Help, Basking Lighting!

TmattyD

New Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2020
Messages
4
Location (City and/or State)
Little Rock Arkansas
My enclosure is 3ft x 4ft and my tort is adult (4in) Russian.

I was using a Flukers Basking Bulk 150W with a temp of 96-98F directly underneath, but it put off a lot of heat and I started to sweat when sitting next to the enclosure (it's in my office). It radiated heat and had a cool side in the farthest corner of 73F. In the middle of the enclosure and in between the cool side and basking side was about 85F about a 2ft radius from the basking bulb. My tortoise was spending a lot of his time in the cool corner trying to escape the light/heat.

So I decided to buy the mini halogen dome and bulbs to find something that would work. The 50-watt halogen bulb was way too hot with a basking temp of 120F. Immediately removed from the enclosure. Tort was never subjected to that heat! I then purchased the 25-watt bulb and it is much cooler with a 97F basking temp but my cool side is now 69-70F. Most of the enclosure outside of the basking spotlight is 73F. I am worried the rest of the enclosure is too cool and the cool side may be too cool.

Humidity ranges from 70% when I spray and slowly trickles down to 40% by the next day when I spray again.

Thanks in advance.
 

Hamiltondood

Active Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
248
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, Texas
halogen bulbs are NOT ideal for tortoises because it can cause pyramiding. a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb should be good. cool side should be around 80 degrees. i hope you have a closed enclosure to retain humidity. go on amazon and buy a "mini portable greenhouse", it costs like.. 30 dollars? place it on top and add 1-2 cups of water into the substrate for humidity. don't use a clamp to secure your lamp. it'll fall eventually. get the greenhouse and wrap the cord of the lamp around the pipe (of the greenhouse) a few times and place the plastic greenhouse cover on top. that'll hang the heat lamp and provide a nice and hot basking spot. heres a good caresheet - https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/the-best-way-to-raise-any-temperate-species-of-tortoise.183131/
good luck!
(also if the cool side is still cold, get a CHE and hook it up to a thermostat)
 
Joined
Oct 5, 2020
Messages
45
Location (City and/or State)
Midlands, UK
I am also having this issue and have just bought a CHE and matching Arcadia bracket. Please can someone tell me where I should install the CHE and where should install the thermostat probe?
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,265
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
I am also having this issue and have just bought a CHE and matching Arcadia bracket. Please can someone tell me where I should install the CHE and where should install the thermostat probe?
CHE over the middle to maintain ambient heat all over, probe off to one side away from any heat source.
 

Jodipg82

Member
Joined
May 10, 2020
Messages
97
Location (City and/or State)
Oviedo
My enclosure is 3ft x 4ft and my tort is adult (4in) Russian.

I was using a Flukers Basking Bulk 150W with a temp of 96-98F directly underneath, but it put off a lot of heat and I started to sweat when sitting next to the enclosure (it's in my office). It radiated heat and had a cool side in the farthest corner of 73F. In the middle of the enclosure and in between the cool side and basking side was about 85F about a 2ft radius from the basking bulb. My tortoise was spending a lot of his time in the cool corner trying to escape the light/heat.

So I decided to buy the mini halogen dome and bulbs to find something that would work. The 50-watt halogen bulb was way too hot with a basking temp of 120F. Immediately removed from the enclosure. Tort was never subjected to that heat! I then purchased the 25-watt bulb and it is much cooler with a 97F basking temp but my cool side is now 69-70F. Most of the enclosure outside of the basking spotlight is 73F. I am worried the rest of the enclosure is too cool and the cool side may be too cool.

Humidity ranges from 70% when I spray and slowly trickles down to 40% by the next day when I spray again.

Thanks in advance.
I was battling this problem myself. I got a 65 watt incandescent flood light for the basking aide and then have a Nano CHE on a thermostat on the other side that keeps his cool side in the low 80s. I was too cold opposite the 65w and he never went over there but now I'm able to maintain ambient. At night his 65w goes off and I have a 50w CHE that comes on to maintain the heat in high 80s low 90s.
 
Joined
Oct 5, 2020
Messages
45
Location (City and/or State)
Midlands, UK
I have an Arcadia floodlight 100w keeping the basking zone 95-100f but directly outside basking zone it goes down to low to mid 80s which is where he seems to spend all his time. The middle of the enclosure is currently high 60s to low 70s and the cool side is mid to high 60s so will install my CHE in the middle and put the thermostat probe over at coolest side and set to 80. the nightime low is high 60s which I'm happy with so won't need the CHE on at night. He does go exploring straight after his morning soak but not too much. I also get he's a baby and probably sleeps a lot anyway.
He has also started burrowing at night right next to his basking slab which confirms to me the temps aren't high enough.

I also have Arcadia T5 pro with 12% reptile ubv bulb about 22" above shell height.

Any advice would be appreciated16039778948364693579876442762696.jpg
 
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