Advice needed! Light broke!

[waitmanff]

So my CHE light has broke around the bottom of the bulb around the base as if it comes apart, I won't be able to get a new one till I get home from work tomorrow--do I use the broken one (it still heats up) or do I just leave the day light in?

I don't want to mess her sleeping schedule but could mercury be leaking from the bulb?

 

[wellington]

A CHE is a ceramic heat element, no light, no mercury and they never break unless you drop them. So, I'm assuming your talking about your MVB and no, I would not use it. Fire hazard. Your tort will be fine without the UVB until you can get another. If you need the heat, then use another type bulb. A CHE should be used for night time heat.

 

[waitmanff]

It is this one, and I didn't drop it, I went to unscrew and it just broke.

Will it mess my tort up if I keep the light on all night?

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[wellington]

Sorry, I totally didn't think it would have been a CHE, specially when you mentioned mercury. I have never seen or heard of one of those breaking. No, it won't hurt your tort to leave the light on all night. How long have you had that CHE? I have a couple that are really old and still keeps on working. If you haven't had it very long, I would try to get it replaced for free.

 

[waitmanff]

I have had it for about 6 or 7 months...as far as the mercury I wasn't sure what was in a CHE I just knew to use it lol

 

[wellington]

Did you have it in a ceramic, plastic or metal socket? I only use the ceramic sockets. The plastic I'm afraid of it melting and the metal I would think would get too hot and possibly do what happened to yours. If your not using a ceramic socket, switch to one for you new CHE. If you are using one, be sure it's wattage load is big enough for the watts of the CHE. No, there is no mercury in them that could hurt your tort. It would be unsafe to use though, a fire hazard, don't risk that.

 

[waitmanff]

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That's what I'm using, is that right?

 

[wellington]

Yep, that really should not be a problem. You must have just gotten a defective one. If it were to happen again, maybe try a dome that is not so deep. It just might keep in too much heat. I have used those kind before. However, I have not used them for long periods. I usually use the silver, more rounded domes that you can get at Home Depot or even the pet stores. They aren't so deep.

 

[waitmanff]

Thanks for all the advice!! I really appreciate it! I'll go pick up some new items tomorrow!