does my tortoises shell look ok.

[Maggie3fan]

I think I have heard @Tom saying that they can cause pyramiding and the UVB lasts only for a few months. I would get a ho tube type. They have been proven to be the best. If you can get him to an outside enclosure for a few hours a day than he will be perfect. Natural sunlight is soo much better than what any bulb can do.

MVB do not cause pyramiding. I use them at 150 watts 18 inches above the tortoise...and have for 150 years...the only problem I ever had was somehow Bob got the plug wire once and pulled the light down, burning him and his floor...but at 18 inches it's a good bulb imo...pyramiding simplified, is caused by food and low humidity. I use those lights during the winter when the tortoises can't go outside.

 

[Jojoanne123]

MVB do not cause pyramiding. I use them at 150 watts 18 inches above the tortoise...and have for 150 years...the only problem I ever had was somehow Bob got the plug wire once and pulled the light down, burning him and his floor...but at 18 inches it's a good bulb imo...pyramiding simplified, is caused by food and low humidity. I use those lights during the winter when the tortoises can't go outside.

ive only started letting mine out but use the bulbs on 12 hours off 12 hour through the whole year

 

[Crush da Baum]

MVB do not cause pyramiding. I use them at 150 watts 18 inches above the tortoise...and have for 150 years...the only problem I ever had was somehow Bob got the plug wire once and pulled the light down, burning him and his floor...but at 18 inches it's a good bulb imo...pyramiding simplified, is caused by food and low humidity. I use those lights during the winter when the tortoises can't go outside.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/mercury-vapor-bulbs-for-uvb-and-basking.178492/ That is just what I have seen.

 

[Tom]

MVB do not cause pyramiding.

Yes they do. We learned this during one of the times that you weren't here posting.

There are actually experiments underway right now to see what effect the UV tubes have on pyramiding. Initial findings are that they do it too. I'm moving toward dietary D3 and/or basking outside in the sun, and eliminating as many sources of indoor desiccation as possible.

Our knowledge is rapidly evolving. What was recommended yesterday, might not be recommended tomorrow.