Bulb advice!

[Natbets]

Hello

I'm currently looking to replace my bulb (Arcadia Mercury Vapour D3 UV Basking Lamp 100W) for my gal Agnes, she's a spur thigh tortoise.

I'd like to get some advice on whether this is the best option for her or if there's any better recommendations to ensure she has the best lighting possible.

Pic of Ags just because she's beautiful

Thanks!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Welcome to the forum! @Littleredfootbigredheart can probably help you.

 

[Tom]

Hello

I'm currently looking to replace my bulb (Arcadia Mercury Vapour D3 UV Basking Lamp 100W) for my gal Agnes, she's a spur thigh tortoise.

I'd like to get some advice on whether this is the best option for her or if there's any better recommendations to ensure she has the best lighting possible.

Pic of Ags just because she's beautiful
View attachment 398336
Thanks!

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello

I'm currently looking to replace my bulb (Arcadia Mercury Vapour D3 UV Basking Lamp 100W) for my gal Agnes, she's a spur thigh tortoise.

I'd like to get some advice on whether this is the best option for her or if there's any better recommendations to ensure she has the best lighting possible.

Pic of Ags just because she's beautiful
View attachment 398336
Thanks!

Hello from a fellow uk member! Always great to see new folks join from this side of the pond
I can absolutely help! I’ll add some uk links to lighting at the end of this post

You’re absolutely right to reach out before renewing your lighting, there’s definitely better out there for your little companion

It’s best going with a separate uvb and heat set up(still mounted close) having combined heat and uv means when adjusting your height to create the desired basking temperature, you’re messing with your UVI zone, they are much more desiccating on the shell and their uv output often very unreliable.
There’s the added fact of uv timing, with the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. Whilst not necessarily dangerous, it’s potentially annoying to the tortoise to have 12hours on uv in the enclosure.
The right uv bulbs are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life.
Then some cheaper led lighting for your ambient 12 hour light cycle as well as the basking light on the same 12hrs, your ceramics(if needed) will run 24/7 on a thermostat, hope that all makes sense
The most recommended up to date indoor uv option is t5 tube fluorescent bulbs, they disperse the uv light over a much wider area. Recommended brands are Arcadia proT5 kit 12% or zoo med reptisun t5 10.0(hood usually sold separate) I’d personally go for the Arcadia, readily available in the uk, and generally the better quality of the two.

Just another heads up, I wouldn’t recommend the substrate you’re using, reptisoils like that tend to be mixed with sand which can unfortunately pose an impaction and irritant risk in captivity, it doesn’t make the nicest consistency when trying to add the needed moisture either, it looks very dry in the photo.

These threads here cover everything you’re looking for! I know the care sheet says Russians and hermans, but care still applies

This thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, correct levels, appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and the tortoise table link

Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes lots of inspiration for an adult set up both indoors and out! The indoor bit has some good ideas to tackle indoor space whilst still providing the needed roaming room! Check comments too, I’m always adding to it, I have a huge back log I need to add.

Enclosure inspiration

Howdy folks! Hope everyone is well! As you all know, I’m a big fan of making threads that cater more towards visual learners like myself, I’ve really been wanting to create a thread full of adult enclosure inspiration for a while now, I’ve managed to find some great references over time! I do...

tortoiseforum.org

Now that housing thread discusses an open top set up, which is fine for adult tortoises, but I will say, knowing how cold our uk winters get, for those who don’t brumate their temperate species, they can really struggle keeping their temperates where needed, a cover can come in really handy for maintaining your heat, the most efficient closed set ups are melamine/pvc vivs. A place called Southdown aquatics actually does custom sized vivs in the uk If you’re ever considering an upgrade

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

For some uk links, This is a good basking bulb to go for;

Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight

Powerful UVA basking bulbs that simulate the sunlight Uses Infrared heat Provides heat reptiles need to thermoregulate for good health

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

People tend to go for either 75 or 100watt, sometimes you have to experiment between them.
Your basking and any ambient led lighting you use will be on the same 12-14hr timer.

