Lighting

[Happy_Tortoise]

I'm sorry if I make many new threads but I am following recommendations from other members than new threads are better.

As some of you might know now I am not native English speaker. I am French.
I think my English is quite good as I lived in Ireland for about 5years. But I don't have much vocabulary on tortoise.

So all the vocabularies for Light are difficult for me to understand and I found previous posts confusing.

So on the picture I share the new enclosure I bought.
I have 2 lights (I called them heating lamps because they are lamps that make heat but I don't know how you call them) Also I am in Korea so I don't know also from the package.

Basically the lamp I have is the one bought with the tortoise so I dont have reference for it. But the staff told us to get another one in case that one dies, so I bought another one from a fish store.
Here is the new one I bought. I am not sure if it is the same style as the one I use now. But I think it is.

https://link.coupang.com/a/bDHJM0

So my questions would be can you explain to me the different lights and recommend me the lights I need

And can you give me examples of thermometers I can use (is the one for food okay? )

I thought the height of the lamp was important but it seems it is mostly the temperature that matters so I want to buy a new thermometer specific for measuring the spaces in her enclosure.

The new enclosure I have has a grill on top, so I am not sure how I can insert the lamp 😅

Thank you

 

[wellington]

The type of light is wrong and so is the enclosure.
Off hand I don't remember if you have a hatchling or adult? I think adult tortoise so it needs a 4x8 foot enclosure. If it's a hatchling it needs a closed chamber enclosure.
You need a tube florescent light for uvb
An incandescent flood bulb for basking and
A ceramic heat emitter if night heat is needed or added day heat.
I will post pics.

 

[wellington]

 

[wellington]

For temp reading get a temp gun and digital thermometer like pictured

 

[wellington]

Something like this works good for an indoor enclosure. For the greenhouse, just add a tarp for floor.

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

The type of light is wrong and so is the enclosure.
Off hand I don't remember if you have a hatchling or adult? I think adult tortoise so it needs a 4x8 foot enclosure. If it's a hatchling it needs a closed chamber enclosure.
You need a tube florescent light for uvb
An incandescent flood bulb for basking and
A ceramic heat emitter if night heat is needed or added day heat.
I will post pics.

It is a 8/9month old greek tortoise. This is the biggest enclosure I found on korean shopping site. And it comes from abroad.
At least for the time being I will go for it. I thought it would be good because I saw many people seemed to have similar one.

I will have a look for the lights and the thermometer gun.
I already have the digital one but somehow it doesn't work inside the heat light. I tried this morning and it went crazy. So I will try the gun.
Maybe when she gets older and bugger I'll try to find something else. (It is expensive to get a new one every month)

Except if everyone tells me that one is very bad then I'll get another one.

Can you tell me what is the light I have? How is it called?

Summer in Korea are hot so I thought to buy the ceramic one later. Maybe in September.
For basking is it different from what I have?
The UV one it seems long is it for the whole enclosure?

How long during the day should they be turned on?
I read 10h and 3h.
I thought maybe 10hours is for normal light (like room light to shaw it is day time) ans 3h was the UV heat light 🤔

 

[wellington]

The enclosure you have a lot of people have it because they find the wrong info before finding this forum or they listened to the pet store.
The enclosure will be fine for now. But line the inside bottom and sides with plastic and then build a top over it out of plastic so you can get humidity in there, 80%.
The light you have in the pic you posted is a halogen and they are bad on the tortoise shell. Too intense
Yes, get the ceramic heat emitter only if needed.
The tube/uvb light, comes in different lengths. Measure your enclosure, not the hide area and get one that will fit that length.
The tube/uvb light you don't need if you can get him outside for an hour 3-4 times a week. Otherwise you need it and leave on for 3 hours a day starting around 12 or 1:00.
The basking should be on 10-12 hours.

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

The enclosure you have a lot of people have it because they find the wrong info before finding this forum or they listened to the pet store.
The enclosure will be fine for now. But line the inside bottom and sides with plastic and then build a top over it out of plastic so you can get humidity in there, 80%.
The light you have in the pic you posted is a halogen and they are bad on the tortoise shell. Too intense
Yes, get the ceramic heat emitter only if needed.
The tube/uvb light, comes in different lengths. Measure your enclosure, not the hide area and get one that will fit that length.
The tube/uvb light you don't need if you can get him outside for an hour 3-4 times a week. Otherwise you need it and leave on for 3 hours a day starting around 12 or 1:00.
The basking should be on 10-12 hours.

Ok thank you. I will try that.
Not sure how to line plastic but I will do some research.
I saw for my tortoise 50 humidity was enough so I thought I was good. 80 seems a lot. But I know I need to increase the humidity anyway. I am around 40-50%
At least she goes to the water which is good I think.

