Question about UVB light for RT...

[Penny525]

Sorry I'm bothering everyone with so many questions as I'm a bit paranoid! Anyways, I'm setting an indoor Russian Tortoise enclosure up and the only heat light I found did not have UVB, just UVA, which I got, figuring I'd get another UVB light as I knew they'd need it. So, my brother has a bearded dragon which also has a hot and cool side to his enclosure, and the UVB comes from a long flourescent (sp?) light which is above the cool side. Would a light like this be okay to put on the cool side of the enclosure for lighting and the UVB source?

Oh and as a side note, instead of making a new thread, are fake plants okay to put in there? Thanks!

 

[Jessie]

Is a coil bulb? If so I personally use one myself but it's become a bit of a debatable topic here. Some research has shown that they cause your tortoise to become blind. Other research shows that the new ones don't. Many don't want to take the chance. So far I haven't had any problems with the florescent coil bulbs. If you do have one don't point it straight down like you should with the basking bulb, instead keep it in the horizontal position.
As for the fake plants, many people do have them in their enclosures. They are great at providing a shade spot. Just make sure you also have a hide.
I hope this helps.

 

[Penny525]

The one I was thinking of isn't a coil, it's long and flat. But I was considering a coil and didn't know not to point it straight down so thanks for that bit!

Okay, I was hoping you could have fake ones! I wouldn't want the tortoise to over eat! Thanks for the help!

 

[slowpoke]

yea i wouldnt trust the coil , go with the tubed ones if you can, the 5.0 or the 10.0 if you have a lid with a screan on it , i have mine set up with a 24" one with the zoo med 5.0 with the zoo med uva heat basking 100w light , but going to change to the MVB you get every thing in one but im going to keep the tubed flourescent on my cool side ... as far as fake plants or real plants you can to eather , i use real plants they can snack on them and really they just much on them every once in a while if you get ones that vine out , i have asperagus ferns that grow super fast and get bushy and vine out , i tried squash but as soon as they figured out how to knock over the pot they at it all ... so if you do use real plants put it up higher and weigh it down so they cant really get to it, so they can just eat the parts that are hanging ...

 

[Penny525]

I planned on getting an MVB but couldn't find one... Thanks for the help!

 

[GBtortoises]

A fluorescent tube UV light will work well as long as you have another light to provide basking heat. UV tube fluorescents also give the benefit of more widespread light throughout the enclosure which MVB bulbs do not. With the use of a tube UV the basking light need only be a standard incandescent or halogen bulb. The bulb wattage that you'll need will depend upon how close you intend to mount it and the area that you're trying to heat for basking and general localized heat. This may also depend upon the size of enclosure that you're lighting/heating. The temperature at the substrate directly under the basking light can be adjusted by moving the light fixture either closer or farther away to increase or decrease the temperature. If you find that it needs to be close than about 10" to produce the temperature that you want then you're better off going with a higher wattage bulb and mounting it farther away. Around 12-14" is a better distance if possible. You really don't need a bulb that specifically produces UV-A. Tortoises benefit from UV-B and very little from UV-A. Most UV-B bulbs also give off a minor amount of UV-A anyway.

Almost all bulbs found in pet shops, with the exception of true UVB producing units, can be found for much less in hardware and other similar stores. When purchasing a bulb that you intend to use for basking look for those that produce white light or daylight, not soft or warm light.

 

[lynnedit]

And yes, you can use fake plants. They may be the only plants that will survive around a RT.

Silk ones may hold moisture better, but any are fine. Get them at craft stores, etc., rather than Pet shops, for a better price.