FIRE HAZARD WITH TORT

[abbisfab]

Hello everyone,
I recently rehomed a tort about a week ago. We built him a big table and secured his light on a piece of wood with screws. It’s a ceramic holder.

I’m wanting to leave his light on all day during the day so he has the right heat etc but my mum who I live with keeps on wanting to turn it off when we are out the house because she is scared of fires. We’ve never had a house fire she’s just scared incase one starts as there’s her beloved dog in the house too. I’ve got a surge protector too, to protect the plug as it’s on an extension lead.

It’s only an 100w bulb, and he’s on damp tortoise substrate.

Can any of you guys give me tips on how to persuade her to keep it on?? Or suggest how I can make it any safer than it is?
I was thinking in investing in a wireless fire alarm or wireless baby monitor so we can look at the table when we are out the house??

I think she thinks because he’s not out of his hide when she’s around he doesn’t need the heat, but he does!

Sorry for sounding daft but I just want the best for my little tort who hasn’t been looked after well by his previous owners.

 

[Yvonne G]

Remind your mum (in a nice way) that your new tortoise is cold blooded - that is, he can't make his own heat, he needs an outside source (lights) to keep him warm. And if he can't get his inner core warmed up to at least 80F degrees, he'll stop eating (can't digest his food), get sick and die.

Also, I know you didn't ask about this, but for the size of that tortoise your enclosure, while really nice, just isn't big enough. But don't try to change too much all at once. Let your mum get used to the light being on before you ask for a bigger enclosure.

 

[Tom]

That light simulates the sun for an indoor tortoise. Ask Mum how she thinks the world would fare if someone turned off the sun every time she stepped indoors.

 

[Relic]

I experienced a fire caused by a heat lamp over a tortoise enclosure - short story: pretty much destroyed our apartment. In a later twist of irony, I became a career firefighter.

Here's what I would do, since the light is so bright in the photo it obscures how close it may or may not be to anything flammable, get a digital infrared thermometer gun. They're cheap and you can check temps all around the light bulb to see if anything is getting too warm and in danger of catching fire. It might give your mother some sense of relief as well.

Here's a link to the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DMI632G/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[Yvonne G]

. . . also, because you've got the light actually screwed into the piece it's mounted on, I really doubt there's any chance it's going to fall and be a fire hazard.

 

[abbisfab]

Remind your mum (in a nice way) that your new tortoise is cold blooded - that is, he can't make his own heat, he needs an outside source (lights) to keep him warm. And if he can't get his inner core warmed up to at least 80F degrees, he'll stop eating (can't digest his food), get sick and die.

Also, I know you didn't ask about this, but for the size of that tortoise your enclosure, while really nice, just isn't big enough. But don't try to change too much all at once. Let your mum get used to the light being on before you ask for a bigger enclosure.

Yeah I will do, she’s stubborn and doesn’t really understand even though she’s loved tortoises all her life! And yeah will let him get used to this one and then change it round. It is way bigger than the one he came in was half the size of this one!!

 

[Maro2Bear]

I would look at making a brace that hangs down the center of your enclosure, then fasten the bulb & fixture to thst brace so it’s not anywhere near the wood/wall & hanging straight down into the box. It looks like the bulb might be resting against the bracket. Id redo the fixture....

 

[abbisfab]

. . . also, because you've got the light actually screwed into the piece it's mounted on, I really doubt there's any chance it's going to fall and be a fire hazard.

It has a chicken wire top too so if it fell then it wouldn’t burn anything. She is just worried about the plugs blowing up but they don’t even get hot! And it’s very unlikely!

 

[abbisfab]

I would look at making a brace that hangs down the center of your enclosure, then fasten the bulb & fixture to thst brace so it’s not anywhere near the wood/wall & hanging straight down into the box. It looks like the bulb might be resting against the bracket. Id redo the fixture....

Will post a picture of it when I get home. At the time of this piccy it was hanging off the wood, now it’s solid and In place.

 

[abbisfab]

Will post a picture of it when I get home. At the time of this piccy it was hanging off the wood, now it’s solid and In place.

Here’s how the light fitting is fixed on.

 

[Calaveras]

I agree that these lights may pose a fire hazard. The Mercury vapor bulbs get super hot and bright. They can fail. She may also be irritated at the amount of electricity being wasted when you are not home.
Anything you can do to reduce the risk will help your case.
I use a fluorescent tube light that does not get as hot; a separate CHE or RHP put out invisible heat. I also have mine on a thermostat that has overheat protection.
If you cannot do that use a black metal shade around the lamp like from a clamp lamp. It will help protect it from being touched and reduce the bright light shed into the room.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Here’s how the light fitting is fixed on.
View attachment 287323

That looks pretty solid, but I would still re-do to hang in the center. But, what u have looks pretty safe, including the ceramic (vice plastic) bulb holder.

