Help please...UVA/UVBA light broke

[Wiwiwisjebd]

Hi, my horsfield tortoise who’s around 7 months old uva/uvb lamp has broken. I haven’t had it for long at all, but has blown out. I’ve ordered a replacement although it won’t come until Friday. I’m worried about what to do until then. He’ll be okay for now as it’s night time and I usually switch everything off for 12 hours. Will he be okay until Friday without one? (It’s currently Wednesday evening in the UK). I have got a heat pad but have never used it before, do I put this under his substrate? Please help! Thank you in advance.

 

[Wiwiwisjebd]

Just to add, I have got a desk lamp. Would it be silly of me to think I could use it to add some sort of light and at least some heat as well as using a heat pad just for Thursday until it arrives on Friday?

 

[JoesMum]

Your tortoise can go for several days without UVB and have no problems

If it’s the basking bulb that has blown then it’s not the end of the world for a couple of days with this species.

Your tortoise will be less active and may not eat, but as long as your home is heated and not cold then it won’t come to any harm.

 

[Tom]

Just to add, I have got a desk lamp. Would it be silly of me to think I could use it to add some sort of light and at least some heat as well as using a heat pad just for Thursday until it arrives on Friday?

Use any incandescent heat lamp. Your desk lamp may work well for this. Use your thermometer to see.

Don't use a heat pad. Those should not be used for tortoises.

Sounds like you had a mercury vapor bulb. Those are not good and your little one will pyramid under that. Read this for how to heat and light him:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org