This is the uvb;

Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit - Desert 12%

Highly adaptable lighting kit producing UV-rich light Links up to multiple kits Fix inside a vivarium or place upon a wire mesh glass terrarium

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

This will be on a separate 4hour timer from noonish, the 24watt will be ok.

If you’re looking for some ambient lighting, these are the ones we happen to use, but you don’t have to go fancy for an led

White Python Daylight White LED Kits

Daytime white modular LED lighting kit Recreates daytime sunlight in your terrarium A wide range of kits to choose from

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

Hope this helps! Let me know if there’s any other products you might need links to like substrates etc, welcome to the forum

 

[Natbets]

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More info here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you so much for taking time to provide so much information and advice, it's really helpful and I really appreciate it!

 

[Natbets]

Hello from a fellow uk member! Always great to see new folks join from this side of the pond
I can absolutely help! I’ll add some uk links to lighting at the end of this post

You’re absolutely right to reach out before renewing your lighting, there’s definitely better out there for your little companion

It’s best going with a separate uvb and heat set up(still mounted close) having combined heat and uv means when adjusting your height to create the desired basking temperature, you’re messing with your UVI zone, they are much more desiccating on the shell and their uv output often very unreliable.
There’s the added fact of uv timing, with the uv timing, every other source of information will tell you 12hours of uv. This is essentially an old fashioned rule that has stuck with a lot of keepers, it stems from the presumption that once the basking light or ambient lighting is on, ie the ‘sun’, that uv must coexist the same amount of hours. Fact is, uv rays only peak for a few hours a day, anyone with a uv meter will confirm this. No tortoise is blasted with 12 hours of uv in the wild, therefore it’s not necessary in captivity. Whilst not necessarily dangerous, it’s potentially annoying to the tortoise to have 12hours on uv in the enclosure.
The right uv bulbs are much more expensive to replace once their uv strength diminishes, so it’s definitely best having it on a 4 hour timer that provides them with all the uv they need, saving your bulb life.
Then some cheaper led lighting for your ambient 12 hour light cycle as well as the basking light on the same 12hrs, your ceramics(if needed) will run 24/7 on a thermostat, hope that all makes sense
The most recommended up to date indoor uv option is t5 tube fluorescent bulbs, they disperse the uv light over a much wider area. Recommended brands are Arcadia proT5 kit 12% or zoo med reptisun t5 10.0(hood usually sold separate) I’d personally go for the Arcadia, readily available in the uk, and generally the better quality of the two.

Just another heads up, I wouldn’t recommend the substrate you’re using, reptisoils like that tend to be mixed with sand which can unfortunately pose an impaction and irritant risk in captivity, it doesn’t make the nicest consistency when trying to add the needed moisture either, it looks very dry in the photo.

These threads here cover everything you’re looking for! I know the care sheet says Russians and hermans, but care still applies

This thread covers correct equipment(uvb, heating bulbs, lighting etc, correct levels, appropriately maintaining the humidity, safe substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything, and the tortoise table link

Housing adult Russian and Hermans indoors

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information an example of an appropriate indoor set up for an older Herman/russian. As much as it’s encouraged to have tortoises in a safe outdoor enclosure, I understand being from the uk myself, that some climates make it difficult to...

tortoiseforum.org

This includes lots of inspiration for an adult set up both indoors and out! The indoor bit has some good ideas to tackle indoor space whilst still providing the needed roaming room! Check comments too, I’m always adding to it, I have a huge back log I need to add.

