UVB bulb question

[Dawn]

I'm trying to put a florescent tube bulb in our enclosure. Any suggestions as to what to look for or brands? I have a 24in. fixture attached to the upper section of the enclosure, just need the bulb. I searched Home depot and walmart online, but none of the bulbs specify UVB, they say 'Grow light' or 'UV' light. Are these appropriate?

 

[jaizei]

RE: UVB blub question

You'll want to get something like this. You'll probably have to go to a pet store or online, I doubt home depot or Walmart will carry it. I do not use any type of fluorescent lamp for uvb so I can't comment on specific brands or effectiveness, but I've known others to use them happily. Even with the uvb lamp, I'd try to get them outside as much as possible.

 

[Yvonne G]

RE: UVB blub question

For the longest time all I ever used on indoor habitats was regular 100 watt incandescent bulbs. My qualifier here is the fact that I don't really keep tortoises indoors. Even my over-wintering habitats are outside on the car port (with heaters, etc and closed lids for cold days and nights.

I was finally talked into buying UVB for my indoor, overwintering tortoises, and I bought the T-Rex 100 watt mercury vapor bulb (MVB). I noticed such a big difference in the tortoises activity and a ppetites, that I was immediately sold on the idea of using the MVB for the babies.

Eventually, someone, somewhere found a problem with the T-Rex bulbs and they were pulled from the market. So I went with 100 watt Powersun. Its a little bigger and doesn't fit inside the bell of the light fixture as well as the T-Rex did, but it serves the purpose and does a good job.

Far as I'm concerned, anything other than a MVB is a waste of money (especially the flourescent bulbs).

 

[Dawn]

RE: UVB blub question

For the longest time all I ever used on indoor habitats was regular 100 watt incandescent bulbs. My qualifier here is the fact that I don't really keep tortoises indoors. Even my over-wintering habitats are outside on the car port (with heaters, etc and closed lids for cold days and nights.

I was finally talked into buying UVB for my indoor, overwintering tortoises, and I bought the T-Rex 100 watt mercury vapor bulb (MVB). I noticed such a big difference in the tortoises activity and a ppetites, that I was immediately sold on the idea of using the MVB for the babies.

Eventually, someone, somewhere found a problem with the T-Rex bulbs and they were pulled from the market. So I went with 100 watt Powersun. Its a little bigger and doesn't fit inside the bell of the light fixture as well as the T-Rex did, but it serves the purpose and does a good job.

Far as I'm concerned, anything other than a MVB is a waste of money (especially the flourescent bulbs).

Read more: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Russian-Tortoise-UVB-lighting#ixzz1V9dlyn9O

If I buy the pet store MVB in a 24in. fixture, so I still use the calcium w\ D3? Currently, I've been using a UVB coil bulb I bought from petco and it seems to working well. I keep it about 12in from him in his enclosure. The only reason for the change in bulbs is I thought the longer florescent tubes would be better for him...is this correct?

 

[lynnedit]

They do need calcium; a cuttlebone is best so they can nibble.
The light provides Vitamin D (although not as well as the sun does!), and they need both the calcium and D, just like humans.
I believe some coil bulbs can be harmful, but you may have a newer version. If you are going to get a new light, which sounds like a good idea, get UVB bulb and fixture. PowerSun, T-rex if they ever come back consistently. I think the Reptisun tubes are ok, but you still need heat as well. With the UVB's, you get both. They seem about as close to the sun as you can get inside.

 

[Tom]

I have found the florescent bulbs to be ineffective if you are using them as a source of UV. The coil bulbs can damage their eyes and I recommend you shut that one off immediately. If you just want to light up the tank any florescent bulb will work, so you can buy one at the hardware store and save some money. If you are trying to provide UV a MVB, like what Yvonne talked about, is your best bet. MVBs screw into a normal ceramic domed fixture. Then you adjust the height of the fixture to get your temps where you want them. I like a basking spot of around 100. I hang mine by the cord, but electricians recommend against this. They sell adjustable light stands at the pet stores just for this purpose.

It does not matter if you use a calcium source with D3 or not. It is debatable whether they can even use dietary D3 anyway. Some studies suggest they can not. However, it won't hurt anything to use a supplement with D3 in it, no matter what UV lighting set up you do, or don't, use.

 

[austinl01]

What are the coil bulbs you're talking about?

Why can it damage their eyes?

Just wondering.

Thanks,
Austin

 

[Tom]

All of the coil type florescent UV bulbs are suspect. We have seen A LOT of cases of tortoises with burned eyes here on the forum over the last couple of years. It was more common when those bulbs first hit the market, but the manufacturers claim to have fixed the problem. However, we keep seeing cases of irritated, swollen eyes from tortoises under those bulbs. Some have been permanently blinded. I had a family friend with bearded dragons. She couldn't understand why they didn't want to bask and their eyes were swollen all the time. I told her to dump the coil bulb and replace it with an MVB. Problem went away in a couple of days. To me it is not worth the risk, when there are better alternatives easily available.

 

[austinl01]

So the PowerSun is one of the best bulbs?

