UVB Strength

[Donna Shaw]

I have a Hermanns tortoise, born in 2019, called Stella. She is doing well and eating well and putting on good weight but she is a bit lerthagic and has been sleeping from early afternoon through the night. Vet said if she's eating not to worry too much but I wonder if its linked to the UVB. I currently have a Arcadia Rainforest 5% UVB tube light. Reading up on this I think I may need stronger UVB so have looked at the one pictured which is Arcadia Desert 12% UVB. Does anyone have any comments as to whether this one may be better or worse than the current one I have? Both old and new one pictured here.....

 

[Tom]

You need a UV meter to answer this question. Going to bed in the afternoon is pretty normal. 5% bulbs don't make much UV. A 12% will make more than double the amount of UV. I prefer to have the enclosure lit with LEDs lighting and a basking bulb on a timer all day, and then have the strong UV come on for 3-4 hours mid day only.