questions about heating

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jesst

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So I am doing some test runs on artax's new home before she arrives. I have a 50w basking light with a 10.0 uvb bulb on during the day which holds a basking temp of 104 and cool side temp of 80 or above. During the night i have an 60w che on above her hide, my problem is outside of the hide it gets to about 90 inside of the hide since is it covered in coco coir stays in the low 80's. the other end where her basking light is but is off at night stays about 81. The whole enclosure never gets below 80 with a humidity between 75-85. are these temps ok for my new little one or should i change the lighting?
 

ascott

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What you have described actually sounds good....now this is my opinion :D

Wait around a bit and see what other information you get as well....

And how exciting :p
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Is the UVB bulb a coil or spiral bulb? If so you should send it back as they cause damage in tortoises eyes. One blinded my yearling Sulcata. A 50 watt basking bulb is not enough for a growing Leopard tort. You need to by a 100 watt MVB. That way you'd have just one bulb instead of the 2 you have now. I also think a 60 watt CHE is too small also. I'd use a 100 watt CHE. So while in my mind you get an *A* for effort, you didn't make the grade in my opinion. You asked and I gave. You need bigger bulbs. I mean bulbs with more wattage.
 

jesst

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The uvb is a tube bulb. I have a 100w mvb but it getd way too hot in there. My enclosure is a closed chamber enclosure, it looks like a critter condo with glass doors. It stays really warm in there, im just wondering if it is getting too hot. With an mvb the temps get up to over 110.
 

ascott

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Jesst, heating and lighting questions will always get you a variety of answers and opinions :D

I still stand by what I said earlier....if the bulbs that you described are giving the temps that you stated ..then in my opinion, you have achieved what you need....also, if you get too strong of lights for the enclosure you have you can encounter eye damage from intense brightness and you can also end up with a tortoise that dehydrates at a rapid rate....

If you have been running the temp tests and all is leveled out and the temps you have outlined both day and night...then you have achieved a great balance....now, as seasons pass you will want to make sure all remains balanced (through winter/spring/summer/fall) as out home temps change and that can also play a role in drops or spikes of temps...so just keep a periodic watch :D
 

jesst

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Thank you ascott, im may be just getting a little crazy about her, but she is so small and i am nervous. I check my temps probably more than i should, i just got an temp gun with a laser so i am becoming ocd about making sure everything is perfect for her when she comes. You have made me feel so much better about the set up and what i currently have. I know living in florida it gets crazy hot here but my girlfriend loves a cool house, so the temps inside are always in the 70's.

Thanks a bunch.



ascott said:
Jesst, heating and lighting questions will always get you a variety of answers and opinions :D

I still stand by what I said earlier....if the bulbs that you described are giving the temps that you stated ..then in my opinion, you have achieved what you need....also, if you get too strong of lights for the enclosure you have you can encounter eye damage from intense brightness and you can also end up with a tortoise that dehydrates at a rapid rate....

If you have been running the temp tests and all is leveled out and the temps you have outlined both day and night...then you have achieved a great balance....now, as seasons pass you will want to make sure all remains balanced (through winter/spring/summer/fall) as out home temps change and that can also play a role in drops or spikes of temps...so just keep a periodic watch :D
 

ascott

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http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Outdoor-Hatchling-Enclosures#axzz1m78Dn0lV

Since you live in a FANTASTIC part of the world for heat and humidity...I am sure you have thought also about outdoor living for your hatchling, secure of course :D

The above thread has always stuck with me as a perfect set up for an outdoor retreat for daytime for a baby....so thought I would share it with you...:D
 

jesst

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Thanks for the link. I have thought about it, i actually just had a privacy fence put in mainly for my torts.....well and for my dogs i guess :D. I have my 10 month old sully out almost every day on good weather days. I keep her in a kiddie pool with dirt and hay on my porch that gets sunshine for most of the day. I got a smaller kiddie pool for artax for those nice sunny days. Im hoping to build them a nice outdoor enclosure in the next few weeks.



ascott said:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Outdoor-Hatchling-Enclosures#axzz1m78Dn0lV

Since you live in a FANTASTIC part of the world for heat and humidity...I am sure you have thought also about outdoor living for your hatchling, secure of course :D

The above thread has always stuck with me as a perfect set up for an outdoor retreat for daytime for a baby....so thought I would share it with you...:D
 
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Maggie Cummings

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Angela...please don't think I meant any disrespect, just a difference of opinion. I didn't realize it was a closed habitat or a small baby. I don't ever like to hear someone is using different bulbs for heat and UVB.
You always give excellent advice that's why I don't like to come on behind you and give my opinion. Most of the time our advice is the same. I am seriously hoping that you weren't offended by my adding my opinion, but it sounds as if you were, so for that I sincerely apologize. I didn't mean any insult, I was simply offering a different opinion.
 

ascott

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Angela...please don't think I meant any disrespect, just a difference of opinion. I didn't realize it was a closed habitat or a small baby. I don't ever like to hear someone is using different bulbs for heat and UVB.
You always give excellent advice that's why I don't like to come on behind you and give my opinion. Most of the time our advice is the same. I am seriously hoping that you weren't offended by my adding my opinion, but it sounds as if you were, so for that I sincerely apologize. I didn't mean any insult, I was simply offering a different opinion.

Oh Maggie, I think you ROCK SOLID lady!!!!! I love getting valuable information from your posts :D

And yes, a difference of opinion brings about a pool of information that is so valuable for every caregiver. I have to also say Maggie, with no disrespect but with a huge amount of respect for you, I enjoy that there are moments that you pull from "old school" keeping--I think that there is sometimes not enough credit given for tried and true keeping and that it is sometimes right away disregarded because it is considered past...I am always searching and researching for new tools to use and sometimes the best new tools are to revisit some of the past.

And Maggie, please come in before me or after me and share your wisdom and opinions, I would be sadly disappointed if you didn't :D
 

jesst

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Sorry about that, I should have mentioned it in the original post that she would be living in an closed chamber enclosure. She is very small, 2'' and only 26g on 1/25/12. Thank you for all of the advise. :D


maggie3fan said:
Angela...please don't think I meant any disrespect, just a difference of opinion. I didn't realize it was a closed habitat or a small baby. I don't ever like to hear someone is using different bulbs for heat and UVB.
You always give excellent advice that's why I don't like to come on behind you and give my opinion. Most of the time our advice is the same. I am seriously hoping that you weren't offended by my adding my opinion, but it sounds as if you were, so for that I sincerely apologize. I didn't mean any insult, I was simply offering a different opinion.
 
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