Sulcata Set up

[Tortiouse firl]

Should I add more lamps. I currently have one uvb 10. A 75 watt heat bulb and a night emitter. I keep the emitter on all day and switch the correct temps at night. I feel like it gets to cold or their is just not enough proper lighting. What else can I do. How can I improve my set up as well. The closure is a also 6 x2x2.

 

[Tom]

Should I add more lamps. I currently have one uvb 10. A 75 watt heat bulb and a night emitter. I keep the emitter on all day and switch the correct temps at night. I feel like it gets to cold or their is just not enough proper lighting. What else can I do. How can I improve my set up as well. The closure is a also 6 x2x2.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

Here is more info for you:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

It looks like some of the top on the far end is screened. I'd cover that with plastic or foil.

Questions welcome.

 

[Tortiouse firl]

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

Here is more info for you:

Info For New People. Please Read This First.

Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...

tortoiseforum.org

It looks like some of the top on the far end is screened. I'd cover that with plastic or foil.

Questions welcome.

Thank you! Also if it is 68-70 degrees outside where I live during this time of year can I still take him out for an hour or maybe 30 minutes?

 

[Littleredfootbigredheart]

Should I add more lamps. I currently have one uvb 10. A 75 watt heat bulb and a night emitter. I keep the emitter on all day and switch the correct temps at night. I feel like it gets to cold or their is just not enough proper lighting. What else can I do. How can I improve my set up as well. The closure is an also 6 x2x2.

This is a really nice set up! May I ask is the top completely covered? You’ll want to do that to maintain the humidity you’re needing, also I’m seeing analog dial gauges? They are notoriously inaccurate, I’d get yourself some digital monitors and an infrared temperature gun.

As well as toms thread, hopefully this thread I made might be useful to look over! It covers correct equipment(which you have), levels, importance of a closed chamber for younger tortoises(only way to maintain the humidity you need), appropriately maintaining the humidity, substrates, there’s lots of visual examples for everything and a really handy diet link to check out! I talk about a greenhouse style set up in this, but obviously the one you have is fine for now! If going with a greenhouse in the future come upgrade time, the lower the ceiling height, whilst still allowing for recommended bulb height, the better!

Leopard/sulcata starter

Hello there! In this thread I’m going to include some information below on how I’d personally tackle an indoor starter set up for a leopard/sulcata until they’re bigger. Hopefully it helps give people some ideas!” I know it looks like a lot to go over, I like to make sure all bases are covered...

tortoiseforum.org

This one includes some more closed chamber options which might come in handy come size up time, some are more efficient than others

Visual inspiration

Hi guys! I’ve had some lovely messages complimenting me on my care sheets I made for all the visuals they include! That makes me so happy because as a visual learner myself, that was my goal🥰 I’ve recently had some requests for some more visual inspiration for set ups that can house babies/...

tortoiseforum.org

Lastly, this one is also really good to familiarise yourself with, it’ll help you avoid the wrong bulbs, substrates, housing etc, I always encourage double checking purchases on the forum too before buying

Common keeping errors

Hello everyone! I’d been a long time lurker on this site long before joining just under a year ago now, over that time I’ve seen these husbandry issues come up time and time again, sometimes with dire consequences☹️ I thought this thread might serve as a good visual guide for these common...

tortoiseforum.org

Hope they help!

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Thank you! Also if it is 68-70 degrees outside where I live during this time of year can I still take him out for an hour or maybe 30 minutes?

Too small to be outside in those temps.

Like the others have mentioned above. If you have any screen tops get them closed off. Then recheck the temps.
For ambient lights you can get an LED strip lights to brighten things up. I have a few in my setup they work great. Just look for the 6500K they really like it bright.

 

[TammyJ]

It's a lovely enclosure! Make sure you have the right humidity level, along with the correct lighting and temperatures.

 

[Tom]

Thank you! Also if it is 68-70 degrees outside where I live during this time of year can I still take him out for an hour or maybe 30 minutes?

I wouldn't. No point. You have UV inside. When it warms up to 75+ and its sunny, then some mid day winter sun for an hour our two would be okay. Be sure the baby always has shade available, even in cooler weather.