Should I keep the MVB? Or light in general?

thegame2388

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Hello folks, as many of you follow my "growth" thread, located here http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/normal-growth-help-me.89639/, I was wondering if you guys could give advice on this issue I have.

I live in Southern California and it's about to be Spring/Summer.

Now, I have the Mercury Vapor Bulb (160w bought at Amazon) running from 8am to 8pm...the majority of the time where the tortoise isn't even inside his outdoor box (it is living outdoors 24/7). He has the entire backward to roam around and usually comes inside, naps, goes about. I'd say during the day, he's inside about 30% of the time.

Now my problem is that with the MVB running, and four thermostats gauging, it gets to between 110-125F inside the box. It's about 77F outside right now. I can't imagine what the indoor temperature will be once the southern California temperature reaches 100F. I swear it'll reach to like 170F inside that box. Another issue is that the MVP is about 8 inches from the tortoise when it does bask (if he chooses to bask directly underneath). I obviously anticipate lots of growth so I don't know how to position the light. I have a oil heater for nighttime so heat will never be a problem.

My idea is that I would have the MVB running for 4 hours between 8am-noon to let the sulcata know "hey it's morning time!" and perhaps a few hours of available basking time. After 12pm, it would shut off and he'd be outside anyway.

Is this okay? Should I even have the MVB inside to begin with? How about the 8am-noon idea? I don't want to lose a basking light/spot, while at the same time, I also don't want to have the indoor boxing running at 130F. One idea I has have the outdoor box totally open during day time (the roof opens up) and close it back down during night. Let me know what you guys think!

Thanks!
 

Yvonne G

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For my outdoor tortoises, if the nights are about 65 or so, I turn off all the night time heat/lights. In your case, you don't need the MVB at all, since he's getting sun now. If it's too cold at night, you can use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). What you want now inside the hiding place, is a cool spot for the tortoise. Now that it's warm outside, he'll be looking to his shelter to go and cool down. This way he won't think about digging a burrow to cool down in. Just keep him a bit warm in there on cool nights.
 

thegame2388

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For my outdoor tortoises, if the nights are about 65 or so, I turn off all the night time heat/lights. In your case, you don't need the MVB at all, since he's getting sun now. If it's too cold at night, you can use a CHE (ceramic heat emitter). What you want now inside the hiding place, is a cool spot for the tortoise. Now that it's warm outside, he'll be looking to his shelter to go and cool down. This way he won't think about digging a burrow to cool down in. Just keep him a bit warm in there on cool nights.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Only reason I'm hesitant to remove it is that I was under the impression that tortoises bask to energize themselves in the beginning of the day and it also helps their digestion post-meal. I don't want to remove it if it's detrimental to his eating/resting habits. But let me know otherwise!
 

Yvonne G

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I thought you said he has access to outside 24/7 now. They come out of the shelter and sit in the sun to warm up. That's the normal way of the tortoise. He no longer needs his light for this, as the sun takes the light's place.
 

thegame2388

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I thought you said he has access to outside 24/7 now. They come out of the shelter and sit in the sun to warm up. That's the normal way of the tortoise. He no longer needs his light for this, as the sun takes the light's place.

Yes you're right. I just thought basking spots needed to be like 95F-100F and no where in my backyard is it that hot (at least not until June/July).
 

Yvonne G

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Sit in the sun for a while. You soon will warm up to 95-100 under its direct beam.
 

leigti

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Use the temperature gun and measure different areas of your enclosure. You will be surprised how warm they actually are at ground level. Even if the air temperature isn't that warm, I have had air temperature at 60° and it rates at 75° at ground level in the enclosure.
 

thegame2388

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Use the temperature gun and measure different areas of your enclosure. You will be surprised how warm they actually are at ground level. Even if the air temperature isn't that warm, I have had air temperature at 60° and it rates at 75° at ground level in the enclosure.

Yes I use a temp gun. Guess I'll take the entire light out then. Or maybe just have it on for 1 hour.
 

Levi the Leopard

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I'd ditch the light.. Even when it's 60F out...the tortoise basking in direct sunlight can heat up to over 90F. ;)

A thermostat is a great thing.. I keep my box around 80F all year long. (Not just here in Oregon but when I was in SoCal too)
The heater clicks ON if temps go below 80F (wether it's a spring night or a cold winter day) and the heater stays OFF if it's over 80F (like on those warm spring or hot summer days)

My box is used as the warm spot during cold weather and the cool spot during summer.

Do you have a thermostat for a heat source?

Do you have your box in the shade? That will help keep it cooler inside the box on those hot days!
 

Tom

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You don't need a light for a tortoise living outside with a heated night box.

A MVB 8" from the carapace is going to burn him. It needs to be at least 12" and maybe more. Sometimes I run mine at 18"+ depending on what my thermometers say.

Your tortoise does not need 100+ temps in its night box. That is going to seriously dehydrate him. Are you soaking him a few times a week with those temps? You should be.

How are you heating the night box? Besides the MVB I mean?
 

thegame2388

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I'd ditch the light.. Even when it's 60F out...the tortoise basking in direct sunlight can heat up to over 90F. ;)

A thermostat is a great thing.. I keep my box around 80F all year long. (Not just here in Oregon but when I was in SoCal too)
The heater clicks ON if temps go below 80F (wether it's a spring night or a cold winter day) and the heater stays OFF if it's over 80F (like on those warm spring or hot summer days)

My box is used as the warm spot during cold weather and the cool spot during summer.

Do you have a thermostat for a heat source?

Do you have your box in the shade? That will help keep it cooler inside the box on those hot days!

Yup, I have a thermostat and humidistat. Set to 80F like yours. Only concern now is slow growth since it has been moved outside 24/7 but I will look into it. I'm not concerned, just a question I had. Nonetheless, I think I'll turn off the light until October-ish.
 

ascott

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Yes I use a temp gun. Guess I'll take the entire light out then. Or maybe just have it on for 1 hour.

You have been given perfect advise....and I sense perhaps it is actually going to make you feel better if you wean yourself off of the light (little by little until constant warm sets in) :p
 
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