Lighting, what to do!?!

[Jeansie1988]

Hi Everyone!

So, I have posted earlier that I just purchased this red foot tortoise.

I would like to know what the best lighting set up is for them. I have read on the forums that the coil lights can cause blindness.
I also hear and have read good things about the mecury vapor bulbs?
My red foot is apparently 3 years old and is in a pond tub, measuring 48x28x12.

 

[ascott]

What type of lighting and heating was the prior caretaker using? If your tort is in good condition then perhaps try to mimic that....

 

[lisa127]

I prefer the long flourescent tube UVB bulbs for lighting combined with an incandescent bulb for heat. Particularly with redfoots, as I believe that like box turtles they prefer more dappled light.

 

[ascott]

caretaker

Meant, caregiver.....lol

 

[Jeansie1988]

All I know is that this person had the red foot on hay and in a small tank. I have no idea what they were using for lighting.
The tortoise does have some pyrmiding going on. I am not even sure if the woman let the tortoise out in the sun. I do try to have him outside when it's not cooler out.

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I prefer the long flourescent tube UVB bulbs for lighting combined with an incandescent bulb for heat. Particularly with redfoots, as I believe that like box turtles they prefer more dappled light.

Okay, i just wanted to note that this is what i was planning on doing and the gentleman i spoke with at the reptile store near me told me that this is the "old" way of lighting and that many stores don't sell these anymore. He told me I need to buy a coil light for the red foot along with the incandescent light for heat. However, i have read that the coil lights are not the best.....? This is where I am stuck.

 

[Mgridgaway]

Okay, i just wanted to note that this is what i was planning on doing and the gentleman i spoke with at the reptile store near me told me that this is the "old" way of lighting and that many stores don't sell these anymore. He told me I need to buy a coil light for the red foot along with the incandescent light for heat. However, i have read that the coil lights are not the best.....? This is where I am stuck.

You'll find that people at pet stores are rarely correct.

With that being said, I've never had a problem with coil style bulbs when used correctly. There were some issues with them a number of years ago, but they have since been corrected, at least with Zoo Med bulbs (which, in my opinion, is the only brand of bulbs people should be buying with one or two Mercury Vapor exceptions).

UVB lighting really comes down to what your enclosure needs when it comes to light and heat. Got great temps and a nice basking spot? Tube style or properly mounted coil bulbs should work fine (I wouldn't bother with 10.0 bulbs though, 5.0 should be more than enough). Need UVB and heat? Mercury Vapor Bulbs are great, and I've switched to these almost completely for over 4 years (Powersun 100 Watt are great for Torts. Mega Rays are great for animals that have high UVB reqs, but a bit overkill for torts. You'll hear a lot of Mega Ray bashing because they went through a really rough spot a year ago or so but now they're pretty much back on track).

Of course, there's no substitute for actual sunlight. Try to get your torts outside at least once a week when possible

 

[Madkins007]

https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/the-work-shop/lighting-1

My preferred lighting set-up for red-footeds is to keep the lighting as low key and balanced white as possible.

1. Do you need UVB? If the tortoise can get an hour or so of good sunlight a week, then the answer is NO. If it will be indoors all year, then the answer is YES. If it is outside part of the year, then the answer is MAYBE. Many good keepers/breeders that have theirs outside find they don't need additional UVB, but I personally feel it is helpful in the winter when they are indoors.

2. Set up a long-type fluorescent bulb on a timer so it offers soft, white-balanced light. If I need UVB, this is a low-output UVB bulb. If I do not need UVB this is a 'daylight' bulb. Run it about 12-14 hours a day.

2.b. If I DO use UVB, it tends to not be a balanced white, so I will hang a plain low-wattage incandescent bulb and change the set-up a bit- plain bulb on for 12-14 hours, UVB on for about 8.

This also frees me up to use heat ropes and ceramic heat emitters to do the right sorts of heat.