new tortoise owner and basking temperature question

[joe1234]

Hi guys, I'm a first-time tortoise owner for a hermann's tortoise hatchling. Is it fine for the basking temperature to be the ideal 95-100 F for only part of the day? I turn on the lights at 8 AM and it stays around 90 F for a while until slowly crawling up to 95 F around 3 PM. Should i try and get a stronger bulb to hit 95 F in the morning? The tortoise also never seems to go directly under the lamp and stays around it.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Hello and welcome! Gorgeous baby!

What kind of basking bulb is it you’re using and what watt?

Also what kind of indoor uv if any? I’m noticing a second dome, is that your uv? If so it looks to be a compact uv bulb which aren’t the best choice.

It can sometimes take a little while to warm up to the full 95-100, though it does sound like yours is taking a particularly long time, you don’t have it on a dimmer thermostat do you?

Love seeing that you have your baby in a closed chamber! They’re vital when it comes to maintaining the higher humidity babies need, what’s your humidity reading? Is it just coco coir you’re using?😊

Feel free to check out this thread below if there anything you want to double check too, I go over correct uv etc🙂

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[_The_Beast_]

I had this problem as well when I first set up my enclosure. I ended up going with a higher wattage bulb (started with 60 watt, then 75, but it actually needed 100w) and then it reached ideal basking and cool-side temps much more quickly and sustained them really well. I did need to swap out my dome fixture as the one I bought at first couldn't handle the higher wattage, so be sure to double check what your fixture is able to handle before putting a new bulb in. You can also build up the amount of substrate to reduce the distance between the bulb and the basking area (limited of course by needing to still maintain a minimum distance between the bulb and ground).

 

[joe1234]

Hello and welcome! Gorgeous baby!

What kind of basking bulb is it you’re using and what watt?

Also what kind of indoor uv if any? I’m noticing a second dome, is that your uv? If so it looks to be a compact uv bulb which aren’t the best choice.

It can sometimes take a little while to warm up to the full 95-100, though it does sound like yours is taking a particularly long time, you don’t have it on a dimmer thermostat do you?

Love seeing that you have your baby in a closed chamber! They’re vital when it comes to maintaining the higher humidity babies need, what’s your humidity reading? Is it just coco coir you’re using?😊

Feel free to check out this thread below if there anything you want to double check too, I go over correct uv etc🙂

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Hello and welcome! Gorgeous baby!

What kind of basking bulb is it you’re using and what watt?

Also what kind of indoor uv if any? I’m noticing a second dome, is that your uv? If so it looks to be a compact uv bulb which aren’t the best choice.

It can sometimes take a little while to warm up to the full 95-100, though it does sound like yours is taking a particularly long time, you don’t have it on a dimmer thermostat do you?

Love seeing that you have your baby in a closed chamber! They’re vital when it comes to maintaining the higher humidity babies need, what’s your humidity reading? Is it just coco coir you’re using?😊

Feel free to check out this thread below if there anything you want to double check too, I go over correct uv etc🙂

Housing young Russian/Herman

Hello there! In this thread, I’m going to include some information on an effective way to tackle a starter set up/a way you can build a bigger size once your baby is an adult. I know it looks a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered, I’m happy to break down any information...

tortoiseforum.org

Thanks! I'm using an Arcadia 75 watt flood bulb. The second bulb is for my ceramic heat emitter to keep the temperature at 80 on the other side. For UVB I have the reptisun T5 HO strip bulb strapped on to the top of the enclosure. I don't have a dimming thermostat, so I was just wondering how long it took for other people to get the basking spot to warm up!

 

[joe1234]

I had this problem as well when I first set up my enclosure. I ended up going with a higher wattage bulb (started with 60 watt, then 75, but it actually needed 100w) and then it reached ideal basking and cool-side temps much more quickly and sustained them really well. I did need to swap out my dome fixture as the one I bought at first couldn't handle the higher wattage, so be sure to double check what your fixture is able to handle before putting a new bulb in. You can also build up the amount of substrate to reduce the distance between the bulb and the basking area (limited of course by needing to still maintain a minimum distance between the bulb and ground).

Yea, I'm starting to think I'll need a 100 watt bulb. If I build up the dirt mound under the lamp any more the tort would have to climb up Mt. Everest every morning!

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Thanks! I'm using an Arcadia 75 watt flood bulb. The second bulb is for my ceramic heat emitter to keep the temperature at 80 on the other side. For UVB I have the reptisun T5 HO strip bulb strapped on to the top of the enclosure. I don't have a dimming thermostat, so I was just wondering how long it took for other people to get the basking spot to warm up!

