Lighting for Indoor enclosure.

[stephiiberrybean]

My dad is building me my indoor enclosure for my tortoise.
I'm looking at getting a leopard tortoise, hopefully *fingers crossed*

What make of bulb/lighting would you recommend?

I need recommendations on UV and Heat bulbs.
I know i need a infra-red ceramic bulb for the heat lamp.

Not sure what Watt to get as each site i've looked at has said different!

Links to sites with bulbs for sale would also be good As I believe it'll be cheaper to buy it online?
I'm in no way a cheap skate so will spend the money if i need to. However if theres 2 bulbs that do the same thing but one is £100 and the other is £40 yet theres next to no difference in them (except price), then i will go for the cheaper one

I believe amazon do bulbs. Any good?

Also need a good holder/clamp for the bulb. Suggestions for that also welcome. Don't mind spending a bit more on that for one that looks a bit nicer and not big, chunky and ugly.

 

[HipsterTorts]

To make it easier I would just get a Power Sun light bulb. It combines the UVA, UVB, and a basking light all in one. That way you only have one light. I use the 100Watt
http://www.internetreptile.com/zoo-med-powersun-uv-100w-flood-puv-11-4685-p.asp

Then for the dome I use the Zoo Med Deep Dome Lamp fixture.
http://www.internetreptile.com/zoo-med-deep-dome-lamp-fixture-lf-17-5057-p.asp

Both the light and the lamp fixture have worked really well for me
Hope that helped!

 

[stephiiberrybean]

Thank you

So at night would I need to turn that bulb off?

I gather you leave heat lamps on during the night? I know you have to turn UV lights off.

 

[HipsterTorts]

No you don't need any light on during the night. It should be like they are in their natural environment. During the day you have the light, which provides a hot spot. But at night you turn the light off so it's dark and cooler.
I have greeks so during the day their cool side is between 75-80F and the hot side is between 90-95F. At night I turn off the light and the temps through out the entire enclosure stay in the low 70'sF. But for my torts it can go as low as 65F at night.
Also, I only leave my light on for 12 hours. I turn it on at 8am then turn it off at 8pm.

I'd research the temps for a leopard tort so you know how hot or cool it needs to be.

 

[stephiiberrybean]

Cool. Thank you

I've looked at temps and everywhere seems to say between
29C - 33C for hot spots
20C - 23C for cool spots.

I didn't write it down in F as i work in C

 

[stephiiberrybean]

Another question -

At night my room isn't the warmest - at the moment i don't have my radiator on so it'll be warmer when i switch that one (which will be when tort arrives) The tortoise will be next to my radiator which provides a bit of warmth, but it won't stay on all night (We're on a timer, so it comes in the evening and then again in the early morning)
When i say next too,
My walls are like this |___ And tort is on __ wall and the radiator on | wall. (So not right next to, more near)

So is it worth me getting a heat pad for my tortoise? To put underneath its hide for at night?
Or do you recommend something else?

NEVERMIND
I just read about CHE. Think i'll purchase one of them
As well as the Power sun bulb for during the day.

 

[-ryan-]

A lot of people over think night time heat. More than likely, you won't need it. I would play it by ear and take some real measurements of the air around the tortoise habitat at night and during the day. They don't need anything more than the heat that we require during the night, and many of my tortoises actually get less because of the location of the tortoise room (in the basement). I always like to avoid adding complication to my habitats when necessary. I have an 8'x4' enclosure for my russians that has just 4 halogen 45 watt bulbs on during the day and off at night. That's the largest draw of any of my tortoise habitats, and they are happy, healthy, reproducing torts. Granted, russians are not leopards, but the point I'm trying to get across is if you utilize the path of least resistance there is usually less chance for system failures.

 

[Tom]

My general strategy is a CHE either on 24/7, or on a thermostat, and a MVB on for around 12 hours a day. The number of bulbs and the wattage you need will depend on the size of your enclosure and your room temps. Let your temp gun and your thermometer be your guide.

IF (big IF) you are using humidity with your leopard (or any other species) I would not let it get cool at night. For an adult or older juvenile in an open tortoise table, cooler nights temps are great. But for a baby in a warm, humid enclosure, cold night temps can bring about a respiratory infection, which leopards are somewhat prone to in damp areas of the world, so I've been told by the people who live there. The key is warm temps in clammy areas.

 

[Squirtle's Mother]

I just bought my heat emitter bulb from Amazon. It is a 100 watt and only under $20. You can't beat that with a stick.