Lighting and Feeding Questions???

[myssie]

First lighting, I have a fluval osaka double lite strip. Can I purchase the proper blubs for my little tort?? I have two mini tube bulbs, t5 glo life right now is that good for her?

Second, do I put the calcium/d3 on all of her food or just once a day???

New mommy here nervous and only wanting the best for my little gal.

Thanks all

Myssie

 

[Greg T]

I'm not sure on the light. If you have an inside enclosure, you want to get them some UVA and UVB rays, so look for bulbs that provide that. If you can put him outside for an hour or so quite often, it would be better to get natural rays.

Just sprinkle a little calcium on the food once each day or two and it should be fine. They don't need a ton of calcium, just some to supplement the calcium they get through their food.

Good Luck!

 

[Kristina]

I would not supplement D3 every day. If you have pure calcium powder, or powdered cuttlebone, it is okay to put a little on every day, but with D3 I wouldn't use it more than once a week.

I'm not quite sure I know what you are talking about light wise. How about a picture of what you have?

 

[myssie]

I will get some pics up tonight of the lighting and bulbs hopfully I can use them. She will be outside most of the summer months but will be in her indoor habitat for the winter and want to make sure she has proper lighting.

So just grinding up her cuttle bones and adding that to her food will give her proper calcium?? And the calcium/d3 one to two times a week?
Thanks
Myssie

 

[Yvonne G]

I think you're talking about aquarium lights. I've never heard of using aquarium lights for tortoises. Quite a few of us use the T-Rex UV/heat spot. Mine is a 100 watt. I doubt your aquarium lights would get hot enough. You want a basking light that gets at least 100 degrees directly under it.

 

[myssie]

Yes I will also be running a basking light as well as these. But will these give me proper uvb lighting she will need?

We are coming into summer now so for the next 4 to 5 months she will be outdoors daily but come the winter will this be enough?

thanks

Myssie

 

[Tom]

You've touched on a debatable subject here. It is my opinion that flourescent tubes don't do much other than light up the enclosure. They don't emit enough usable UV that will prevent MBD. Others disagree and produce charts that show the UV output of their flourescent tubes. I was the retail reptile guy in the pet store for 8 years before and during college. I saw thousands of reptiles during that time and I used to sell these bulbs. After a while, I realized that some of my customers who bought my fancy, expensive UV lighting systems, were getting MBD in their animals. The only cure at the time was sunshine. When Mercury Vapor Bulbs came on the the scene a few years back, I gave them a try and found that they did prevent and rehab MBD.

So, in my opinion, if your tort is getting sunshine for at least 20-30 minutes two or three times a week you can just use an inexpensive flood or spot light for indoor time. Just check the basking temps with a thermometer and adjust the height or wattage of the bulb to get the desired temp. Around 100 degrees, like Yvonne said. If, during the winter, your tort might go weeks without sunshine, I'd recommend a MVB. That's all you should need.

For supplements: If you are getting the above mentioned sunshine, or more, and a good, varied diet, I'd skip the D3. You don't need it and there is debate about whether or not it is harmful. During the winter, if no sunshine for weeks on end, then maybe use a little.

I only use calcium a couple of times a week for youngin's. Others do it daily. Others still don't use it at all. I think this depends on the species, diet, amount of sunshine, exercise, etc... Since leopards grow large, I would give some calcium every other day or so and maybe taper it down as he gets bigger. Your tortoise won't die if you do it every day or never at all. You just have to make your best guess for how much YOUR tortoise needs in YOUR current situation. This is another good reason to leave some cuttlebones lying around the enclosure. If your tort feels like he needs more than what you are giving he can self-supplement.

 

[myssie]

Thank you so much for all your advise. I am sorry but I have to ask what is a MVB bulb? and that is all I need for her? One bulb?? To lite, give off uvb and to bask in? I know you must be thinkin what a greenhorn, she still wet behind the ears!! I just want my little gal to have the very best possible. The pet store I deal with is selling me three bulbs at 25 bucks a shot plus the clamp lamp set up. She is well worth the money I spend on her but is this just overkill???

Myssie