Lighting Advice Please

[synspyder]

Good news first: Punli has 100% recovered from his respiratory infection.

Bad news: Because Japan runs on a lower voltage than America, I'm having difficulty getting proper UVB lighting for him. MVBs don't seem to work here and UVB lighting for reptiles in general over here is crap, to be honest.

So, unfortunately I'm going to have to settle.

So far, I have only been able to find compact coil UVB bulbs and repti-sun 5.0.

In your opinion, which would be better for a juvenile greek tortoise and how often do they need to be changed?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Snapper925]

Not sure if you have it over there but I like the slimline uvb fixtures!
If all else fails Natural sunlight is king

 

[ascott]

So far, I have only been able to find compact coil UVB bulbs and repti-sun 5.0.

I would say to use the repti sun, if they have the 5.0 that is fine but you should strive to get the 10.0 soon...since your tort is not a hatchling/baby....

 

[jaizei]

Have you tried something like this? It should make it so that you can use an MVB.

 

[Tom]

Personally I have seen a lot of problems with the coil type UV buls and would never use one. There is another thread right now with a lady and a baby tortoise who has been under one for a week and it's squinting and rubbing it's eyes. I have personally witnessed this many times.
Will the tube types work with you voltage? If not, I would just get real sunshine as much as the weather permits and not worry about it.

One of our moderators here on the forum lives in Michigan and uses no artificial UV bulbs for any of her tortoises. She has many species and they all get sunshine all summer long and whenever the weather is nice, but they spend months indoors during her frozen winters every year. Her tortoises are very healthy.

 

[synspyder]

Wow! Thank Jaizei! That's actually really helpful!

Tom, Kyoto has really hot, humid summers, so outside in the summer is definitely a possibility. Right now the weather is still at an in between spring and winter, so it might be too cold for him. How many hours of natural light a day do you recommend? I haven't bought any other bulbs from America yet, because the costs of shipping international are so high :/

It's ll right in the winter to have no lights?

This is a relief. Thank you guys so much for all your help!