UVB lamp help

[Gunter]

I have a russian tortoise in a turtle table.How high should the UVB lamp be?

 

[nicoleandrocky]

Less than a foot high.

 

[wellington]

Read directions, some say how close it has to be. Then check temps so it is not too hot.

---

Read directions, some say how close it has to be. Then check temps so it is not too hot.

Sorry, I forgot to say WELCOME

 

[Neltharion]

I have a russian tortoise in a turtle table.How high should the UVB lamp be?

Beyond 18 inches, and the UVB benefits start to decrease exponentially. A 100w MVB was measured 140 iu/min at 12 inches. The same bulb measured 36 iu/min at 24 inches.

Keep in mind at 12 inches, the temps reached over 120 deg F in the spot immediately under the bulb. Your enclosure should be long enough to provide a 'cool' end for the tort to escape the heat. One thing to think about is that if the bulb is low and the temps are so high that the tort is frequently hiding in the shade to keep cool, its not benefitting. You need to factor in the size of your enclosure and the temperature of the room. During the cooler seasons, I keep my bulbs lower. During the warmer ones, I raise them. Even at 24 inches, enough UVB benefits are still provided when the bulb is on 12-14 hours a day.

Also keep in mind that if the lamp fixture is resting on a screen, the screen will decrease much of the UVB benefit.

 

[LLLReptile]

I have a russian tortoise in a turtle table.How high should the UVB lamp be?

Beyond 18 inches, and the UVB benefits start to decrease exponentially. A 100w MVB was measured 140 iu/min at 12 inches. The same bulb measured 36 iu/min at 24 inches.

Keep in mind at 12 inches, the temps reached over 120 deg F in the spot immediately under the bulb. Your enclosure should be long enough to provide a 'cool' end for the tort to escape the heat. One thing to think about is that if the bulb is low and the temps are so high that the tort is frequently hiding in the shade to keep cool, its not benefitting. You need to factor in the size of your enclosure and the temperature of the room. During the cooler seasons, I keep my bulbs lower. During the warmer ones, I raise them. Even at 24 inches, enough UVB benefits are still provided when the bulb is on 12-14 hours a day.

Also keep in mind that if the lamp fixture is resting on a screen, the screen will decrease much of the UVB benefit.

Weird, it looks like what I wrote didn't get posted with the quote.

Excellent advice, exactly what I would have said!

-Jen