Lighting advice

[cpl1307]

My Arcadia bulbs last a long time. I check them with a meter. At 10 hours a day and 6 months of use, your bulb is probably still okay. Only a UV meter can tell you for sure. Does your tortoise get outside time in the summer months? If yes, I would wait to replace the bulb until fall since your tortoise can meet its UV needs with real sunshine until then. Keep using the bulb when the tortoise is indoors, as even if it has degraded some, it is still probably giving off usable UV at only 6 months old. If you want to replace the bulb in fall, your tortoise will have strong UV for the indoor months in winter when it is needed most. Personally, I would not throw away the old bulb until I checked it with a meter.

I only got him in November, do winter time and its spring now, but still quite cold. I have the new bulb coming today. Do you think I should save it. Its been used since the 2nd November my one in there now.

 

[Tom]

I only got him in November, do winter time and its spring now, but still quite cold. I have the new bulb coming today. Do you think I should save it. Its been used since the 2nd November my one in there now.

I would save the new one, personally. They can go weeks or months with no UV at all with no ill effect. Your current bulb is probably still working just fine, but even if it isn't, we are almost to the warmer weather and sunshine, and your tortoise will be fine. It is most important to have strong UV in fall going in to winter, especially for tortoises that will not be brumated. If you are using a calcium supplement, or pelleted food supplement with D3 in it, then UVB becomes even less important.