Enclosure inspiration

Howdy folks! Hope everyone is well! As you all know, I’m a big fan of making threads that cater more towards visual learners like myself, I’ve really been wanting to create a thread full of adult enclosure inspiration for a while now, I’ve managed to find some great references over time! I do...

tortoiseforum.org

Now that housing thread discusses an open top set up, which is fine for adult tortoises, but I will say, knowing how cold our uk winters get, for those who don’t brumate their temperate species, they can really struggle keeping their temperates where needed, a cover can come in really handy for maintaining your heat, the most efficient closed set ups are melamine/pvc vivs. A place called Southdown aquatics actually does custom sized vivs in the uk If you’re ever considering an upgrade

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one here is good to go over and keep on hand, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

For some uk links, This is a good basking bulb to go for;

Arcadia Solar Basking Floodlight

Powerful UVA basking bulbs that simulate the sunlight Uses Infrared heat Provides heat reptiles need to thermoregulate for good health

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

People tend to go for either 75 or 100watt, sometimes you have to experiment between them.
Your basking and any ambient led lighting you use will be on the same 12-14hr timer.

This is the uvb;

Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit - Desert 12%

Highly adaptable lighting kit producing UV-rich light Links up to multiple kits Fix inside a vivarium or place upon a wire mesh glass terrarium

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

This will be on a separate 4hour timer from noonish, the 24watt will be ok.

If you’re looking for some ambient lighting, these are the ones we happen to use, but you don’t have to go fancy for an led

White Python Daylight White LED Kits

Daytime white modular LED lighting kit Recreates daytime sunlight in your terrarium A wide range of kits to choose from

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

Hope this helps! Let me know if there’s any other products you might need links to like substrates etc, welcome to the forum

Wow! I'm blown away by your helpful reply and recommendations thank you so much! It's given me lots to think about, I'm currently adding some bits to my Swells basket as we speak. I have a couple of questions that may be a bit silly...

-The LED kit, what's the best way to attach that to an open top tortoise table?

-Yes please to substrate recommendations, I've previously used this, is this more suitable? https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/swell-premium-coco-soil

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Wow! I'm blown away by your helpful reply and recommendations thank you so much! It's given me lots to think about, I'm currently adding some bits to my Swells basket as we speak. I have a couple of questions that may be a bit silly...

-The LED kit, what's the best way to attach that to an open top tortoise table?

-Yes please to substrate recommendations, I've previously used this, is this more suitable? https://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/swell-premium-coco-soil

Aw I’m so glad it’s helped

For those particular leds I’d probably mount them onto a stand like this

Ignore everything else in there, it’s just to show you the stand, you could technically have it going across the width in the middle instead of the length. But to be honest when it comes to led lighting, if it’s easier you could also just got with a regular led bulb in a dome, we just personally liked the model of that strip lighting and it’s easy to mount in our closed set up.

That substrate is fine to usethough personally I find fine grade orchid bark much easier to maintain, perhaps you’d consider a damp coco soil base with a layer of bark on top? I can help that top layer of the soil from drying out quicker and getting messy

This is the bark, I’m not sure how many you’d need but I believe you can find it in bulk online too

Bark Substrates for vivariums and terrariums

Bark Substrates for vivariums and terrariums, including products from Komodo, Exo Terra and Lucky Reptile at the best prices. Lowest prices guaranteed, free delivery and next-day delivery available.

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

 

[Natbets]

Aw I’m so glad it’s helped

For those particular leds I’d probably mount them onto a stand like this
View attachment 398361
Ignore everything else in there, it’s just to show you the stand, you could technically have it going across the width in the middle instead of the length. But to be honest when it comes to led lighting, if it’s easier you could also just got with a regular led bulb in a dome, we just personally liked the model of that strip lighting and it’s easy to mount in our closed set up.

That substrate is fine to usethough personally I find fine grade orchid bark much easier to maintain, perhaps you’d consider a damp coco soil base with a layer of bark on top? I can help that top layer of the soil from drying out quicker and getting messy

This is the bark, I’m not sure how many you’d need but I believe you can find it in bulk online too

Bark Substrates for vivariums and terrariums

Bark Substrates for vivariums and terrariums, including products from Komodo, Exo Terra and Lucky Reptile at the best prices. Lowest prices guaranteed, free delivery and next-day delivery available.

www.reptiles.swelluk.com

Thanks so much again for all your advice I've just ordered all the bits and I'm looking forward to improving Agnes's set up so she can live her best life! If you have any more tips and recommendations I'd be happy to hear them

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thanks so much again for all your advice I've just ordered all the bits and I'm looking forward to improving Agnes's set up so she can live her best life! If you have any more tips and recommendations I'd be happy to hear them

Fab! Would love to see the updates you make if you manage to get some pics when the new stuff comes

 

[Stan N.]