Make sure your electric cable can’t slowly soften down toward the bulb.

 

[Blackdog1714]

What is the AMP rating in the panel box or are you still on fuses. 15 AMP would be okay as long as their is only a minimum number of items (other lights) that are on that circuit. Sharing it with something like a fridge on a 15 AMP is not real good.

 

[abbisfab]

What is the AMP rating in the panel box or are you still on fuses. 15 AMP would be okay as long as their is only a minimum number of items (other lights) that are on that circuit. Sharing it with something like a fridge on a 15 AMP is not real good.

It’s not sharing with anything just the light fitting.

 

[abbisfab]

That looks pretty solid, but I would still re-do to hang in the center. But, what u have looks pretty safe, including the ceramic (vice plastic) bulb holder.

Make sure your electric cable can’t slowly soften down toward the bulb.

Could you possibly show me a picture of how to hang to middle? Was thinking of getting a metal light hanger instead of the wood

 

[abbisfab]

I agree that these lights may pose a fire hazard. The Mercury vapor bulbs get super hot and bright. They can fail. She may also be irritated at the amount of electricity being wasted when you are not home.
Anything you can do to reduce the risk will help your case.
I use a fluorescent tube light that does not get as hot; a separate CHE or RHP put out invisible heat. I also have mine on a thermostat that has overheat protection.
If you cannot do that use a black metal shade around the lamp like from a clamp lamp. It will help protect it from being touched and reduce the bright light shed into the room.

It’s not a mercury bulb it’s just a heat lamp. UVB lamp is coming in the post. But thank you for the advice I was thinking about getting a metal shade for it! Or just a totally separate hanger. That will be held steady under the table komono I think the make is? Unless you have any other hanger suggestions. Also had a word with her and it’s not the fire risk she worried it the electric when he isn’t out. She’s only out the house for about an hour at a time anyways so thought she could just switch it off for them times.

 

[Tom]

Here’s how the light fitting is fixed on.

The light needs to be farther from the wall and it should have a dome to direct the heat and light down.

While we are at it, that Pets at Home substrate is no good. Those little limestone bits encourage them to eat their substrate, and sand is a competent of that mix. What a terrible idea that was/is. It is also much too dry. Your tortoises substrate should be lightly dampened. This give them a little bit of humidity and also keeps down the dust.

 

[abbisfab]

The light needs to be farther from the wall and it should have a dome to direct the heat and light down.

While we are at it, that Pets at Home substrate is no good. Those little limestone bits encourage them to eat their substrate, and sand is a competent of that mix. What a terrible idea that was/is. It is also much too dry. Your tortoises substrate should be lightly dampened. This give them a little bit of humidity and also keeps down the dust.

I actually dampen it quite often and it is still damp, maybe doesn’t look it in this piccy but it’s definitely not dusty, wouldn’t allow that! he doesn’t eat the soil only his veggies, and refuses to eat any with the gravel on so that’s not an issue. But will be getting a cover soon as, also moved the light over by connecting it to more wood so it’s a lot further away from the wood/wall ? but wanting to get a light stand or something similar so it can hang in the middle.

 

[Tom]

I actually dampen it quite often and it is still damp, maybe doesn’t look it in this piccy but it’s definitely not dusty, wouldn’t allow that! he doesn’t eat the soil only his veggies, and refuses to eat any with the gravel on so that’s not an issue. But will be getting a cover soon as, also moved the light over by connecting it to more wood so it’s a lot further away from the wood/wall ? but wanting to get a light stand or something similar so it can hang in the middle.

You might not have seen him eating the substrate yet, but when he gets a craving for more calcium, he will, and when he does, he will be ingesting sand with it.

Also, there is no way to avoid some of the substrate/sand sticking to the food. It will happen and over time that sand collects in their gut and will eventually cause an impaction.

Trying to warn you before you learn these things the hard way.

 

[abbisfab]

You might not have seen him eating the substrate yet, but when he gets a craving for more calcium, he will, and when he does, he will be ingesting sand with it.

Also, there is no way to avoid some of the substrate/sand sticking to the food. It will happen and over time that sand collects in their gut and will eventually cause an impaction.

Trying to warn you before you learn these things the hard way.

What do you suggest for me to use? I’ve read a 50/50 of play sand and topsoil will work well?