Hello and please help...(lighting)

mstorer1

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We are the proud new owners of a 10m/o Herman. She has a basking lamp and a UV tube light in her enclosure. As expected shes slept in her bedroom during the day and not ventured out but my question is will she start coming out in the day times and how many hours per day should the UV lamp be on for? Obviously when in her bedroom the UV light doesn't shine into there so I can imagine it doesn't need to be on unless she is out?

Thanks for any help
IMG_20201003_122552_676.jpg
 

Toddrickfl1

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We are the proud new owners of a 10m/o Herman. She has a basking lamp and a UV tube light in her enclosure. As expected shes slept in her bedroom during the day and not ventured out but my question is will she start coming out in the day times and how many hours per day should the UV lamp be on for? Obviously when in her bedroom the UV light doesn't shine into there so I can imagine it doesn't need to be on unless she is out?

Thanks for any help
Hello and welcome, just a heads up that's Russian Tortoise not a Hermmani. It's pretty normal take time to adjust to change. Your new tort might hide a good bit at first. Here is some good info.
 

mstorer1

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Hello and welcome, just a heads up that's Russian Tortoise not a Hermmani. It's pretty normal take time to adjust to change. Your new tort might hide a good bit at first. Here is some good info.
Hello and welcome, just a heads up that's Russian Tortoise not a Hermmani. It's pretty normal take time to adjust to change. Your new tort might hide a good bit at first. Here is some good info.
Thank you, sorry yes I meant to put Horsefield, no idea why I put Herman. Thanks for the advice sheet I will give it a read. Is there a good Facebook group to join?

Thanks Matt
 

Zoeclare

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Thank you, sorry yes I meant to put Horsefield, no idea why I put Herman. Thanks for the advice sheet I will give it a read. Is there a good Facebook group to join?

Thanks Matt
Basically, no! Uk Facebook groups are terrible, this is the best place to ask questions and learn! Welcome ?
 

mstorer1

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Basically, no! Uk Facebook groups are terrible, this is the best place to ask questions and learn! Welcome ?
I read that info but it didn't clearly answer my question about the UV lamp? I'm trying to find out if the UV lamp needs to be on for X amount of hours...
 

Yvonne G

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If you want to mess with more timers, you can have it on for four hours mid day, and have the day light on for 14 hours a day.
 

Norm2020

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I was also wondering how longthe uvb lighting should be on, although Im getting a western hermanns. Is it OK to leave the uvb tube on all day? And also should the tube run the length of the enclosure?
 

Tom

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I read that info but it didn't clearly answer my question about the UV lamp? I'm trying to find out if the UV lamp needs to be on for X amount of hours...
I was also wondering how longthe uvb lighting should be on, although Im getting a western hermanns. Is it OK to leave the uvb tube on all day? And also should the tube run the length of the enclosure?
There are multiple good ways to do this. There isn't one single answer.

Its best to not use indoor UV at all. This requires getting the tortoise outside in a safe enclosure 2 or 3 times a week for an hour or more. If that isn't possible due to weather or some other reason, then indoor UV will be needed.

Two main strategies with many "gray" areas in between. 1. Low levels of UVB and the light is left on all day on a timer. 2. High levels of UV and the light is on a timer for 1-3 hours mid day only. I prefer the latter as it more closely simulates the mid day UV spike that happens outside daily. Either way, you'll need a UV meter to set the bulb at the correct height and monitor UV output over time. Solarmeter 6.5 is the only way to go currently.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  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.
  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. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
  3. 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 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. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
 

pcrealty

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Hello and welcome, just a heads up that's Russian Tortoise not a Hermmani. It's pretty normal take time to adjust to change. Your new tort might hide a good bit at first. Here is some good info.
In the day the the basking and UV lamps are on and regulated by a thermostat. At night, the lamps go on off by a timer. Some lighting at night is better, in particularly, we have air conditioning in the summer.
 

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pcrealty

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In the day the the basking and UV lamps are on and regulated by a thermostat. At night, the lamps go on off by a timer. Some lighting at night is better, in particularly, we have air conditioning in the summer.
A tortoise expert properly identified the sex of my tortoise, but he did not say anything about a Russian tortoise
 

pcrealty

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In the day the the basking and UV lamps are on and regulated by a thermostat. At night, the lamps go on off by a timer. Some lighting at night is better, in particularly, we have air conditioning in the summer.
how can you tell the differences?
 

Tom

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In the day the the basking and UV lamps are on and regulated by a thermostat. At night, the lamps go on off by a timer. Some lighting at night is better, in particularly, we have air conditioning in the summer.
This is incorrect information. Please read post number 8 directly above your post.
 

Tom

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We are the proud new owners of a 10m/o Herman. She has a basking lamp and a UV tube light in her enclosure. As expected shes slept in her bedroom during the day and not ventured out but my question is will she start coming out in the day times and how many hours per day should the UV lamp be on for? Obviously when in her bedroom the UV light doesn't shine into there so I can imagine it doesn't need to be on unless she is out?
O didn't mention it in my previous post because Toddrickfl1 linked the correct care info, but I thought I'd check in to see if you've made the necessary changes. That substrate is dangerous and much too dry, and the hay needs to go. Your baby is already pyramiding from the incorrect dry conditions, and it will get worse if changes aren't made.
 
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O didn't mention it in my previous post because Toddrickfl1 linked the correct care info, but I thought I'd check in to see if you've made the necessary changes. That substrate is dangerous and much too dry, and the hay needs to go. Your baby is already pyramiding from the incorrect dry conditions, and it will get worse if changes aren't made.
I quickly changed from similar substrate. I would really recommend changing to Coco coir for your baby russian. Mine loves it! Currently adding a bit of water and mixing it all up every day or two and keeping the humidity around 50-60% throughout the day. Your baby will find burrowing a lot easier and more fun :)
 

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