Is this light too close?

[Domm]

Hello,

I am waiting on my eastern hatchling, he/she will be here in two days. I have laid out the T8 UVB light across the top but i need to know if it's too close? I measured and its 9 inches away from the bottom of the enclosure. It has no hooks so I can't hang it on the stands, I saw many people laying it across the top.

 

[Braeden p]

That looks risky right now but some more experienced people should help you.

 

[Yvonne G]

You want it to be about 12" from the top of the tortoise's carapace, and that's with him sitting on 3 or 4" of substrate.

 

[Domm]

You want it to be about 12" from the top of the tortoise's carapace, and that's with him sitting on 3 or 4" of substrate.

do you have any good tips on how to rig this to get it up higher - with no hooks

 

[Yvonne G]

Buy or make a light stand.

 

[Maro2Bear]

You could easily take a few zip ties and make a loop around each end. Then you can use those loops to hang it as high or low as you need. Does this make sense? I can add a quick/crude pix.

Ok, not the best drawing, but quick n dirty....

 

[Domm]

That was actually a great doodle lol I understood. But now I checked the chart on the box and it looks like 9 inches away isn't bad? But then again I'm not expert in reading this uvb chart . Here is the pic

 

[Domm]

Buy or make a light stand.

I bought two light stands there are no hooks or holes to connect it on this fixture

I might take it back or try the zip ties

 

[Tom]

Hello,

I am waiting on my eastern hatchling, he/she will be here in two days. I have laid out the T8 UVB light across the top but i need to know if it's too close? I measured and its 9 inches away from the bottom of the enclosure. It has no hooks so I can't hang it on the stands, I saw many people laying it across the top.


View attachment 294481

Which type of bulb is in the fixture? Different height for different bulbs. It should be the 10.0. A 10.0 T8 produces very little UV, so you should be fine at that distance.

The issue I see is that the whole thing is going to fall in and possibly hurt the tortoise. Get some "plumber's tape" and screw it into a 2x4 laid across the back of the fixture. Same concept as the zip ties, but the plumber's tape won't bark over time like the zip ties, and you can make a little stand with upright 2x4s attached to plywood underneath the enclosure.

 

[Domm]

Which type of bulb is in the fixture? Different height for different bulbs. It should be the 10.0. A 10.0 T8 produces very little UV, so you should be fine at that distance.

The issue I see is that the whole thing is going to fall in and possibly hurt the tortoise. Get some "plumber's tape" and screw it into a 2x4 laid across the back of the fixture. Same concept as the zip ties, but the plumber's tape won't bark over time like the zip ties, and you can make a little stand with upright 2x4s attached to plywood underneath the enclosure.

Okay I will do that, the breeder said only leave the UVB tube on for an hour a day, but then the only other light I have is a basking light . Is this correct , I feel like the hatchling would only have light near the basking area then ?

 

[Tom]

Okay I will do that, the breeder said only leave the UVB tube on for an hour a day, but then the only other light I have is a basking light . Is this correct , I feel like the hatchling would only have light near the basking area then ?

How many hours a day you run the bulb depends on what the UV level coming out of it. A 10.0 T8 will give you a UVI of about 1.1 at 9-10". That's hardly anything. I usually tell people that want to run a bulb all day to keep it at a UVI of 3-4. When UVI levels are 5-7, I tell people to run the UV tubes for 3-4 hours mid day.

Running a T8 tube for one hour a day, will do almost nothing as far as UV for your tortoise. This is fine if you use real sunshine when weather permits and D3 dietary supplements regularly. But if you are relying on this tube for UV for large portions of each year, you'll need something more.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

You could easily take a few zip ties and make a loop around each end. Then you can use those loops to hang it as high or low as you need. Does this make sense? I can add a quick/crude pix.

Ok, not the best drawing, but quick n dirty....
View attachment 294483

Just made my own. I will get a pic tomorrow for you..need opinions..

