uvb and basking spot - russian 3yrs

[Ali311]

hi, i have a russian, 3 yrs old. he is in a 5ft by 2.5ft enclosure that has a screened top (chicken wire). i have been using a powersun 100 (on top of the chicken wire) but i looked at a chart and noticed that may be too far from him. he is 15 inches away from it. should i get a stronger mvb (powersun 160, mega ray) or should i get a flourescent from acadia (t5 HO 12%). either way, should i cut a hole in the screen? thank you.

 

[Tom]

Only your thermometer can answer this question. Basking area directly under the bulb should be around 95-100.

What size is your tortoise and do you also have an outdoor enclosure for sunning on nice days?

 

[Ali311]

no outdoor enclosure yet. working on it. he is 6 inches i think.

 

[Yvonne G]

If you have a three year old Russian that is 6", you have a freak of nature. A three year old Russian tortoise would be nowhere near that large. At 6" you're talking full grown. If this tortoise was purchased from a breeder who knew the hatch date, ok, but if it was purchased at a pet store, they are notoriously bad at telling people a young age because it's a small animal. Pet store Russian tortoises are wild caught and most of them are over 8 or 10 years of age.

 

[Ali311]

maybe im mistaken on his age then. its possible. he had a growth spurt after we bought him, then it slowed. does this have anything to do with the lighting?

 

[Yvonne G]

maybe im mistaken on his age then. its possible. he had a growth spurt after we bought him, then it slowed. does this have anything to do with the lighting?

Growth spurts? No, that's all about food.