Hello everyone, I didn’t read all this thread but wanted to add that during winter where the torts spend a lot of time indoors with artificial lighting and heating, I wanted to remind everyone about how important humidity is ! Lightning and heating can cause low humidity. So check on than humidity with a hydrometer as low humidity and high humidity can cause your torts problems. And give your Shellys plenty of soaking ! Winter seems , for me , the most challenging time to get it just right also clean substrate ! Blaze, my 11 yrs old sully was rehabilitated from a 3rd degree burns from a negligible owner from a northern state. Contact burn from coals off a grill. I adopted him and he’s doing great !!! So anyone needing info for shell damage from a thermal but , from context or from heating lamps, please reach out . I’m not on here much and don’t really know if I get a email notification for a message from here or not .
Here in North Texas our cold weather is coming to a season end, hopefully! Pleasant times to everyone.stan

 

[MoreCowbellAz]

I have a 6 year old DT who gets a lot of outside time but also has an indoor enclosure, and I use the Arcadia tube Pro Desert 12% and Arcadia basking bulbs mentioned above (or for basking a 65w incandescent from Lowes if I can find them any more). And I love their LED bars too, I have a jungle dawn (weird name), it's on the expensive side but it produces a great bright and wide swath. Inside, I use them in an open enclosure, hung in a similar fashion to the pics above, I build wooden "arches" over the enclosure and hang them on chains (sturdy), which also makes it very easy to adjust. Those Arcadia UV tubes are fantastic, and I find mine last a long time, but I do keep an eye on the UV output.

My only complaint with the Arcadia solar basking bulbs is I had a bunch that blew quickly, some right after installation. Others last a long time. Maybe it was a bad batch, idk. They have some new variant (I forget the name) but I haven't tried them.

Helpful tidbits..........my little guy gets a lot of outside time so he may not need inside UV (although I have it anyway when needed), but inside I adjust my LED and basking timers periodically through the spring/summer/fall to coincide with whatever the natural daylight cycles are at the time. No rigid schedule, I just try to keep him as "close to nature" as possible so I emulate whatever is going on with that time of year. I figure that gives him all the same natural cues he gets outside. They can tell what time of year it is, somehow, so I try to mimic nature.

For indoor UV, I concur with the expert's advice above and only use its a few hrs a day. I do "flex" the timing a little in that I time it to roughly coincide with when my tort is out of his hide, but it's still roughly emulating nature. My DT is usually tucked into his hide for the most part once the natural "peak" hrs hit, he knows to retreat to his hide in the heat, and no need to have the UV on when he's camped out in his hide. And I can attest that natural UV has a pretty steep curve right around around midday, not much in the mornings and later afternoons even when it's otherwise hotter than blazes.

I find a solar meter was a very worthwhile investment, I use it all the time inside and outside. I use it to adjust the height of the UV tube so it's the right amt at tort level (for me it's around 3.5), and I can tell when the bulb is getting weak. And I can also measure how wide the swath of UV is in the enclosure, it's nice to know how the gradient tapers off. I find the solar meter in one of my most useful tools for peace of mind.

Hope that helps in some way.

 

[Natbets]

Fab! Would love to see the updates you make if you manage to get some pics when the new stuff comes

Hi again!

I'm almost there with completing the changes to Agnes's set up, I'm a bit concerned that the temp will be too low as the UVA bulb for basking is a lot smaller than the current one she has. Will I need to compensate by using the ceramic bulb at points during the day to ensure her enclosure is warm enough? Do you have any recommendations for a dome light fitting for the solar basking bulb you recommended above?

Thanks in advance!

