i got my 2 month old sulcata last week i got him in a storage bin with a 100w che and a 10.0 desert uvb light i have him on eco earth got a water bowl and a hide in there for him but my question is does he need a basking light if he if i keep his warm side around 85 and the spot under the che at 100 and i got the che running 24 7 with a night drop to 90 and the uvb is set on a 12 hour timer and will the eco earth keep his humidty high enough i soak him everyday and mist him 3 to 4 times a day
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- Thread starter garylee91
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Your set up sounds good to me as long as your 10.0 is a long tube and not a coil.
Your temps sound fine, but watch his behavior to tell if things are as they should be. If he's always under the hot spot, its too cool. If he always avoids the hot spot, its to warm. He ought to bask some, but move around the enclosure too. Sometimes they will sleep under the hot spot, or very near to it, for an hour or two, but they should move around a bit too.
I like an actual basking "light", but if your tort figures out where the invisible hot spot is and the florescent lights things up enough, I think it will be fine.
Your temps sound fine, but watch his behavior to tell if things are as they should be. If he's always under the hot spot, its too cool. If he always avoids the hot spot, its to warm. He ought to bask some, but move around the enclosure too. Sometimes they will sleep under the hot spot, or very near to it, for an hour or two, but they should move around a bit too.
I like an actual basking "light", but if your tort figures out where the invisible hot spot is and the florescent lights things up enough, I think it will be fine.
I think it sounds like you've got things set up just fine. I have found florescent lights to be insufficient as a sole source of UV. This should not be a problem for you in AZ since you you have warm temps and sunshine all year. As long as they get some real sunshine a couple of times a week or more, he should be just fine with or without an indoor artificial UV source.
Can I ask what is wrong with the coil bulbs ? I just bought one for my baby this afternoon 
Unfortunately coil bulbs are linked to health problems in reptiles, particularly with eye problems. Tube UV Is not associated with these problems.
In my view, it's not worth the risk of trying coil.
In my view, it's not worth the risk of trying coil.
DeanS said:Don't like the fluorescent lights..at all! Why? They don't do a damn thing! Dig deep and get yourself aZoo Med Powersun...your tort will love you!
Fair enough... but NOT coil!
Beeliz said:Can I ask what is wrong with the coil bulbs ? I just bought one for my baby this afternoon
Here you go Libby:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Coil-Type-UV-Bulbs-Don-t-Use-Them#axzz1edzfCeu3
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DeanS said:Don't like the fluorescent lights..at all! Why? They don't do a damn thing! Dig deep and get yourself aZoo Med Powersun...your tort will love you!
The fluorescent 10.0 bulb I have for Gupta works really well
He keeps a nice solid dark tan , I can't use power suns . They are too powerful , they scorch Gupta. Even the 100 watt would burn him unless I had it way above the substrate and it's hard to have a covered cage and a power sun bulb. The cage would have to be very tall in my opinion
I have ordered one though because while he soaks he is going to be put under it everyday for safe measures because although the 10.0 seems to be doing great , better safe than sorry.
Garylee you should total post pictures of your enclosure if you could
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Maggie Cummings
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I used a coil bulb on a yearling Sulcata and he got blinded in a terrible way causing him (and me) extreme pain for some months. It was awful. I don't remember how I had the bulb positioned I do remember it was a Zoomed 25 watt and a powersun 26 watt bulbs. I don't remember which bulb I used on him, both I think, and he was blinded in one eye with significantly diminished sight in the other eye. The pain it caused him was awful. Just saying that isn't enough to make you understand how badly he hurt. He hurt so much it made me cry for him...
so i updated my sulcatas cage today i had him in a tote now iv got him in a 40 gallon breeder cage so its wide and long with a locking screen lid ill get pics soon i need advice on a couple thing about the new setup
heres two pics of my setup are the lights good the way they are or should i move them a different way
the black lamp has a che that run none stop the silver lamp has a basking bulb and the other light is my 10.0 uvb tube fixture
heres two pics of my setup are the lights good the way they are or should i move them a different way
the black lamp has a che that run none stop the silver lamp has a basking bulb and the other light is my 10.0 uvb tube fixture
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Sorry Gary, I missed your follow up posts.
Your set up looks okay in theory, but you need to use a thermometer to verify your four temps. Basking, warm side, cool side and night.
I have never heard of a tube style florescent damaging a torts eyes. It may have somehow somewhere happened, but it is certainly not common, like it is with the coil bulbs. Just understand that at that distance, through a screen top, you are probably getting very little UV to the tortoise. As I said before, I don't think this is a problem for someone in AZ whose tort gets lots of sun year round. I think the florescent bulb is a good way to light things up and make it nice and bright in there for him.
Your set up looks okay in theory, but you need to use a thermometer to verify your four temps. Basking, warm side, cool side and night.
I have never heard of a tube style florescent damaging a torts eyes. It may have somehow somewhere happened, but it is certainly not common, like it is with the coil bulbs. Just understand that at that distance, through a screen top, you are probably getting very little UV to the tortoise. As I said before, I don't think this is a problem for someone in AZ whose tort gets lots of sun year round. I think the florescent bulb is a good way to light things up and make it nice and bright in there for him.
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