Russian Tortoise Lighting & Heating

Terina

New Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2015
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4
I'm planning on getting a baby Russian tortoise fairly soon, his cage will be 8' by 5'. i know basically nothing about heating and lighting so my questions are:
-what's the difference between UVA & UVB?
-Cool side, Hot side, overall cage temperature (daytime & nighttime)?
-Heat lamp or ceramic heat emitter?
and pretty much anything else about lighting and heating you could tell me

Thanks :)
Terina
 

leigti

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Nov 2, 2013
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If you are getting a hatchling it will probably be very difficult to keep an 8 x 5' enclosure heated and humid enough unless you make it a closed type chamber. Check out the top of the Russian tortoise section for a thread titled something like "setting up an enclosure for a baby tortoise" The 8 x 5 will be great when it's larger though.
Also check out the Russian care sheet at the top of that section and it will give you a lot of great information. Hatchlings or more fragile than adults so you have to get it right right from the beginning. Adults are more hearty but they still need to set up correct.
 

leigti

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5 Year Member
Joined
Nov 2, 2013
Messages
7,026
Location (City and/or State)
southeast Washington
Something like this might work better for a hatchling at first. Or you could divide your 8 x 5 space in half. Then take the divider out as your tortoise grows up.ImageUploadedByTortoise Forum1444354986.506437.jpg
 
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