Russian Tortoise UVB lighting

[Gizmo]

I'm a new Russian Tortoise owner, at the Pet Store they told me I needed the following UVB light

http://www.petco.com/N_69_5009/Turtle-Terrarium-Lighting.aspx?CoreCat=TurtleHPLighting

The light is about 12 inches from Gizmo, a few of these UVB threads have got me concerned. Am I using the right one? Is there something that is safer? I have noticed Gizmo tends to bury or hide his face when the light is on.

Thanks

 

[Schlomo]

the link does not go to a specific product - I assume they recommended a fluorescent bulb? If so, I have heard many people say that it is actually bad for the eyes. Most people seem to recommend the Mercury Vapor Bulbs.

 

[Yvonne G]

For the longest time all I ever used on indoor habitats was regular 100 watt incandescent bulbs. My qualifier here is the fact that I don't really keep tortoises indoors. Even my over-wintering habitats are outside on the car port (with heaters, etc and closed lids for cold days and nights.

I was finally talked into buying UVB for my indoor, overwintering tortoises, and I bought the T-Rex 100 watt mercury vapor bulb (MVB). I noticed such a big difference in the tortoises activity and a ppetites, that I was immediately sold on the idea of using the MVB for the babies.

Eventually, someone, somewhere found a problem with the T-Rex bulbs and they were pulled from the market. So I went with 100 watt Powersun. Its a little bigger and doesn't fit inside the bell of the light fixture as well as the T-Rex did, but it serves the purpose and does a good job.

Far as I'm concerned, anything other than a MVB is a waste of money (especially the flourescent bulbs).

 

[Gizmo]

sorry, it's the Zilla Tropical 25 UVB flourescent light, it's 13 watts coil bulb

 

[Yvonne G]

No, No, 1,000 times NO!!! Never use a coil bulb. They have been known to cause blindness in baby tortoises.

They are supposedly fixed now, but you have no way of knowing if you're buying an old, un-fixed one or a new one. At any rate, 25 watts probably isn't big enough.

 

[Gizmo]

thanks, I am really second guessing everything they told me at Petco. When I got him om friday they told me he was a girl, when I googled it the next day it was pretty clear gizmo was a male. I'm going to order a powerson instead.

 

[lynnedit]

Good for you to do your research. Big box pet stores seem to consistently give bad advice, unfortunately.
Powersun MVB is a great bulb. Make sure you have a light fixture with a ceramic base and that it hangs straight down, not at an angle.

 

[Gizmo]

Good for you to do your research. Big box pet stores seem to consistently give bad advice, unfortunately.
Powersun MVB is a great bulb. Make sure you have a light fixture with a ceramic base and that it hangs straight down, not at an angle.

Thanks Lynn. When I bought Gizmo I bought 2 of those Ceramic fixtures, one was for heat and the other was for UV. I took back one of the fixtures and both of the bulbs I had bought (and used), Petco was really great about refunding me for the bulbs even though they had been used and were out of the package.