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Hi again!

I'm almost there with completing the changes to Agnes's set up, I'm a bit concerned that the temp will be too low as the UVA bulb for basking is a lot smaller than the current one she has. Will I need to compensate by using the ceramic bulb at points during the day to ensure her enclosure is warm enough? Do you have any recommendations for a dome light fitting for the solar basking bulb you recommended above?

Thanks in advance!

Do you mean the basking temp or overall ambient temps? If basking temp, can you lower the basking bulb? To a certain extent, that should fix the problem.

 

[Natbets]

Do you mean the basking temp or overall ambient temps? If basking temp, can you lower the basking bulb? To a certain extent, that should fix the problem.

Overall ambient temp

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Weather you will need a CHE depends on how low the temps drop.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hi again!

I'm almost there with completing the changes to Agnes's set up, I'm a bit concerned that the temp will be too low as the UVA bulb for basking is a lot smaller than the current one she has. Will I need to compensate by using the ceramic bulb at points during the day to ensure her enclosure is warm enough? Do you have any recommendations for a dome light fitting for the solar basking bulb you recommended above?

Thanks in advance!

Hey! That’s fantastic

Is your basking temperature reaching desired level underneath?

Do you have some sort of covering on your enclosure at this point? That’ll definitely help lock in your ambient heat, ceramics are a great tool as well, but I will say it can be tricky for them to work their full potential with an open enclosure, I’d figure out a covering and go from there

It’s recommended on the forum to shoot for around a 10” dome, but tbh they’re quite hard to find that size in the uk, I found this 8.5” one, but you might find a cheaper brand

Amazon.com : LUCKY HERP Reptile Dome Light Fixture, 8.5 inch Vivarium Heat Lamp Holder, Aluminium Optical Reflection Use for Reptile UVA UVB Bulb, Heat Lamp Bulb, Basking Spot Light

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hi again!

I'm almost there with completing the changes to Agnes's set up, I'm a bit concerned that the temp will be too low as the UVA bulb for basking is a lot smaller than the current one she has. Will I need to compensate by using the ceramic bulb at points during the day to ensure her enclosure is warm enough? Do you have any recommendations for a dome light fitting for the solar basking bulb you recommended above?

Thanks in advance!

Hello!

You need to compare bulbs wattages, not sleeve sizes. "Solar Basking Floodlight" has a wider beam (will disperse heat and light over larger area) than most MVB bulbs and given the same wattage (100W) outputs more heat. So, I don't expect it to be less effective at keeping enclosure warm. Most shallow lamp domes or even plain sockets are fine to use with these bulbs (ceramic base is preferred), no need to get a 8-10" one: the bulb has a built-in reflector and dome is mostly redundant.

The other thing, pointed above, is that in open-top enclosures "ambient temperature" is basically the room temperature. You can use ceramic heaters in wide domes or heat panels for coop heaters to keep the cold end warmer yet a lot of heat is wasted.

 

[Natbets]

Hello!

You need to compare bulbs wattages, not sleeve sizes. "Solar Basking Floodlight" has a wider beam (will disperse heat and light over larger area) than most MVB bulbs and given the same wattage (100W) outputs more heat. So, I don't expect it to be less effective at keeping enclosure warm. Most shallow lamp domes or even plain sockets are fine to use with these bulbs (ceramic base is preferred), no need to get a 8-10" one: the bulb has a built-in reflector and dome is mostly redundant.

The other thing, pointed above, is that in open-top enclosures "ambient temperature" is basically the room temperature. You can use ceramic heaters in wide domes or heat panels for coop heaters to keep the cold end warmer yet a lot of heat is wasted.

Hello!

Thank you for your help and advice it's very much appreciated. I've almost completed the changes and Agnes seems happier already, the solar basking flood light seems to pack a punch compared to the previous bulb I was using so I'm less worried about the ambient temperature
I'll be working on an outdoor enclosure next!

Thanks again, I'm overwhelmed with the support and will definitely be posting again next time need some guidance