 

[wellington]

Ok thank you. I will try that.
Not sure how to line plastic but I will do some research.
I saw for my tortoise 50 humidity was enough so I thought I was good. 80 seems a lot. But I know I need to increase the humidity anyway. I am around 40-50%
At least she goes to the water which is good I think.

Adults of your species need around 30-50% hatchlings 80%

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

I will try to follow this.
Is it okay? (37°C = 100F 27°C = 80F )

I will get the thermometer.

One more question. How about the water?
Should I keep it under the heat light so the water is warm?
Or just around 25°C is warm enough (temperature of the room)

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

The type of light is wrong and so is the enclosure.
Off hand I don't remember if you have a hatchling or adult? I think adult tortoise so it needs a 4x8 foot enclosure. If it's a hatchling it needs a closed chamber enclosure.
You need a tube florescent light for uvb
An incandescent flood bulb for basking and
A ceramic heat emitter if night heat is needed or added day heat.
I will post pics.

There are Lot of pictures but I found those. I will take the measurements of my enclosure and buy the long uvB for terrarium. For basking light I found that one, which I think is maybe good. Uva + UVB and the watts I will measure my enclosure. They advise this

Item size: 5*5*5cm
Item weight :40g
25w fit for aquarium/tank length lt;50CM
50W fit for aquarium/tank length lt;80CM
75W fit for aquarium/tank length lt;100CM
전압: 220-240V

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

There are Lot of pictures but I found those. I will take the measurements of my enclosure and buy the long uvB for terrarium. For basking light I found that one, which I think is maybe good. Uva + UVB and the watts I will measure my enclosure. They advise this

Item size: 5*5*5cm
Item weight :40g
25w fit for aquarium/tank length lt;50CM
50W fit for aquarium/tank length lt;80CM
75W fit for aquarium/tank length lt;100CM
전압: 220-240V

Please, don't order any of the lamps from the screenshots. Let me check which one is suitable.

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

Please, don't order any of the lamps from the screenshots. Let me check which one is suitable.

Oh ok... 😳
Thank you
In Korea we use 220V (maybe you already know but just in case)

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

This is the UVB lamp (it's one of the best available and should last for several years without replacement when you use it 4 hours a day): https://m.coupang.com/vm/products/8...408a911623545fb839cd&vendorItemId=89661053906

I can't tell if the price is fair. In EU these lamps are around 90EUR.

I'll be back with a basking lamp suggestion a bit later.

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

This one will work as a basking bulb: https://m.coupang.com/vm/products/4...4a299666012c77a06008&vendorItemId=73343310986

Don't be confused with the name "Daylight Basking Spot", it's actually a floodlight (R20 bulb) for the basking spot, not a spot light.

If the lamp dome you have has E27 socket, this lamp will fit. If not, we'll try to find an alternative. And if you can get a lamp stand instead of clamp lamp - this will be better (you can adjust lamp height to get optimal temperature and it's safer because the lamp won't fall).

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

This one will work as a basking bulb: https://m.coupang.com/vm/products/4784935174?itemId=6123338147&q=Exoterra daytime heat lamp&sourceType=search&searchId=7105c2574e164a299666012c77a06008&vendorItemId=73343310986

Don't be confused with the name "Daylight Basking Spot", it's actually a floodlight (R20 bulb) for the basking spot, not a spot light.

If the lamp dome you have has E27 socket, this lamp will fit. If not, we'll try to find an alternative. And if you can get a lamp stand instead of clamp lamp - this will be better (you can adjust lamp height to get optimal temperature and it's safer because the lamp won't fall).

Thank you so much!!
When I will go home I will look for it. I don't have a stand lamp but maybe I can find one later. I can start with the clamp lamp if the bulb fits and look for the stand lamp maybe this weekend

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Thank you so much!!
When I will go home I will look for it. I don't have a stand lamp but maybe I can find one later. I can start with the clamp lamp if the bulb fits and look for the stand lamp maybe this weekend

Yes, sounds like a plan. Clamp lamps *always* fall and the worst thing is that they suddenly fall, often when you are not at home.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

One more question. How about the water?
Should I keep it under the heat light so the water is warm?
Or just around 25°C is warm enough (temperature of the room)

25C will be fine for the water. If you keep it under the lamp the water might dry out even during one day.

 

[Happy_Tortoise]

25C will be fine for the water. If you keep it under the lamp the water might dry out even during one day.

Yeah I changed or refilled it everyday. 😅

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Yeah I changed or refilled it everyday. 😅

Every day is fine, but more than once a day probably means it s too close to the lamp. But when soaking of course use luke warm water AKA about 35-40C.