Light-time

[Tom]

Her's the new enclosure. (if you noticed there isn't a lamp for a CHE, the bulb and setup is on its way)

This is a good start. See how much more of the top you can get covered, and add a humid hide box.

I'm sorry to inform you that that water bowl isn't suitable. This sides are too steep. Just yesterday I read a thread from a member with that type of bowl who came home and found her hermanni upside down in the bowl. Hermanni are quite a bit more agile than a leopard too. Terra cotta plant saucers sunk into the substrate work the best in my experience and they are cheap too.

 

[Tom]

Is this an ok bulb? it isn't a coil but it has the same tube structure, but it says its specifically or is used a lot for turtles and tortoises.

I recommend against any type of cfl bulb and this one is no exception. Some of these bulbs damage tortoise eyes. Know how to tell which ones are bad before they burn your tortoises eyes? Me neither.

Better to use something with safer track record. Long florescent tubes or mercury vapor bulbs are the way to go if you need indoor UV.

 

[Yvonne G]

It might be ok if you mount it horizontally and not vertically, but if it were me, I wouldn't use any of the compact fluorescent bulbs.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

I recommend against any type of cfl bulb and this one is no exception. Some of these bulbs damage tortoise eyes. Know how to tell which ones are bad before they burn your tortoises eyes? Me neither.

Better to use something with safer track record. Long florescent tubes or mercury vapor bulbs are the way to go if you need indoor UV.

yeah, i guess my UVB source would now be just taking him out for pure sunlight now like tom. But research in other threads say it's a safe source, but with little UVB, you said that too tom on another thread. I'll use this till it runs out or needs a change in 6 months, with the addition of natural sunlight too a few times a week

 

[Rexx Doopson]

Updated enclosure.

 

[leigti]

I would move the UVB bulb over to the middle of the enclosure so that the UVB is spread over a wider area. I also strongly recommend a mercury vapor bulb or a long fluorescent tube bulb. Mercury vapor bulb would be good for heat and UVB during the day and then just as CHE is needed at night. You said the CHE is coming in the mail? I would also put that right in the middle for the same reason. To cover more of the enclosure you can get plexiglass at places like Home Depot or a window store. Or you can even just use tinfoil or plastic like a cheap shower curtain. But do not put it directly under the bulbs. Your enclosure is coming along nicely.

 

[Tom]

yeah, i guess my UVB source would now be just taking him out for pure sunlight now like tom. But research in other threads say it's a safe source, but with little UVB, you said that too tom on another thread. I'll use this till it runs out or needs a change in 6 months, with the addition of natural sunlight too a few times a week

Are you talking about the cfl? I've never said those are a safe or effective UV source. Just the opposite on both counts.

The 6 month thing is also not reliable. The manufacturers would like you to buy a new one every six months, but all the ones that I've tested lasted much longer than that.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

I would move the UVB bulb over to the middle of the enclosure so that the UVB is spread over a wider area. I also strongly recommend a mercury vapor bulb or a long fluorescent tube bulb. Mercury vapor bulb would be good for heat and UVB during the day and then just as CHE is needed at night. You said the CHE is coming in the mail? I would also put that right in the middle for the same reason. To cover more of the enclosure you can get plexiglass at places like Home Depot or a window store. Or you can even just use tinfoil or plastic like a cheap shower curtain. But do not put it directly under the bulbs. Your enclosure is coming along nicely.

yes, the the che is arriving in a little while. The website said 10-15 work days, so it might take a while. Il. Be using the basking lamp for now until oit burns out then will be purchasing a MVB

 

[Rexx Doopson]

I have just purchased this solar glo mercury bulb

 

[Killerrookie]

I have just purchased this solar glo mercury bulb

Tell me if its good!!!

 

[Rexx Doopson]

will do. fingers crossed!.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

Do MVBs actually have mercury in them?

 

[leigti]

Do MVBs actually have mercury in them?

I don't know, never thought about it. I would guess probably.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

yeah. i'd be a little worried about that. do you think it'll be ok to use a regular basking lamp and cfl (that i mentioned above), as well as real sunlight a couple times a week be until they burn out and then use the MVB?

 

[leigti]

I wouldn't worry about mercury vapor bulb safety. If it broke in the enclosure it wouldn't be any more dangerous than the CFL. If a CFL breaks that has some dangerous stuff in it. And they are safe for a tortoise anyway probably. Just get a mercury vapor bulb and cut your losses. You can get a 10 inch ceramic based fixture at the feed store or Home Depot for around 10 bucks.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

Yeah. I'll dispose of the CFL and coil. Probably give them to one of my non-tortoise owning reptile friends. This shipment will take actually 3-5 months, so i'll bring him outside for an estimated 2-3 hour amount of pure sunlight each week.

 

[Tom]

Do MVBs actually have mercury in them?

They contain mercury vapor. Just don't crack it open and inhale it.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

Is it normal that he's spending a lot of time in the humid hide?

 

[leigti]

Yes, I think it is. He is a baby and like all babies they do a lot of sleeping. Take him out of his hide daily and also then put him down in front of his food dish.

 

[Rexx Doopson]

i was taking him out for a daily basking in the sun, and i noticed that my baby leopard tortoise had a small foaming in his left eye. HELP?! enclosure and living conditions posted above, and no symptoms of MBD or hatchling failure syndrome. He's eating and active. Shell isn't noticeably squishy or soft, and supplemented with calcium powder and spray every other day. Could this just be moisture from the earlier soaking? Or maybe just a small foreign object that's irritating? It's only in the left eye, and other than that, the eyes look healthy and alert. (2 soakings daily, provided with a low cay-pot-dish-thing as a water source, and has 1 humid hide along with just a plain log. He also just ate a ton of kale)