 

[Domm]

How many hours a day you run the bulb depends on what the UV level coming out of it. A 10.0 T8 will give you a UVI of about 1.1 at 9-10". That's hardly anything. I usually tell people that want to run a bulb all day to keep it at a UVI of 3-4. When UVI levels are 5-7, I tell people to run the UV tubes for 3-4 hours mid day.

Running a T8 tube for one hour a day, will do almost nothing as far as UV for your tortoise. This is fine if you use real sunshine when weather permits and D3 dietary supplements regularly. But if you are relying on this tube for UV for large portions of each year, you'll need something more.

Well I live in Pennsylvania so it’s frigid yes round minus the warm 4 months we have where I can put the enclosure on the patio for some sun . So what do you suggest my UVB t8 routine be ? Or should I get a higher bulb ?
Thank you for your help !

 

[ZEROPILOT]

For about $50 you can step up to a T5 HO fixture.
With the 5.0 lamp they come with, your 12" would be good.

 

[Chefdenoel10]

For about $50 you can step up to a T5 HO fixture.
With the 5.0 lamp they come with, your 12" would be good.

Funny you said that to him. I did just that a few days ago but I got a T5 HO but put a 10.0 bulb in... if I read correctly I hang it 18”-31” away from my tort. Is this ok? Am I doing it correctly? She seems to LOVE it but I am afraid of it being to close or far away??

 

[Tom]

Funny you said that to him. I did just that a few days ago but I got a T5 HO but put a 10.0 bulb in... if I read correctly I hang it 18”-31” away from my tort. Is this ok? Am I doing it correctly? She seems to LOVE it but I am afraid of it being to close or far away??

Only a UV meter can answer this. Solarmeter 6.5, aka 6.5R.

You need a meter. Everyone who relies on indoor UV in the frozen north needs a meter.

 

[Domm]

For about $50 you can step up to a T5 HO fixture.
With the 5.0 lamp they come with, your 12" would be good.

I can go purchase one, i'm so torn on this or the T8. The breeder said only an hour a day and sometimes uvb can do more harm than good when they're that little. But several comments on here say I should have it on all day. He's a well known breeder and knows his stuff, maybe he's saying that because of the breed? Eastern Hermanns

 

[Domm]

Only a UV meter can answer this. Solarmeter 6.5, aka 6.5R.

You need a meter. Everyone who relies on indoor UV in the frozen north needs a meter.

Yes and you're right on the "frozen" part it gets so cold here 8 months out of the year. I am going to purchase one of these solar meters.

 

[Tom]

I can go purchase one, i'm so torn on this or the T8. The breeder said only an hour a day and sometimes uvb can do more harm than good when they're that little. But several comments on here say I should have it on all day. He's a well known breeder and knows his stuff, maybe he's saying that because of the breed? Eastern Hermanns

I don't know who your breeder is, but most of them have all the wrong ideas.

I do know what my meter says, and I've explained those aspects. You will get a very low UVI reading from that bulb at that distance. Running it for only an hour a day, won't do much, but it won't hurt anything either. You can run that bulb, either for an hour a day, or all day and it won't make any difference. Follow the breeder's advice, but supplement with a calcium D3 powder two or three times a week. Also feed some original Mazuri once or twice a week. With this dietary D3, the UV source won't matter.

We are constantly learning about tortoise care here. One of the things we've recently discovered is that UVB bulbs also give off a lot of UV A. UV A dries out the newly forming keratin at the growth lines between the scutes and causes some pyramiding. I'm leaning away from using indoor UV whenever possible now, so your one hour a day with a weak bulb, actually sounds appealing to me, as long as the baby has a low wattage incandescent basking lamp to warm up under as needed.

Listening to multiple sources is confusing and frustrating. Pick one person with a track record of success and follow their recommendations. If this breeder knows his stuff and has successfully raised lots of smooth healthy babies, then do it their way. Then, as time goes by, show us the methods and the results. We will all learn from what you are doing.

 

[Domm]

I agree with having so many methods, but I need to pick one because it is frustrating. You have helped me so much I really appreciate it. I will get the meter and maybe I will upgrade to the T5 light too. I have some D3 powder but I will order the mazuri mix , is this the right one, I will purchase now.