Basking for Russian Tortoise

[R114]

Hello! I just have a quick question about the basking light for a russian tortoise. What time should I turn it on in the morning? The tortoise is about 2 months old so I'm guessing I should only keep it on for 12 hours as well. I have heard some say 8:30 am-8:30 pm but others have said they get up earlier, anybody know the best time?

 

[wellington]

Not really a best time. 7-7, 7:30-7:30, 8-8, 8:30-8:30 any will do. My leopards comes on at 7 that is the time I am up. He wakes and comes out to eat around 7:30-7:45. Sometimes, he's not up until past 8. I try to always have food in there for him by 7:30

 

[stinax182]

your tort will adjust to whatever schedule you put it on, most of the time. better to have it on too early than too late. the basking light warms up the enclosure a bit so some wait for that instead of waking up with the light.

 

[lynnedit]

I tend to have it come on fairly early, say 6 to 6:30am. That way it does warm up the basking area. Plus, mine seem to burrow by 5pm anyway. I guess it is personal preference and watching your tort's pattern.

 

[cemmons12]

Yeah, its up to you. I sort of wait till I see them get up and active, then the night lights go off and the day lights come on. Normal time is around 8 to 830.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

My overhead fluorescent light and ceramic heat-emitter basking spot are both on the same timer. In the winter, it comes on at 6am and turns off at 9pm. I don't change it with daylight savings time, so the rest of the year it comes on at 7am and turns off at 10pm.