Newbie Heating Help

[Linds94]

Hello! I'm here to ask another newbie question!

I am getting a baby Russian tortoise, and I am really struggling to keep the heating where it needs to be. I am using a 50 gallon tank, and for the daytime basking spot I am using a 75 W house bulb. I can't get the basking rock higher than 83-85 Degrees though.

What have you found that helps increase heat for the basking areas?

I also have a CHE plugged into a thermostat set to 80 degrees for the humid hide, which I can get to 80 Degrees in the daytime, but at night it drops to the low 70s. (Is that ok for night time temps in the hide?)

 

[LasTortugasNinja]

Depends on how baby a "baby" is. If it's a hatchling, then you need to get the whole enclosure in the 80's constantly... day or night. Humidity for the whole tank should be 100% in the morning, 65% to 80% in the afternoon (mimic their natural home range during hatching season). A 75W should be able to get the proper heat in a 50 gal, especially if using a CHE (depends on the wattage of the CHE as well). How high is the 75 W bulb from the surface? Is the tank near a window?

I live in Utah as well, and it's very easy to get a 50gal warm if you plan it right. Maybe post a pic of the enclosure and we can brainstorm ideas on kicking it up to where it needs to be.

Thankfully, the next week or so will be very warm, so you can take the baby out for brief "outdoor time" as long as it has access to water and lots of shade.

 

[Linds94]

Here is a picture of the lamp over the rock. It will be a hatchling, and the enclosure is not near a window at all. It isn't near a vent either. I'm wondering if it's maybe because I have too light of a rock, maybe I need something darker? Luckily, I haven't received the hatchling yet, I'm just testing out the enclosure for a while beforehand to work out all these kinks!