baby sulcatas and UVB lighting

[Cameron]

Here is a question. I have read that babies spend most or all (?) of their time in burrows after they hatch. If this is correct, being in burrows, they don't get UVB from the sunlight. So I guess my question is, how much UVB light do our captive baby sulcatas need? I don't have a UVB light on my enclosure, but I take her/him out in the sun every other day or so for a couple of hours. If the wild babies stay in the burrow for months (may be a lot less, I don't know) then they must not need as much UVB lighting as we think? If I'm off base here let me know. I was just thinking about this and figured I would ask. I may be thinking that they stay in the burrows longer than they actually do. I don't know

 

[Tom]

You'll be fine with what you are doing.

I only rarely use any UV lighting and then only in the middle of winter if two or three weeks of cold weather prevent me from putting them outside.

I don't know about how much they come above ground as wild babies. There's no food or water in the burrows, so they have to be coming up somewhat regularly. I think they spend MOST of their time hidden, but not all of it. I'm just guessing here, as I know of no one who has actually studied this.

 

[Cameron]

Thanks man. I didn't think about the food/water thing. They must go out of the burrow more than I was thinking. I'll definitely need to get a MV bulb for our cold Oklahoma winters. There will be no outdoor time for the baby then.

 

[pebbles]

I still think you should have a UV light bulb in there. I think you should buy one and put it so it shines on one side of the enclosure so they at least have something to go to if they need it. If the hatchlings don't, they can just stay away from the light. But at least they will have the option.

I understand they're babies but I wouldn't risk it not having it anyway. My tortoise had his UV light on since I got him at 6 weeks.

 

[tortoisenerd]

Yes in the wild babies still do get UVB. They stay hidden a lot, but remember even if they spent 95% of their time hidden, that is still over an hour a day they are above ground (presumably getting UVB unless its a cloudy day). I think the opportunity for UVB every day for at least an hour or every other day for a couple hours is very important, in addition to pure calcium daily over the food for a hatchling. I would get a UVB bulb indoors if you aren't getting the regular outdoor time. Make sure you also have adequate temps indoors without the UVB bulb (75-95), and if you add one (a MVB like a 100 Watt T-Rex Active UV or Mega Ray is the best--replaced yearly--with a hood ceramic socket fixture and a lamp stand and a temp gun and a timer to go on & off--the tube lights barely do anything), you will have to spend some time getting the temps right and taking away the other light/heat sources. Heat at night if its under 65/70 F, but they do need a temp drop.

 

[Livingstone]

I would get a UVB bulb indoors if you aren't getting the regular outdoor time. Make sure you also have adequate temps indoors without the UVB bulb (75-95), and if you add one (a MVB like a 100 Watt T-Rex Active UV or Mega Ray is the best--replaced yearly--with a hood ceramic socket fixture and a lamp stand and a temp gun and a timer to go on & off--the tube lights barely do anything), you will have to spend some time getting the temps right and taking away the other light/heat sources. Heat at night if its under 65/70 F, but they do need a temp drop.

+ humidity at a solid 75% across the pen + feed mazuri = healthy happy baby.

Also, burrows do not mean no UVB. The same way you get a tan under an umbrella, is the same way a tortoise gets UVB in a burrow.