this is going to be my first time having a russian tortoise. i bought a exo terra repti glo 10.0 bulb. it is a coil bulb. i heard that coil bulbs are really bad for tortoises, can someone explain this to me.
coil uvb bulbs
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I don't know all the details. Just read on here they have bad effect on the eyes and possibly more. I would not risk using it. The best to get is a MVB mercury vapor bulb. Expensive at first but last around three years as the others loses their UVB etc after 6 months.
Yes, there have been problems in the past with torts going blind due to retinal damage. Supposedly the newer versions have been improved, but no one wants to take the chance.
The MVB bulbs like the ZooMed Powersun 100w or 160w (you could get the 100w) are a good MVB on the market now.
That's all you need: heat and UVB/A all in one bulb. They they tend to put out decent UV for a good 12 months. If your your tort is outside in warmer months, it lasts longer!
Make sure you get a fixture that can handle the wattage and also has a ceramic base.
The MVB bulbs like the ZooMed Powersun 100w or 160w (you could get the 100w) are a good MVB on the market now.
That's all you need: heat and UVB/A all in one bulb. They they tend to put out decent UV for a good 12 months. If your your tort is outside in warmer months, it lasts longer!
Make sure you get a fixture that can handle the wattage and also has a ceramic base.
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austinSOLO said:
Coil bulbs can and have on many, many occasions cause eye irritation that leads to blindness and death. This is extremely painful for your tortoise.
Here is a link about them that tom posted
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Coil-Type-UV-Bulbs-Don-t-Use-Them#axzz1iMh4RASa
They have too high a concentration of UVB
Look at it like this..the coil bulbs are a compact form of the long fluorescent tube bulbs and when you compact all that UVB up into such a small bulb its going to put out at very strong concentrated blast of UVB which is dangerous for your tortoise. (that is my view and opinion of why, no one knows EXACTLY why they hurt tortoises eyes but they do) Where as they long fluorescent tube forms of the Reptisun 10.0 are spread out into a much bigger bulb there for lowering the concentration of UVB making them safer. There is still the same amount of UVB being emitted by each bulb (around the same I assume) but with a compact (coil type) fluorescent bulb its too concentrated and not spread out enough like the long fluorescent tubes. People here on this forum really like to use Mercury Vapor Bulbs because they have been found to be more reliable than the fluorescent tube ones. I use the long fluorescent tube ones for now but am switching to Mercury Vapor bulb because using the long fluorescent tubes makes me nervous. they have been known to not be very effective at all, so if you use them just be aware of this and the problems it can cause when your tortoise isn't getting enough UVB.
In summary coil bulbs are bad and are risky. I can not tell you how to raise your tortoise of course but I strongly advise you not to use them and to go with a Mercury Vapor bulb because its most reliable. Not matter what bulb you get you need to place it at the proper height away from the substrate facing straight up and down into the cage. Powersun Mercury Vapor Bulbs by Zoo Med are the best, they come with instructions but I don't believe those are accurate enough because I followed the instructions and placed at minimal distance and it burned my tortoise. The bulb was just too close to the substrate creating to hot of a basking temp. To know the proper height you should have a temp gun and make sure that directly in the basking area of the bulb the temp doesn't get over around 100F degrees.
I hope this helps.
lynnedit said:
I don't remember the name of the MVB I have but it is good for three years not one year. Of course I could have been given bad info.
However I have been given the same info from three separate people and only one actually sells them
okay thanks, i dont have much money, but ill return the bulb and try to get the same bulb, but the tube.
The Reptisun 10.0 tube is OK, but you would need a basking light for heat during the day too.
The Powersun MVB is best, UV output better. Can you beg for an early birthday present?
(Wellington, an MVB may still put out light and heat after 12 months, but the amount of UV may decline by then. You can't really tell unless you have a UV meter. However, that may not be an issue if your tort gets outside time part of the year).
The Powersun MVB is best, UV output better. Can you beg for an early birthday present?
(Wellington, an MVB may still put out light and heat after 12 months, but the amount of UV may decline by then. You can't really tell unless you have a UV meter. However, that may not be an issue if your tort gets outside time part of the year).
i already have a basking bulb.
then a tube fluorescent and a basking bulb for heat, and you are all set!
They Can Cause Blindness or Even Death, They ALSO Don't Put Out as much uvb as A Zoomed PowerSun
or A Exo Terra uvb and heat all in one
or A Exo Terra uvb and heat all in one
ya i want to get a tube, but i dont have money for that right now
Just make sure you get a UV source soon. If you live in a warm area and it is 70 or more, even outside for an hour, monitored.
Any one know of a link that sell the fixings for a tube UVB light ? Cheers
there are sites like this
http://www.reptilesuppliesuk.com/reptile-lighting-equipment-lighting-fixtures-c-100_12_64.html
or amazon uk?
http://www.reptilesuppliesuk.com/reptile-lighting-equipment-lighting-fixtures-c-100_12_64.html
or amazon uk?
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