Cool sounds good! 75w does usually do the trick for most, maybe you need the 100, but I think first I’d try raising the layer of substrate by an inch or two, to see if that helps with the temperature directly underneath, if not maybe try the higher bulb, just keep doing checks to make sure it’s staying a safe temperature underneath and the 100 isn’t overkill👍

 

[Tom]

Hi guys, I'm a first-time tortoise owner for a hermann's tortoise hatchling. Is it fine for the basking temperature to be the ideal 95-100 F for only part of the day? I turn on the lights at 8 AM and it stays around 90 F for a while until slowly crawling up to 95 F around 3 PM. Should i try and get a stronger bulb to hit 95 F in the morning? The tortoise also never seems to go directly under the lamp and stays around it.

I think what you have there is perfect as is. It simulates the way it happens outside as the heat of the day warms up. I wouldn't change anything. Your tortoise's behavior is also a good indicator that you have it right. If the tortoise sat under the lamp basking for hours in a futile attempt to warm up, then I would say to up the wattage. Since that is not the case, I vote to leave it as is.

Your enclosure looks nice, but you need to hand pack that coir. Its too loose and fluffy and it looks too dry.

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

I think what you have there is perfect as is. It simulates the way it happens outside as the heat of the day warms up. I wouldn't change anything. Your tortoise's behavior is also a good indicator that you have it right. If the tortoise sat under the lamp basking for hours in a futile attempt to warm up, then I would say to up the wattage. Since that is not the case, I vote to leave it as is.

Your enclosure looks nice, but you need to hand pack that coir. Its too loose and fluffy and it looks too dry.

Good points, perhaps you’ll be fine leaving as is after all, I always trust toms judgment and like he says, your guy is clearly not too cool or they’d be right under the lamp all the time🙂

 

[joe1234]

I think what you have there is perfect as is. It simulates the way it happens outside as the heat of the day warms up. I wouldn't change anything. Your tortoise's behavior is also a good indicator that you have it right. If the tortoise sat under the lamp basking for hours in a futile attempt to warm up, then I would say to up the wattage. Since that is not the case, I vote to leave it as is.

Your enclosure looks nice, but you need to hand pack that coir. Its too loose and fluffy and it looks too dry.

How warm should the tortoise's shell get? It never goes directly under the lamp but it was sunbathing in the periphery for a while yesterday.

 

[Tom]

How warm should the tortoise's shell get? It never goes directly under the lamp but it was sunbathing in the periphery for a while yesterday.

I don't measure the tortoise's carapace. Too much going on there with color, thermodynamics, and core temperature vs. surface temperature, etc... I measure the temperature at the basking area with a digital thermometer laying on its back at tortoise shell height and letting it cook directly under the basking bulb for an hour or more. I make adjustments if needed, and then I observe the tortoise's behavior. If it sits under the lamp all day, or for several hours a day, I know things are too cool, and I will then bump up the ambient temps, and possibly also bump up the basking temp. If the tortoise never goes anywhere near the basking area, then things might be too warm, but that would be a very unusual situation, and almost no one keeps things too warm in regard to this sort of indoor housing situation. Often when a tortoise parks on the cool side and won't go near the basking area, it is because they are sick, trying to brumate in the case of a temperate species in the fall, or because the wrong types of bulbs are being used and it burns their eyes. I've not seen a case of overall temps being too warm indoors in a temperate climate like ours or in the UK. When the basking temp directly under the bulb is too hot, they will usually bask on the periphery of the basking area, but they will often do that even when temperatures are correct as well.

 

[joe1234]

I don't measure the tortoise's carapace. Too much going on there with color, thermodynamics, and core temperature vs. surface temperature, etc... I measure the temperature at the basking area with a digital thermometer laying on its back at tortoise shell height and letting it cook directly under the basking bulb for an hour or more. I make adjustments if needed, and then I observe the tortoise's behavior. If it sits under the lamp all day, or for several hours a day, I know things are too cool, and I will then bump up the ambient temps, and possibly also bump up the basking temp. If the tortoise never goes anywhere near the basking area, then things might be too warm, but that would be a very unusual situation, and almost no one keeps things too warm in regard to this sort of indoor housing situation. Often when a tortoise parks on the cool side and won't go near the basking area, it is because they are sick, trying to brumate in the case of a temperate species in the fall, or because the wrong types of bulbs are being used and it burns their eyes. I've not seen a case of overall temps being too warm indoors in a temperate climate like ours or in the UK. When the basking temp directly under the bulb is too hot, they will usually bask on the periphery of the basking area, but they will often do that even when temperatures are correct as well.

Thanks for the information! I'll just continue keeping an eye on the tort then.