Lighting Question

Ajax

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Hello All! I have a question in regards to lighting for my tort’s habitat. She is a 7-9 wk old captive bred Greek tortoise. Her habitat was around 95 F on the hot side and 70 F on the cool side during the day and 75 F hot/ 65 F cool at night. I took her to the vet this week for a check up because she wasn’t eating very well and was more sleepy than usual. The vet said she looked great and was in good health from what he could see. He suggested that I increase the heat in the habitat. This is what I’ve done for now and I would like to make sure that this is safe until I can readjust the area or if this is a good permanent solution. I have added the red warming light I use for my chicks to use during the day along with the uvb light and turned off the ceramic heat bulbIMG_1517169724.526368.jpg. This is keeping the hot side at 105 F and the cool side at 75-80 F. At night I turn off the uvb and the chicken lamp to run the 100 watt ceramic heat emitter. This keeps the hot side at 80-85 F and the cool side at 75 F. Is using the warming light that I use for my chickens safe to use for my tort? I’ve included pictures below of my set up and the bulbs. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you all for your time!!

Regards,
AJIMG_1517169724.526368.jpgIMG_1517169759.598818.jpgIMG_1517169780.906017.jpgIMG_1517169791.816025.jpg
 

Cheryl Hills

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Ok, red bulbs makes everything look like food to a tort. It can cause them to try and eat things they are no supposed to. As for the reptisun bulb you are using, it is a compact fluorescent and also is not good. It can cause eye irritation. Lights should be on for about 14 hours a day and dark at night. Try a tube fluorescent for the uvb light. I am not sure on the temps for a Greek .
 

Ajax

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Ok, red bulbs makes everything look like food to a tort. It can cause them to try and eat things they are no supposed to. As for the reptisun bulb you are using, it is a compact fluorescent and also is not good. It can cause eye irritation. Lights should be on for about 14 hours a day and dark at night. Try a tube fluorescent for the uvb light. I am not sure on the temps for a Greek .

Thank you!
 

Ajax

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Ok, red bulbs makes everything look like food to a tort. It can cause them to try and eat things they are no supposed to. As for the reptisun bulb you are using, it is a compact fluorescent and also is not good. It can cause eye irritation. Lights should be on for about 14 hours a day and dark at night. Try a tube fluorescent for the uvb light. I am not sure on the temps for a Greek .

Hi Cheryl! Thank you for responding earlier. I removed the red warming light and the reptisun compact fluorescent bulb today. I added an uvb tube fluorescent light. What light/bulb would you recommend using for the basking lamp? I have the CHE but it did not keep the habitat warm enough. Would adding a second CHE work to bring up the heat or would you recommend using a basking lamp instead? If so, what basking lamp would you recommend?

Many Thanks,
AJ
 

Markw84

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Thank you!
I would not recommend that bulb at all! It is 150 watts and is a spot bulb that focuses too much heat (near-IR) in the basking area. They are not good for tortoises. My bulb of choice is a standard incandescent FLOOD bulb. I usually use a 65 watt, but I use a closed chamber to keep humidity and temperature stable. You could probably go with a 100 watt flood bulb in your setup. Adjust the height to get the desired baking temperature. Do not use the fixture you have pictured above. Those deep dome fixtures do not allow the air flow that is needed to cool a bulb and will dramatically shorten the life of the bulb. The fixture you had the red bulb in above is the type of fixture I use and prefer. So with your fluorescent tube for UVB and a wider spectrum of light, and the flood bulb for basking heat, and your CHE for night heat, you should be set.

I would suggest you look into converting to a more closed type of enclosure or finding a way to cover yours to better maintain heat and humidity througout the enclosure.
 

Ajax

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I would not recommend that bulb at all! It is 150 watts and is a spot bulb that focuses too much heat (near-IR) in the basking area. They are not good for tortoises. My bulb of choice is a standard incandescent FLOOD bulb. I usually use a 65 watt, but I use a closed chamber to keep humidity and temperature stable. You could probably go with a 100 watt flood bulb in your setup. Adjust the height to get the desired baking temperature. Do not use the fixture you have pictured above. Those deep dome fixtures do not allow the air flow that is needed to cool a bulb and will dramatically shorten the life of the bulb. The fixture you had the red bulb in above is the type of fixture I use and prefer. So with your fluorescent tube for UVB and a wider spectrum of light, and the flood bulb for basking heat, and your CHE for night heat, you should be set.

I would suggest you look into converting to a more closed type of enclosure or finding a way to cover yours to better maintain heat and humidity througout the enclosure.

Hi Mark! I swapped out the red light for a power sun 100w MVB bulb. I’ve been using that during the day and the CHE in the deep dome at night. Do you think that will be sufficient? Also could you give me some ideas on covering my enclosure? I have noticed that the temp and humidity is fluctuating quite a bit.
 

Ali311

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I would not recommend that bulb at all! It is 150 watts and is a spot bulb that focuses too much heat (near-IR) in the basking area. They are not good for tortoises. My bulb of choice is a standard incandescent FLOOD bulb. I usually use a 65 watt, but I use a closed chamber to keep humidity and temperature stable. You could probably go with a 100 watt flood bulb in your setup. Adjust the height to get the desired baking temperature. Do not use the fixture you have pictured above. Those deep dome fixtures do not allow the air flow that is needed to cool a bulb and will dramatically shorten the life of the bulb. The fixture you had the red bulb in above is the type of fixture I use and prefer. So with your fluorescent tube for UVB and a wider spectrum of light, and the flood bulb for basking heat, and your CHE for night heat, you should be set.

I would suggest you look into converting to a more closed type of enclosure or finding a way to cover yours to better maintain heat and humidity througout the enclosure.
I am wondering what type of lamp you use for the flood bulb. would it fit into a usual reptile dome? (8 inches)?
 

Markw84

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I am wondering what type of lamp you use for the flood bulb. would it fit into a usual reptile dome? (8 inches)?

I use the brooder lamps commonly sold for baby chick heating. It is a 10.5” dome. The problem with many reptile hood is that they are too small and the bulb overheats and burns out way too early as a result I would not recommended a deep dome or smaller hood for a basking bulb.
 

Tom

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I like this one. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/zoo-med-repti-basking-spot-lamps-150-watts
Really any heat bulb is fine as long as it’s not red. You want a basking spot around 95
No. These are bad. Spot lamps should never be used over tortoises. They emit high levels of IR-A and concentrate them into too narrow of an area. It causes pyramiding. This is especially bad for a small goring tortoise. Regular round bulbs or flood bulbs are better and the spread the heat and desiccation out more.


I answered before I read the entire thread. Mark beat me to it... Sorry Mark.
 

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