I have a Russian tort and in one of my questions I was told that UVB lighting was necessary. Please could you tell me it's importance or if there is another light that's more important and why, if possible with some links. Thanks 
Why is UVB lighting so important?
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UVB lighting is only "necessary" for a tortoise that lives exclusively indoors. If you have an outdoor enclosure and your tortoise can get real sunshine on a regular basis, then you don't "need" indoor UV bulbs.
There is a specific wavelength of UV radiation that our tortoises (and many other living things) use to turn vitamin D2 into vitamin D3 in their skin. Vitamin D3 is necessary for the assimilation of calcium into the tortoises blood, bone and tissues. Without D3, the tortoise couldn't make use of a whole stomachful of calcium. To this day I still have seen no evidence that tortoise can use dietary D3, so they must be provided with the proper spectrum of UVB lighting to manufacture their own D3. Access to real sunshine is indisputably the best way to accomplish this, but that is not an option for some people some of the time due to weather or living situation.
Without access to UVB, your tortoise will eventually use up its stored D3, and then be unable to use any dietary calcium. Eventually this will result in calcium deficiency, MBD and finally death, if it goes on for too long.
There is a specific wavelength of UV radiation that our tortoises (and many other living things) use to turn vitamin D2 into vitamin D3 in their skin. Vitamin D3 is necessary for the assimilation of calcium into the tortoises blood, bone and tissues. Without D3, the tortoise couldn't make use of a whole stomachful of calcium. To this day I still have seen no evidence that tortoise can use dietary D3, so they must be provided with the proper spectrum of UVB lighting to manufacture their own D3. Access to real sunshine is indisputably the best way to accomplish this, but that is not an option for some people some of the time due to weather or living situation.
Without access to UVB, your tortoise will eventually use up its stored D3, and then be unable to use any dietary calcium. Eventually this will result in calcium deficiency, MBD and finally death, if it goes on for too long.
Hahaha, yes listen to Tom, that's exactly it! Tortoise and almost any other reptile with suffer without UVB!
In the winter she should not be walking around your house, but have a proper enclosure with all,the proper housing materials, like the UVB, hide, food and water, etc.
Some folks are in specific set ups and allowing the tort to exercise a bit during winters months is necessary, while not desirable, necessary....I would also set up a warming station for the tort to go to while you have the tort out and about in the house....be aware, a tort will eat simply anything new and so hair balls, buttons and the like are easily consumed and create havoc in a tort.....so pretty much tort proof your space as you would if you had a new baby learning to be mobile...everything is game, everything is a choking hazard and all cords are utilized as climbing aids....
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I'd like to ad that UVB can not pass through glass. I've seen a lot of set-ups that would render the correct tubes or bulbs useless. Also, you UVB lights need to be set up so that they are not very far away from your animal. Small fixtures with these lights are less effective at distances of more than a foot or two.
