Help please!!! (on new RF care)

TommyTort19

New Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Hello,

I brought my baby Red Foot Tortoise home on Wednesday. He is 12 weeks old.

He has a 3ft vivarium with a basking heat bulb and a coil UVB bulb.

I'm confused as to when each of the lights should be on..

So the UVB bulb needs to be on for 12-14 hours a day, that's fine.

The heat bulb.. should this be on 24/7 or should it be off at night so that the vivarium is dark? But then what if it gets too cold?


Also, i have reserved another vivarium, same size but it has a UVB strip bulb instead of the coil type which i have heard is better. The heat bulb is ceramic rather than a basking spot bulb. Would this be ok? or is a basking spot bulb better? I have seen so much different info online and its confusing me!
 

Ben02

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Joined
Oct 21, 2018
Messages
1,830
Location (City and/or State)
Brighton, Southcoast, UK
Hello,

I brought my baby Red Foot Tortoise home on Wednesday. He is 12 weeks old.

He has a 3ft vivarium with a basking heat bulb and a coil UVB bulb.

I'm confused as to when each of the lights should be on..

So the UVB bulb needs to be on for 12-14 hours a day, that's fine.

The heat bulb.. should this be on 24/7 or should it be off at night so that the vivarium is dark? But then what if it gets too cold?


Also, i have reserved another vivarium, same size but it has a UVB strip bulb instead of the coil type which i have heard is better. The heat bulb is ceramic rather than a basking spot bulb. Would this be ok? or is a basking spot bulb better? I have seen so much different info online and its confusing me!
Tortoises need complete darkness to sleep. Coil bulbs are known for causing eye pain in tortoises, I would swap that out.
 

TommyTort19

New Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Messages
5
Location (City and/or State)
Lancashire
Thank you! i will go and pick the new vivarium up tonight with the UVB strip buld and Ceramic heat bulb and swap it over straight away!
 

Kevinrrussell

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Joined
Mar 18, 2018
Messages
164
Location (City and/or State)
Michigan
I switched to croc chow, protein day, it's made for reptiles and its calcium is high. I soak a chunk and mine eats all of it. I skid two days a week on feeding. I do Ernest diet minus cat food. People will complain about everything just read, research none forums as well. Red Foots love a ton of stuff. I stay away from processed cat or dog most of the time I switch up all the time Stan.lee's diet.. right she is loving her blueberries and turnip greens. I also have a of Hibiscus leaves and flowers fresh Dandelions..mix it up.

Great success to you
 

Toddrickfl1

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Hello,

I brought my baby Red Foot Tortoise home on Wednesday. He is 12 weeks old.

He has a 3ft vivarium with a basking heat bulb and a coil UVB bulb.

I'm confused as to when each of the lights should be on..

So the UVB bulb needs to be on for 12-14 hours a day, that's fine.

The heat bulb.. should this be on 24/7 or should it be off at night so that the vivarium is dark? But then what if it gets too cold?


Also, i have reserved another vivarium, same size but it has a UVB strip bulb instead of the coil type which i have heard is better. The heat bulb is ceramic rather than a basking spot bulb. Would this be ok? or is a basking spot bulb better? I have seen so much different info online and its confusing me!
I would ditch the basking bulb and run a ceramic heat emitter set on a thermostat 24/7 and use a tube uvb light during the day and off at night.
 

ZEROPILOT

REDFOOT WRANGLER
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Jul 16, 2014
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South Eastern Florida (U.S.A.)/Rock Hill S.C.
Thank you! i will go and pick the new vivarium up tonight with the UVB strip buld and Ceramic heat bulb and swap it over straight away!
I'm assuming you meant ceramic heat emitter?
If so, that and the strip florescent lamp are the way to go. You don't want it too hot or too bright. And no coil bulbs.
You want heat in the lower 80s to mid 80s. No hotter. Maybe slightly cooler at night. (I say that the PERFECT Redfoot keeping temperature is 82.)
You must keep the humidity above 70%.
This is best/easily done by converting your enclosure into a "closed chamber".
A closed chamber has all or most of the top closed off. It holds in warmth and humidity.
 
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