How many hours a day should the uvb light be on?

[Natalie44]

Hello everyone,
I’ve ordered a 12% T5 uvb light for my baby Herman tortoise which will be arriving soon, and was wondering how long to leave it on for. Would 3 hours a day be enough? I plan on placing the uvb light 16 inches away from the substrate and apparently will give a reading of around 4.5 according to a chart I found. I know getting a solar meter makes life a lot easier but they’re so expensive. Will need to save up a little first! But anyway, advise would be appreciated I’ve also attached a photo of their enclosure. It’s 48”x24”x10”.
Natalie x

 

[wellington]

A hatchling needs a closed enclosure, not open top. You need to fix the fixtures to be inside the enclosure with a greenhouse type top over all of it to keep humidity at 80%.
Yes, 3-4 hours a day is good for the uvb

 

[Natalie44]

A hatchling needs a closed enclosure, not open top. You need to fix the fixtures to be inside the enclosure with a greenhouse type top over all of it to keep humidity at 80%.
Yes, 3-4 hours a day is good for the uvb

Oh okay- I haven’t got a cover for the enclosure. Is there one I could buy online or something? I’d appreciate it if you could send me a link how long before they aren’t considered hatchlings anymore? Thank you for your advise.
Natalie x

 

[wellington]

Check.out Amazon or just Google pop up portable greenhouse
Around 3-4 years old they can do with less humidity or a humid hide.

 

[wellington]

Look for green houses like pictured.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hello everyone,
I’ve ordered a 12% T5 uvb light for my baby Herman tortoise which will be arriving soon, and was wondering how long to leave it on for. Would 3 hours a day be enough? I plan on placing the uvb light 16 inches away from the substrate and apparently will give a reading of around 4.5 according to a chart I found. I know getting a solar meter makes life a lot easier but they’re so expensive. Will need to save up a little first! But anyway, advise would be appreciated I’ve also attached a photo of their enclosure. It’s 48”x24”x10”.
Natalie x

I would raise the lamp a bit higher - to 18-20 inches to get estimated UVI 3-4. Babies don't need harsh UV (both UVA and UVB). 4 hours a day as recommended above - is enough. Usually you switch on the lamp around midday (e.g. from 10AM to 2PM), but adjust this schedule to his preferred basking time.

 

[Natalie44]

Check.out Amazon or just Google pop up portable greenhouse
Around 3-4 years old they can do with less humidity or a humid hide.

Ah great, thank you!

 

[Natalie44]

I would raise the lamp a bit higher - to 18-20 inches to get estimated UVI 3-4. Babies don't need harsh UV (both UVA and UVB). 4 hours a day as recommended above - is enough. Usually you switch on the lamp around midday (e.g. from 10AM to 2PM), but adjust this schedule to his preferred basking time.

Thank you for the advise. Muchly appreciated 👍 also, once more question- is ambient lighting needed? There already seems to be enough light in there with the basking bulb on. I tested out the light and it seems abit too bright (it’s a 60w bulb, 5000k, non dimmable, and brightness 806LM). I don’t want to blind him or her.
Natalie x

 

[Natalie44]

Thank you for the advise. Muchly appreciated 👍 also, once more question- is ambient lighting needed? There already seems to be enough light in there with the basking bulb on. I tested out the light and it seems abit too bright (it’s a 60w bulb, 5000k, non dimmable, and brightness 806LM). I don’t want to blind him or her.
Natalie x

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thank you for the advise. Muchly appreciated 👍 also, once more question- is ambient lighting needed? There already seems to be enough light in there with the basking bulb on. I tested out the light and it seems abit too bright (it’s a 60w bulb, 5000k, non dimmable, and brightness 806LM). I don’t want to blind him or her.
Natalie x

I guess this not a basking bulb 800lm is not that much. Considering that sunlight can reach 100K lux per square meter (normally 10-30K lux), this lamp will give just 800 lux per square meter. Our eyes cheat on us (we perceive the midday sun only 5-10 times brighter than the lamp). For my redfoot I use a LED bar with approximate output of 5K lux with no adverse effects.

Of course, light gradient, shade and hides should be provided.

What are dimensions (including height) of the enclosure?

 

[jaizei]

I guess this not a basking bulb 800lm is not that much. Considering that sunlight can reach 100K lux per square meter (normally 10-30K lux), this lamp will give just 800 lux per square meter. Our eyes cheat on us (we perceive the midday sun only 5-10 times brighter than the lamp). For my redfoot I use a LED bar with approximate output of 5K lux with no adverse effects.

Of course, light gradient, shade and hides should be provided.

What are dimensions (including height) of the enclosure?

1 thing - lm/lumens is what is produced by the bulb; lux is the lumens per square meter. The lux from this bulb will be less than 800 if it was positioned to illuminate an entire enclosure. In a dome/reflector and placed 1-2 ft above substrate, directly underneath would be more since it would be directed/concentrated to that area. Lux is very situational based on how the light is directed/reflected, height, etc so it's hard to know for sure.

 

[Tom]

Thank you for the advise. Muchly appreciated 👍 also, once more question- is ambient lighting needed? There already seems to be enough light in there with the basking bulb on. I tested out the light and it seems abit too bright (it’s a 60w bulb, 5000k, non dimmable, and brightness 806LM). I don’t want to blind him or her.
Natalie x

Yes. You absolutely need ambient lighting. The basking bulb is no where near enough. It needs to look bright and "sunny" during the day.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

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. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More here:

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[Natalie44]

Yes. You absolutely need ambient lighting. The basking bulb is no where near enough. It needs to look bright and "sunny" during the day.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

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. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Yes. You absolutely need ambient lighting. The basking bulb is no where near enough. It needs to look bright and "sunny" during the day.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

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. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you foe

Yes. You absolutely need ambient lighting. The basking bulb is no where near enough. It needs to look bright and "sunny" during the day.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

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. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Yes. You absolutely need ambient lighting. The basking bulb is no where near enough. It needs to look bright and "sunny" during the day.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

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. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Yes. You absolutely need ambient lighting. The basking bulb is no where near enough. It needs to look bright and "sunny" during the day.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

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. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

More here:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I’ve attached a picture of a 5000k bulb I bought the other day for the torts ambient lighting- just checking that it’s not too bright? Is there a guard I need to put over it so I don’t hurt the Herman’s eyes?
Natalie x

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Thank you foe



Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I’ve attached a picture of a 5000k bulb I bought the other day for the torts ambient lighting- just checking that it’s not too bright? Is there a guard I need to put over it so I don’t hurt the Herman’s eyes?
Natalie xView attachment 371691View attachment 371692

That looks fine to me, just hang it at a reasonable height so that its lighting the entire enclosure(you can provide shady spots with plants and hides etc)🙂

 

[Tom]

Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Thank you foe



Thank you for clearing that up for me.

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I’ve attached a picture of a 5000k bulb I bought the other day for the torts ambient lighting- just checking that it’s not too bright? Is there a guard I need to put over it so I don’t hurt the Herman’s eyes?
Natalie xView attachment 371691View attachment 371692

The sun itself is not too bright. A regular store bought LED will not be too bright. I run two banks of 4 of them in my indoor enclosure. Plus a basking bulb and a HO UV tube that runs for a few hours mid day.