 

[Tom]

I've used all sorts of MVBs, including the Powersun, and they all work just fine for me. It should be noted that I use the sun for UV all year, so the UV output of any bulb is unimportant to me. However, I have never seen any reptile develop MBD under any MVB. In contrast, I've seen LOTS of MBD and damaged eyes under the coil bulbs and florescent tubes.

There may be one MVB that is better than another, but someone who lives in an area with indoor tortoises for most of the year would be better able to tell you that. In my limited experience with them, they ALL work.

 

[austinl01]

Thanks for the information. Very interesting!

 

[Dawn]

I've used all sorts of MVBs, including the Powersun, and they all work just fine for me. It should be noted that I use the sun for UV all year, so the UV output of any bulb is unimportant to me. However, I have never seen any reptile develop MBD under any MVB. In contrast, I've seen LOTS of MBD and damaged eyes under the coil bulbs and florescent tubes.

There may be one MVB that is better than another, but someone who lives in an area with indoor tortoises for most of the year would be better able to tell you that. In my limited experience with them, they ALL work.

Thanks so much for the info! I just ordered the Powersun 100w. bulb. Can't wait to use it! I hope it works as well for the heat portion as my current 100w. keeps his basking spot at 80-85 degrees. He seems to enjoy that level of heat.

 

[Tom]

Dawn, how are you measuring your basking temp? Generally 80-85 is too cool. I keep my ambient temp around there and my basking spot around 100. Everyone's set up is different, but 80-85 doesn't seem warm enough. Is he under the lamp a lot? Or does he move around some? When I raise my heat lamps and let the basking temps get lower, my tortoises just park themselves directly under the lamp all day long. Its like they can't get warm enough. Your tort will tell you if the temps are right by where he sits and what he does most of the day.

The Powersuns make just as much heat as any other 100watt bulb, so you should be just fine in that department, but do check the temps.

I hope this info helps you.

 

[Dawn]

Dawn, how are you measuring your basking temp? Generally 80-85 is too cool. I keep my ambient temp around there and my basking spot around 100. Everyone's set up is different, but 80-85 doesn't seem warm enough. Is he under the lamp a lot? Or does he move around some? When I raise my heat lamps and let the basking temps get lower, my tortoises just park themselves directly under the lamp all day long. Its like they can't get warm enough. Your tort will tell you if the temps are right by where he sits and what he does most of the day.

The Powersuns make just as much heat as any other 100watt bulb, so you should be just fine in that department, but do check the temps.

I hope this info helps you.

The thermostat in the basking area gets to be 80-85 and he'll bask in the morning and again after he eats. Otherwise he goes in his hide box or travels around his cage. His heat lamp is adjustable so I can set it closer if you think this is too low. I thought over 90 degrees may be too hot as he will move away from the basking area at these temps....What do ya think?

 

[Tom]

His behavior suggests that you have it set correctly. Do you have a thermometer on the wall over on the side where the basking lamp is? I would call that the warm side temp. The basking temp is the hottest point, directly under the heat lamp. I project my bulbs down onto a flat rock that is flush with the substrate. This gives the tortoise safe belly heat and it gives you an easy spot to measure your basking temp with an infrared temp gun or a remote probe. I like to get a rock around the same size and color of my tortoise and put it in the hot spot, directly under the lamp, for an hour or more and then measure the surface temp with a temp gun.

Whatever you are doing seems to be working for you. I only go into this all since you are planning on changing bulbs. Your new bulb might run hotter, or not as hot, and you'll need to measure those temps to be sure you've got it right. The stick on wall thermometers are just about useless. I would not trust them at all. Decent thermometers can be found in the garden section of most hardware stores for only $10-20. You can order a temp gun online from any reptile supply place. Do a search for PE1, or you can check with my friend Tyler at Tortoisesupply .com.

 

[lynnedit]

The powersun UVB is a great bulb for inside enclosures. Make sure you have a light fixture with a ceramic, not plastic, base. You can find these at pet supply stores, but also home/hardware stores. They are better because the UVB bulb gets quite hot. Make sure to read the instructions about initial use with the UVB, some advise you 'run' them for a short period of time before using them in the enclosure. Also, most advise a minimum distance from the basking area of 12 inches, adjusted up as needed to temps.
I do like the infared PE1 temp gun too.
Sounds like your tort is acting pretty normally!

 

[Dawn]

The powersun UVB is a great bulb for inside enclosures. Make sure you have a light fixture with a ceramic, not plastic, base. You can find these at pet supply stores, but also home/hardware stores. They are better because the UVB bulb gets quite hot. Make sure to read the instructions about initial use with the UVB, some advise you 'run' them for a short period of time before using them in the enclosure. Also, most advise a minimum distance from the basking area of 12 inches, adjusted up as needed to temps.
I do like the infared PE1 temp gun too.
Sounds like your tort is acting pretty normally!

Thanks for your input. I did lower my bulb yesterday to see if Jack may like it better. It's now about 12in. from the basking spot. I do use the 'stick on the wall' thermometer so today I'll try to get a different one. The rock under the lamp idea sounds good too. I have a half log halfway under his basking spot so if he wants more heat he an climb atop it. He rarely does, usually only in the winter. It stays very warm in my house as we use a woodstove for primary heating and it stays about 80 degrees in the house. During summer we don't use air conditioning and it gets around 78.