Lighting

[MrsGREEN]

We are going to buy lighting today, where is the best place to order from? We need 5% Tropical UVB tube florescents and also heat lights. What would you all recommend? We plan to purchase online. Currently our 3'x7' terrarium has a spiral compact 5% UVB(I know you all say they are bad, thats why we are replacing) and a basking bulb. I finally got to reading the tortoise library and it was good readings. Glad to know those things. I must have a VERY happy tort according to the library.

 

[wellington]

I would suggest buying a MVB (mercury vapor bulb)for lighting/heat/UVB for day time. Then for night time heat only, no light needed, buy a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). Check out amazon.com

 

[81SHOVELHEAD]

I USE www.petmountain.com
Fast delivery Gret prices .

 

[ascott]

I would use a long tube uvb light 5.0 (this is of course if your tortoise is also able to get actual natural sun time during good weather)...for their indoor enclosure....if they are going to be primarily indoors then I would use a 10.0 along with a basking light that includes uva as well as a night light bulb....

If you also elect to use a MVB then I would make sure that you have A LOT of plants for them to hide under/behind vs average amount of plants if the intense light is not used....

My RFs decide that they like the silk plants that I have in their enclosure as their hide...I did not want to only offer them an actual hide and in doing the two choices for them I have now removed any hide as they show zero interest...but they love to lounge behind and under the mass of silk plants in their indoor enclosures....also to me this allows some air exchange at a better flow...again, this is my personal feeling...and with 75% of their enclosure being moist and humid I like to offer them a place behind in the drier places for the night....

Again, these are my preferences and what works for my little ones

 

[terryo]

I don't use hide's either, just lots of plants which they crawl under and hide. I keep a heat emitter on either side and a long tube UVB in the middle. I don't use any basking light for my Cherry Heads. I like low light and consistent warm humidity throughout the vivarium. Just what works for me. They get natural sun all Summer when they're outside.

 

[jareeed2]

I have followed NERDs caresheet and try feeding my torts the best greens and they will get their D3 requirments from their diet.. I do not have a uvb in my indoor enclosure.. I have one set aside and iight throw it on once a week for a day.. But they are outside from about april to september getting all their sunshine

 

[terryo]

I have followed NERDs caresheet and try feeding my torts the best greens and they will get their D3 requirments from their diet.. I do not have a uvb in my indoor enclosure.. I have one set aside and iight throw it on once a week for a day.. But they are outside from about april to september getting all their sunshine

I only have two Cherry Head's, but I raised both of them with that care sheet, and they are both smooth, healthy and beautiful.

 

[jareeed2]

I only have two Cherry Head's, but I raised both of them with that care sheet, and they are both smooth, healthy and beautiful.

So far so good for me as well..my two redfoots were bought from petco, so they came with a little pyramiding on them but its under control and they are loving life.

 

[Madkins007]

Lighting- I would recommend a low output long-format UVB bulb. the reason for the low-output is that in captivity the animals cannot avoid the light as easily or as completely as they can in the wild. Studies with chameleons showed better results from low-output UVB long tubes than with high output long tubes or MVBs.

Select a bulb size big enough to light the entire habitat, but small enough to not add too much light. If possible, consider a second bulb, either a smaller fluorescent in a 'super white', 'deluxe white', or 'daylight' color (or a regular incandescent bulb) also small wattage, to offer a very sun-like color balance. Use the regular bulb for about 12 hours a day, and the UVB for about 6-8 hours in the middle of the day.

Stick to a good name brand to get the best results. Russiantortoise.org reviewed several. I prefer Big Apple Herp for my stuff- not always the cheapest, but great service and selection.

Heating- I really like a combination of substrate heat ropes and ceramic heat emitters, with thermostatic controllers.

Hides- I think there are a lot of better options than the typical log or box hide. Thick planting, like ascott and Terry O use are great. My guys hide under a slab of bark.

UVB/Vitamin D- this is controversial, however most of the research and experience of breeders, etc. strongly suggests that UVB lighting is the safest, healthiest way to get vitamin D in the system. There is simply no evidence that these or other tortoises 'get all of their D from their diet' as some people assert. After all, many studies say that dietary D is not nearly as beneficial as solar D is.

Most of the time when you read something against the use of UVB for baby forest tortoises, it is based on two key ideas- that little UV hits the forest floor and forest torts do not bask; and that UV is harmful to young eyes. Actual tests show that at least 10% of the UV hits the ground even in very thick forests, and many field researchers have documented basking forest tortoises. (This is actually a little beside the point with Red-footeds, however, since they are not really a deep forest species for the most part- their preferred habitats seem to be grasslands and scrub forests.)

As for UV hurting the eyes- that is a real concern, which is why we try to offer low wattages and UV intensities for all very young tortoises. Functionally, it is almost certainly not an issue with a properly mounted UV long tube.

 

[MrsGREEN]

We are thinking with all this great info, to get a rope heater under the substrate, a long UVB light(we will have UVB because I know as fact that all creatures who need vit D get it best from the sun), a full spectrum daylight fluorescent, and a night basking bulb. We already have a daylight basking bulb and a UVB compact, which I know ya'll said was no good, but I am keeping it more than a foot away and I bought it, so I should use it for a little while while until we get a new one and then it will just be a backup and he prefers the bright heat light anyways. He is 25ish years old, so baby information doesn't help us. We don't have much for a hide, just a board tilted to the side on the wall end. He never had hides, plants or really anything, so what we are doing is already improving his quality of life. He is doing really good, very active. We have had him about a month now. We love him, the kids love him, he is a great pet! In spring(since we live in MN), he will be able to go on the deck, that's where his previous owner kept him in the summer, but we will just let him out on humid days for some fresh air and also out in the grass. He will eventually have plants and a real log for a hide. That will come in spring as well after the snow is gone. I am trying to keep his terrarium as natural as possible. Eventually we will grow most of his food in there and he can graze as he pleases. I am finding out he HATES green peppers and is not a huge fan of broccoli, he protested it one day, it was really cute, he knocked it over and was acting really strange until we got him other food. I LOVE MY TORT!

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I have looked through the Tortoise Library and found great info, what is this NERD caresheet? Where can I fond one?