Basking lamp wattage

[Ezzitigger]

I have just bought my 3yr old son a baby russian tortoise and was wondering what wattage the basking light should be in a 2ft vivarium as I keep getting contradictary information?? It is only temporarily in a viv until my son gets used to not keep handling it. Also how often should you feed it??? Thanks

 

[kimber_lee_314]

I have just bought my 3yr old son a baby russian tortoise and was wondering what wattage the basking light should be in a 2ft vivarium as I keep getting contradictary information?? It is only temporarily in a viv until my son gets used to not keep handling it. Also how often should you feed it??? Thanks

www.russiantortoise.org

Here is a good site for you to start with. Congratulations on your new little friend!

 

[Tom]

Wattage doesn't matter. Temperature does. You could mount a 500 watt on the ceiling or a 50 watt just above him and both could work. If he'll be getting lots of regular sunshine in a safe outdoor pen, a regular incandescent bulb will work fine. If not, or if you have frozen winters and do not want to hibernate him, the get a Mercury Vapor Bulb. There is one called "Trex Active UV Heat" that most of us use and like. These bulbs cost a bunch, but they give your tortoise heat AND the UV that they NEED. You'll need a temperature gauge with a remote probe to check these temps. You will soon discover that Walmart and or your local big box hardware store is a better place to find tortoise supplies than the pet store. Besides the Wal-Mart employees probably know as much as the pet store employees about tortoises any way. (That was a sarcastic joke, but I can't post a smiley face from the quick reply area.)

You need to have a large enough enclosure(3 or 4 feet min.) so that you can set up a thermal gradient. You need a cool side(room temp, 70ish), a warm side (80ish) and a basking SPOT(around 100). If night temps in your tortoises room are above 65, you won't need anything for night.

Here's a pic of a basic tortoise enclosure.
http://tortoiseforum.org/thread-13375.html
This one was made for a sulcata, but it would suit a russian just fine too. You could use any container you wanted, it doesn't need to be a big, ugly, stock tank. You could also use a big plastic storage bin or sweater box, like from Wal-Mart if your enclosure isn't big enough already. If the pet store sold you a glass aquarium, I'd try to take it back.

Welcome to the forum. We have lots of very experienced Russian keepers here. Please ask lots and lots of questions as babies can be delicate.

 

[Kristina]

Tom is right, it depends on your usage of the light. I use a 250 watt bulb on some pens and a 60 watt on others. My house stays at 70-72 at night, so I do not use one at night.

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi Ezzitigger:

to the forum!!

 

[Weloveourtortoise]

welcome to the forum!!!