So bulb confused, sos!

[Belladannon]

I just got my hermann on Monday, he seems happy in his surroundings, button I am so confused about basking/ UVA bulbs. So, ibis set up ( pictured) I have an aquarium regular UVA fish thank light for day? Lighting. And on the left I have a under tank stick on heater, and a 100watt basking bulb. It reaches 80-85 during the day othe basking side, so I think that's right...but the aquarium light? Not so sure. Any help, and please reply in beginners terms, thanks in advance!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

The aquarium bulb does not provide enough UV for tortoises. I would suggest replacing it with a Reptisun or ReptiGlo 10.0. Does your tortoise get any outside time?

 

[JoesMum]

Your tortoise needs two types of light

1. It needs UVB to help it to make Vitamin D to help it absorb Calcium for healthy bone and shell growth. UVA aquarium lighting does not do the job. You need UVB. This can be using a UVB tube light (I was told 5% was sufficient by my vet) or by using and MVB lamp which also provides heat. Coil type UVB bulbs are not recommended as they have been shown to cause eye problems.

2. Your tortoise needs a basking lamp to provide general heat in the enclosure and to provide a specific basking hotspot. Basking is essential for your tortoise to digest his food properly. Directly under the basking lamp, you need to have 95-100F. This basking lamp can be a regular hardware store spot lamp (or you can pay more for the reptile shop branded equivalent, but they're exactly the same!), or it can be a combined MVB as above...

 

[sibi]

If at all possible, you may want to return the basking bulb and replace it with a mercury vapor bulb for two reasons: 1) your tort will get the uvb from it, and 2) it will provide the heat your tort needs to properly digest its food. The other thing you'll need is a (CHE) ceramic heat emitter to provide the heat he'll need when lights go out at night. Right now, as you have it set up, when you shut off the lights at night, there goes your heat. The enclosure may not stay as warm as it needs to. You may have a heater under the tank for your tort to sleep warmly, but the rest of the enclosure may get cold especially if your house temps are cool. Hope this helped at bit.

 

[Rover15]

I'll try and help a bit

MVB = mercury vapour bulb, provides uvb and heat, they can be expensive but worth it.

CHE = ceramic heat emiter, provides heat with no light also directly under can be your basking spot

Uvb = exactly what the sun providesit is needed avoid the coil bulbs as mentioned above they can harm your tort the tube uvb lights will fit in your aquarium light fixture.

The under the tank heaters I'm not a huge fan of I believe I read somewhere that tortoises can judge heat from there plastrons/belly so they can get too hot and harm the torts. I could be wrong, others can add there opinions.

My recomendations is a MVB one side and a CHE the other watages depend on the size of enclosure and heat. Cover the tope of your tank to keep heat, and humdity in.

Good luck I hope this helped