Overnight heat lamp for desert tortoise

[Gaylord75]

Hello. I have a desert tortoise. But i am seeing different suggestions on the subject of heat lamps on youtube, whether or not to leave them on all night or to turn them off to simulate true night conditions. Please give me your input. Thank you

 

[Yvonne G]

We need more info - inside or out? how old/big? where are you (weather)?

 

[Tom]

Hello. I have a desert tortoise. But i am seeing different suggestions on the subject of heat lamps on youtube, whether or not to leave them on all night or to turn them off to simulate true night conditions. Please give me your input. Thank you

As Yvonne said, we need more info. In general they should all have it dark at night. This time of year, night heat should not be needed for any size or age DT, unless you live inside a refrigerator.

Sadly, most of the care info for this species is all wrong and often results in their death if followed. Pet store Gove terrible advice and sell you the wrong products. Online info from YT and FB is equally terrible most of the time.

Here is the correct care information. Questions are welcome.

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[Gaylord75]

We need more info - inside or out? how old/big? where are you (weather)?

We need more info - inside or out? how old/big? where are you (weather)?

Hello. I have a desert tortoise. But i am seeing different suggestions on the subject of heat lamps on youtube, whether or not to leave them on all night or to turn them off to simulate true night conditions. Please give me your input. Thank you

Thank you for replying. So yes, she is about 8-9 years old. She is outside now. About a footlong now. We live in rancho cucamonga, ca. so it seems that i dont need to provide a lamp afterall at night… even in the wintertime? It can go down to about 40-50 degress farenheit… but i guess they can withstand the conditions in the desert

 

[Yvonne G]

Does your tortoise have a burrow? or a dog house-type shelter? No heat is needed in the burrow because the earth doesn't cool down enough to be harmful. If in a shelter, if the nights will be 50°F or below you can either usr a radiant heat panel or a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat, but if you use a CHE be sure to hang it high enough to not burn the tortoise's shell.

 

[Tom]

Thank you for replying. So yes, she is about 8-9 years old. She is outside now. About a footlong now. We live in rancho cucamonga, ca. so it seems that i dont need to provide a lamp afterall at night… even in the wintertime? It can go down to about 40-50 degress farenheit… but i guess they can withstand the conditions in the desert

In the care sheet that I linked is an explanation of outdoor housing that will work great for you. In fall, we can help you figure out the best way to safely brumate your tortoise.

 

[Gaylord75]

Does your tortoise have a burrow? or a dog house-type shelter? No heat is needed in the burrow because the earth doesn't cool down enough to be harmful. If in a shelter, if the nights will be 50°F or below you can either usr a radiant heat panel or a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat, but if you use a CHE be sure to hang it high enough to not burn the tortoise's shell.

Oh yes, she has a burrow i made and also a buried doghouse as shelters. I had her in an enclosed

Does your tortoise have a burrow? or a dog house-type shelter? No heat is needed in the burrow because the earth doesn't cool down enough to be harmful. If in a shelter, if the nights will be 50°F or below you can either usr a radiant heat panel or a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat, but if you use a CHE be sure to hang it high enough to not burn the tortoise's shell.

Does your tortoise have a burrow? or a dog house-type shelter? No heat is needed in the burrow because the earth doesn't cool down enough to be harmful. If in a shelter, if the nights will be 50°F or below you can either usr a radiant heat panel or a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat, but if you use a CHE be sure to hang it high enough to not burn the tortoise's shell.

Yes thank you . I made her a burrow and also have a buried a doghouse as an option for shelter. I had her in an enclosed cage before and placed a heat lamp on top thinking she needed it for the winter nights, but now after reading what you wrote, it seems i dont even need it if she burrows under for the night. Thank you so much for the info

 

[Gaylord75]

Does your tortoise have a burrow? or a dog house-type shelter? No heat is needed in the burrow because the earth doesn't cool down enough to be harmful. If in a shelter, if the nights will be 50°F or below you can either usr a radiant heat panel or a ceramic heat emitter on a thermostat, but if you use a CHE be sure to hang it high enough to not burn the tortoise's shell.

I actually am building a shed for my tortoise in hopes that she will use it during the winter months, instead of digging and disappearing for a few months. But i wont force it. Thank you again