Some recommendations regarding lighting/heating, please

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DaveInLA

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In general, what's preferred for night time heating, IR/red/black lights or ceramic heaters? Specifically, I recently acquired a 5" sulcata that I'm trying to set up a good enclosure for. Currently, I've got a 3 x 2' container with a halogen floodlight for heat. However, I want to preserve the day-night cycle and would rather not leave the lights on at night. For now, the tortoise stays indoors overnight where it's room temperature, but longterm, I want some other means of heat in case it's cold or if I let it stay outside. To my knowledge, the only difference between IR lights and ceramic heaters is the dim "red" light that IR emits so the owner can see what's going on, but I wonder if there's more to it. Is ceramic more efficient since there's no energy lost as heat? Is one better at focusing the heat on a single spot? Is one safer? They're similar in price, so any help would be great.

Regarding setups, my plan is to have a mercury vapor bulb for UVB and daytime heat (I don't think I can take it outside enough to meet its needs), then switching to IR/ceramic at night. HOw does this combo compare to, say, an IR/ceramic heat source fulltime with a dedicated UVB lamp during the daytime? The latter combo will have 2 lights on at the same time, while the first option only has one light on at any given time.
 

OllieInAZ

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Although I'm using a bulb type heater at night for the moment I would recommend the ceramic heat source. From what I've read the glowing red light -may- cause stress to your tort. Then again, it may not but why risk it? I like the environment to mimic nature as much as possible and as much as is logical. The red glow at night just doesnt make sense to me. The only reason I have the bulb style is because the few stores I checked happened to be out of CHEs in the wattage I needed.

As far as UV, I think you'll find that mercury vapor bulbs are highly favored.

I'm still learning as well ... Im sure you'll get lots more great input in the morning.
 

coreyc

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I would say get a MVB for the day and a CHE for for night the MVB puts out heat so depending on your room temp you may not need other heat source for the day. I would recommend you get a temp gun to check your temp's so you will know if you need to have the CHE on in the day :)
 

bikerchicspain

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coreyc said:
I would say get a MVB for the day and a CHE for for night the MVB puts out heat so depending on your room temp you may not need other heat source for the day. I would recommend you get a temp gun to check your temp's so you will know if you need to have the CHE on in the day :)

I totally agree 100% , this is how my torts are kept and they are fine... :D
 
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