Help with basking light

[Mypalshelton]

Hi,
I have a red foot. I had purchase a zoo med mini dome light and every bulb i put in it creates ridiculous, targeted heat..to the point that i am afraid it will burn the cage, my little buddy, etc. I also have two kids and am concerned that one will bump the light.....are there any suggestions on a basking set- up that is not so externally hot? Does the mini dome light require a soecial bulb?
Thanks so much!

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi there, Mypalshelton:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?

and may we know appx. where in the world you are?

I don't keep redfoot tortoises, but from what I've read about them, you can get by with one of those tube type fluorescent UVB bulbs. Then for heat, you can use the CHE (ceramic heat emitter).

Do a search for some of Terryo's posts. She has really nice-looking redfoot habitats. You'll get some good ideas from her.

Also, one of our moderators, madkins007, has a library of good reading material shown in links in his signature. Take a look at them too.

 

[Redstrike]

Unfortunately, you need some source of heat and a CHE is going to be just as hot as a bulb in one of those domes - that's why they all have ceramic sockets. I run a couple CHE's and have accidentally burnt myself while conducting general cleaning and maintenance.

A CHE may be kept away from bumbling children (no offense) if you house it within the enclosure, this is what I've done and it works well:

http://www.redfoots.com/emitter/color.htm

Hopefully others come along with more helpful insights!

 

[nicoleandrocky]

I have the mini dome and it's great, just position it higher up so that it isn't so hot.

 

[Mypalshelton]

Thanks! I figured there wasn't a miracle answer,

 

[ascott]

You can simply get the bigger dome and not the mini...the mini is such and intense ray of heat/light that there is no way to reduce that effect with the minis....

In each of the RFs enclosures here they each have an 10 inch dome and that distributes the heat a bid wider on the warmer side as well instead of a really hot stream of light/heat....one of the RFs likes her red heat bulb all day and the rufian likes his day white heat basking light and then turn the red heat bulb for evening...they both get outside sun time on a regular basis...but from time to time the weather will not permit them going out for a few days and when that happens I simply use the extra UVB tube fixture I have and put it over the top of their enclosure for a few hours each day