Need help with appropriate lighting

TaylorTortoise

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My tortoise seems to sleep a lot and yawns a lot. It seems as though it may be too dark in the enclosure. Can someone help me figure out what kind of basking bulb or flood bulb that emits off heat/light from home depot I can get? I have the dome fixture for a 60 watt or 75 watt. Powersun bulbs burn out in my fixtures. What kind of light can I use to replace my low light bulbs?

wasnt sure if this 100 watt uva heat bulb that emitts daytime light would be safe and effective for my dome fixtures

help!
 

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KarenSoCal

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Get a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb. Not a spot bulb! A flood bulb. Make sure it's incandescent. You do not want LED or "replacement" bulbs.

You will have to check with your temp gun to see if it makes your basking spot the correct temp. They come in higher or lower wattages if you need it warmer or cooler.

But start with a 65 watt. Hopefully it will be correct.
 

TaylorTortoise

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Get a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb. Not a spot bulb! A flood bulb. Make sure it's incandescent. You do not want LED or "replacement" bulbs.

You will have to check with your temp gun to see if it makes your basking spot the correct temp. They come in higher or lower wattages if you need it warmer or cooler.

But start with a 65 watt. Hopefully it will be correct.
Can I get this 65 watt bulb from a local home depot or lowes?
 

TaylorTortoise

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Get a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb. Not a spot bulb! A flood bulb. Make sure it's incandescent. You do not want LED or "replacement" bulbs.

You will have to check with your temp gun to see if it makes your basking spot the correct temp. They come in higher or lower wattages if you need it warmer or cooler.

But start with a 65 watt. Hopefully it will be correct.
what is the difference between a flood bulb and a spot bulb?
 

TaylorTortoise

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Get a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb. Not a spot bulb! A flood bulb. Make sure it's incandescent. You do not want LED or "replacement" bulbs.

You will have to check with your temp gun to see if it makes your basking spot the correct temp. They come in higher or lower wattages if you need it warmer or cooler.

But start with a 65 watt. Hopefully it will be correct.
IS THIS FLOOD BULB (FLOODLIGHT) GOING TO GIVE OFF HEAT LIKE A HEAT LAMP? OR LIKE THE SUN? NEED TO KNOW BEFORE MY PURCHASE. THANKS !
 

Tom

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My tortoise seems to sleep a lot and yawns a lot. It seems as though it may be too dark in the enclosure. Can someone help me figure out what kind of basking bulb or flood bulb that emits off heat/light from home depot I can get? I have the dome fixture for a 60 watt or 75 watt. Powersun bulbs burn out in my fixtures. What kind of light can I use to replace my low light bulbs?

wasnt sure if this 100 watt uva heat bulb that emitts daytime light would be safe and effective for my dome fixtures

help!
Man... You win the prize for being told the same thing the most times...

If you don't live in CA, then you can go to any hardware store and get your bulbs. I usually use the Sylvania or Phillips brand, and I buy them in 6 packs because they are cheap and because all incandescent bulb burn out after of few months of using them all day every day. They tend to burn out at the most inopportune times like holidays when every thing is closed and you can't get a replacement.

The difference between a spot and flood is the angle of the beam. You only want a flood. Spots are too narrow and desiccate the carapace too much, which contributes to pyramiding.

Yes these bulb are supposed to give off heat and light and simulate the sun while indoors. That is why you have to be sure you aren't buying a LED " 65 watt replacement" bulb. The packaging can be confusing.

Once again, here are the step by step instructions with explanation of each:
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them.
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a Testudo species, unless your house get below 60F at night.
  3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height.
 

TaylorTortoise

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Man... You win the prize for being told the same thing the most times...

If you don't live in CA, then you can go to any hardware store and get your bulbs. I usually use the Sylvania or Phillips brand, and I buy them in 6 packs because they are cheap and because all incandescent bulb burn out after of few months of using them all day every day. They tend to burn out at the most inopportune times like holidays when every thing is closed and you can't get a replacement.

The difference between a spot and flood is the angle of the beam. You only want a flood. Spots are too narrow and desiccate the carapace too much, which contributes to pyramiding.

Yes these bulb are supposed to give off heat and light and simulate the sun while indoors. That is why you have to be sure you aren't buying a LED " 65 watt replacement" bulb. The packaging can be confusing.

