What lighting would you recommend for a hatchling Indian Star Tortoise?

  • MVB ZooMed 100W

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 60 Watt Ceramic Heat Emitter/ 1 Hour UVB

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    1

Nopainnohaines

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Joined
May 19, 2020
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Location (City and/or State)
Delaware
Hi everyone, I'm hoping that someone here can help me. Yesterday, I picked up my hatchling Indian Star. What I had set up in his enclosure prior to his arrival was a 100W ZooMed MVB on a ZooMed light stand. As of now, he's in a ZooMed Tortoise House until he gets larger. To compensate for the open enclosure, I put a tarp halfway across the top & also put in a closed bowl of water to keep humidity at 80%.

When I went and picked him up from breeder, he recommended that I use a Ceramic Heat Emitter & a fluorescent UVB tube for only an hour a day. So, I went to the store and purchased a 60W ZooMed CHE & have a UVB fixture with desert species UVB. 10.0 I believe. I am now confused. I own Bearded Dragons & an Uromastyx & they need UVB & heat for at least 12 hours a day, even when babies. It doesn't sound right that a reptile would only need 1 hour of UVB a day, especially a growing hatchling. What also doesn't make sense to me is the part about the Ceramic Heat Emitter. Don't tortoises need some source of light to see? How would they be on any type of cycle? For example, when it's day time & when it's night time.

Do any of you have any experience with hatchling Indian Stars? What lighting did you use to ensure they stay healthy? I'm really hoping someone out there can shed some light for me and make this a lot clearer on where I should go from here. I'm sitting here in front of his enclosure a nervous wreck because I'm not sure what to do. I am a new tortoise owner & I want my new friend to continue to be as healthy as can be
Down below I will attach some pictures of what I'm working with and his present enclosure.

Thank you in advance for any advice & also for taking the time to read this!
 

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iAmCentrochelys sulcata

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I don’t recommend using a MVB for a baby tortoise. They will dry out the Carapace fast, try getting a CHE that get your enclosure to the 80-95 degrees. Don’t use the coil uvb bulbs.
You’ll also need to Rearrange your enclosure. Read the Care sheet that I’ll link. If you have any questions feel free to post here.

 

G-stars

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I would question everything that breeder told you, tortoises need heat and light. Particularly star tortoises, they love hot environments. I personally don’t worry about my tortoises receiving enough UV because they get enough of it daily during their soak outdoors. There is enough sunlight throughout the year in Southern California to meet their needs. But I use a basking bulb for 12 hours a day on a timer, and a ceramic heater on a thermostat at 80F day and night.
Most of the time the ceramic heater only comes on at night.

I recommend you read this caresheet, this is how I have raised numerous star hatchlings over the years.

 

turtlesteve

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Sep 23, 2012
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711
My current preference is a strip UVB with the entire enclosure heated and humidified. I no longer favor very hot basking spots or high temperature gradients for hatchlings. Either a CHE or a heating mat can be used for heat. If using a CHE, mount it high to minimize the temperature gradient. If using a heat mat, mount it to the underside of the lid, not under the enclosure.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
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You've gotten the wrong info and your tortoise is not going to grow well or do well in that sort of set up.

Read the link that Gus left for you above, and then come back with all your questions.
 
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