Need help on Lighting/habitat Please!

[N2Tortoises]

Hello!
Im a newbie here. I havent even gotten or decided on a tortoise yet and Im already so confused! lol

I know that I want one of the smaller tortoises like a Greek or Star because he will have to be inside our home most of the year.

This what I have purchased so far:
*Extra large 36 X 18 Exo terra extra low aquarium,
*hood light fixture for UVA/UVB I attached a picture of it.

* Calcum sand mixed with bark, a bark log for a hiding place
*flat rocks for his nails
*shallow large water bowl for soaking/drinking
*exo terra light dome with infra red heat bulb
*shallow food bowl.

Does this look like a decent habitat for a tortoise? Every site and person i talk to at a pet store tells me something different. You will not hurt my feeling by telling me that this isnt appropriate. I want to make sure that I give this future tortoise the best I can in an inside environment.

Another question I have is about UV lighting/heat.

1. I have the infra red heat bulb for night, but do I really need a heating one if the UV lights keeps the heat at the right temp? It seems like it would make the overall tank too hot. Should i just use the heat lamp at night and just use a heat pad somewhere during the day? I read that the heat pads are not such a good idea so im concerned with that.

2. How much UVB do tortoises need?

3. Do they also need UVA?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. My head is spinning. lol

Thanks!
N2Tortoises

 

[Long Island Greek]

I have a juvenile Greek tortoise. Your setup has some great things but some improvements need to be made. Firstly your substrate should ideally be cypress mulch, sand should never be used due to it can cause compaction and hurt your tort externally in the eyes and internally if ingested. Secondly the tank is a decent size for a baby but I would suggest buying a $25 dollar Rubbermaid storage bin the dimension of the 54 gallon is roughly 45L x 20W x 18H. For price and size can't be beat and makes a great indoor habitat. For lighting I have recently learned that the tube fluorescents work much better and are safer than the compact coil fluorescent. An 18in repti-sun 10.0 bulb seems ideal for Greeks although the Arcadia d3 and repti-sun 5.0 also works well. As for heating I also use infrared red 150 watt bulbs which makes the enclosure between 85-110f this is good for Greeks because they require the higher temps. At night you can shut off the heat as long as the enclosure is in your house and your house is kept above 60F which generally everyone keeps their home above 60F. If you need anymore info message me or visit the species specific page for Greeks. Welcome to tortoise forum and I hope your future tort becomes a lifelong friend =)

 

[Tom]

You are not alone with your spinning head...

Everyone has a different opinion about these things. Different species have different requirements, so it's also difficult to get too specific until you pick a species. Also, things can be drastically different for the same species in different parts of the country, so where are you?


Just some generalities:
-I wouldn't use any sand for any species.
-I don't like the infrared bulbs for any species, day or night. I like white, sunlight simulating, light for day time and ceramic heating elements for night time, if needed. If you get a Greek, you will likely not need any night heat, but if you get a star you probably will.
-In my experience 20 minutes of real outdoor sunshine twice a week is enough to prevent MBD. More is better. I would encourage you to also spend a fair amount of time designing and building a safe secure outdoor pen. This will eliminate the need for indoor artificial UV whenever the weather is nice enough where you are.

Lastly, I commend you for studying up and learning everything you can BEFORE bringing home your tortoise. Keep asking those questions!