Once again, here are the step by step instructions with explanation of each:
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them.
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a Testudo species, unless your house get below 60F at night.
  3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height.
Thank you so much!! sorry I am knew on here and to caring for a desert turtle. Is this fixture I have okay for the floodlight? also, is this floodlight a good one for heat as well as what is needed?
 

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Tom

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Thank you so much!! sorry I am knew on here and to caring for a desert turtle. Is this fixture I have okay for the floodlight? also, is this floodlight a good one for heat as well as what is needed?
The flood bulb gives you basking heat and light during the day. The bulbs in the picture are fine.

You'll have to look at your fixture to see what wattage it is rated for. I don't know if your bulbs will fit in the little mini domes. If not, you can get ceramic based fixtures at Home Depot for about $12.

If you also need night heat, you'll need another fixture and a ceramic heating element. You have a Russian tortoise in your avatar picture. That is not a desert tortoise. You should not need night heat for an adult of that species unless your house get below 50-55 at night.

The enclosure you are using is too small for an adult Russian.
 

TaylorTortoise

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The flood bulb gives you basking heat and light during the day. The bulbs in the picture are fine.

You'll have to look at your fixture to see what wattage it is rated for. I don't know if your bulbs will fit in the little mini domes. If not, you can get ceramic based fixtures at Home Depot for about $12.

If you also need night heat, you'll need another fixture and a ceramic heating element. You have a Russian tortoise in your avatar picture. That is not a desert tortoise. You should not need night heat for an adult of that species unless your house get below 50-55 at night.

The enclosure you are using is too small for an adult Russian.
It didnt take much to make him happy!
Definitely noticed a huge difference already with just the basking light. He is much happier. Usually he is sleeping all day inside his planter pot. Now he’s in his new basking area
 

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Tjsalyers

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It would probably work but you will have to keep it 18 inches away from hi.s shell
 

Markw84

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Thank you so much!! sorry I am knew on here and to caring for a desert turtle. Is this fixture I have okay for the floodlight? also, is this floodlight a good one for heat as well as what is needed?
Those fixtues are pretty useless for most any buld we would use. Those deep dome fixtures seem to be the most popular fixture sold by pet stores. But they are too deep and too narrow for most bulbs except very low wattage indancescent or fluorescent compact bulbs. Too much heat is bad for a bulb. As you noticed with your Powersun bulbs, the will get too hot in that deep, narrow fixture and burn out quickly. Any bulb used in those fixtures except very low wattage bulbs will burn out much quicker than normal.
 

Tjsalyers

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Those fixtues are pretty useless for most any buld we would use. Those deep dome fixtures seem to be the most popular fixture sold by pet stores. But they are too deep and too narrow for most bulbs except very low wattage indancescent or fluorescent compact bulbs. Too much heat is bad for a bulb. As you noticed with your Powersun bulbs, the will get too hot in that deep, narrow fixture and burn out quickly. Any bulb used in those fixtures except very low wattage bulbs will burn out much quicker than normal.
You probably need a uvb light lamp and shade for him
 

TaylorTortoise

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Those fixtues are pretty useless for most any buld we would use. Those deep dome fixtures seem to be the most popular fixture sold by pet stores. But they are too deep and too narrow for most bulbs except very low wattage indancescent or fluorescent compact bulbs. Too much heat is bad for a bulb. As you noticed with your Powersun bulbs, the will get too hot in that deep, narrow fixture and burn out quickly. Any bulb used in those fixtures except very low wattage bulbs will burn out much quicker than normal.
How would I hang the bulbs if I dont use the ones I already have?
 

Chubbs the tegu

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How would I hang the bulbs if I dont use the ones I already have?
What Mark is saying is That those mini narrow fixtures build up to much heat and effects the bulbs life. Get urself a wider fixture ( 10 1/2 inch) it will prevent the heat build up. You can go to home depot or lowes and get them for about 10 bucks.. instead of 40 at petsmart
 

TaylorTortoise

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What Mark is saying is That those mini narrow fixtures build up to much heat and effects the bulbs life. Get urself a wider fixture ( 10 1/2 inch) it will prevent the heat build up. You can go to home depot or lowes and get them for about 10 bucks.. instead of 40 at petsmart
Do you have a pic so I can get the right one?
 
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