 65 watt bulb. Or, is the room they are in already pretty warm? I personally use the same bulbs you have ordered and hang them about 10-14 inches from the substrate and they are not too hot for my use.
That's a great question and it reminds me that I actually don't know! The box said 65 but it was one we had leftover that we had pulled out of another socket when we moved into the house and changed out all the bulbs- so I actually have no idea and you could very well be correct that it's really a 160 watt version.
I have two redfoot hatchlings in a 2.5ftx4.5ft enclosure. On one end I have a 60W CHE to keep it around 80F, the other end has a 100W CHE and an 100W MVB - the CHE on the warm end keeps things around 86F, while the MVB boosts part of this region to around 90F.
I should mention, I have both CHE's hooked up to a thermostat. I don't think you've overdone it here.
I should mention, I have both CHE's hooked up to a thermostat. I don't think you've overdone it here.
- Status
