Zilla UVB Flourescent Tube: Tortoise hides from it!

[W Shaw]

Just decided to replace my Russian's UVB bulb with a Zilla desert one. I liked the idea of a long bulb getting UVB to a bigger portion of his enclosure. He spent the entire day in burrows. Wouldn't bask on the surface at all. Crept out about 6PM to bolt some food and then right back underground. Put his old light back on in the morning, and he went right back to his normal behavior. I've been tweaking his lighting since I got him and he's never objected to a new light or fixture before. I'm returning the Zilla fixture. Thought it was worth a mention in case others were considering buying one.

 

[SarahChelonoidis]

What was the fixture you had before? Did it produce more heat? Is it possible the enclosure was colder with the new light so he was staying buried?

I've used a long tube zilla desert fixture with some success (lower uvb output then I'd like from their T8 bulbs). It isn't conducive to basking though since it produces only the tiniest amount of heat, but it isn't designed to be a basking light.

 

[jaizei]

You don't have a UV meter, do you?

 

[W Shaw]

What was the fixture you had before? Did it produce more heat? Is it possible the enclosure was colder with the new light so he was staying buried?

I've used a long tube zilla desert fixture with some success (lower uvb output then I'd like from their T8 bulbs). It isn't conducive to basking though since it produces only the tiniest amount of heat, but it isn't designed to be a basking light.

I have separate heat and UVB, and I was monitoring temps all day to make sure there was no major difference. I always swap lights on a weekend, so I can be there to monitor the temps. As far as I could see heat wasn't an issue. The other one (which is back in now) was more of a spot source. I keep it focused on his basking area. Because he's in an open enclosure in a chilly apartment, he has to have multiple heat lamps in varying sizes to maintain his temperature gradient. So... I don't know what the deal was with it, but it's gone now.

 

[W Shaw]

You don't have a UV meter, do you?

I don't. Haven't seen one for less than a couple hundred bucks, which is going to have to wait a bit, so I have to rely on the charts.

 

[Pearly]

I have this same UVB fixture Zilla desert (30in) but I keep RF's so they don't seek out light by nature. I've been happy with mine but think my next "trial" will be MVB. I'm trying different things while closely monitoring the animals and temp/humidity gauges. I'm so happy to have this forum! So many great ideas in here! Love it!

 

[Pearly]

You don't have a UV meter, do you?

I think very few hobbyist keepers can afford the uv meter

 

[leigti]

I think very few hobbyist keepers can afford the uv meter

They are ridiculously expensive, but I consider it a long-term investment. Especially because my tortoises are only outside a few months out of the year. I wouldn't bother if they could be outside your round or close to it. It is surprising when you get the readings though.

 

[Pearly]

The benefit is undisputable, it's just that probably good number of average keepers just can't do it. I myself would rather keep some budget for unplanned vet visits then spending on this kind of a meter. Bah! At this point I haven't even bought the thermostats (due to budgetary reasons). I just spend more time checking, turning switches on/off

 

[leigti]

Then I would start making your self a wish list and a rainy day fund. Then start looking for sales. I don't know your situation, age of the tortoise etc., but if the care requires a thermostat then I think that should be one of your top priorities. It is for the health and safety of your tortoise after all. A UV meter could be considered a luxery but a thermostat may be considered a necessity. What if something happens and you are not there to turn switches on and off? It's a risk I would not take.

 

[Tom]

What length was this bulb and what distance was it mounted from the tortoise?

Your results are surprising because they usually like it brighter. It might just be that you made a change and he would take a few days to get used to it.

What bulb were you using prior?

 

[Pearly]

Then I would start making your self a wish list and a rainy day fund. Then start looking for sales. I don't know your situation, age of the tortoise etc., but if the care requires a thermostat then I think that should be one of your top priorities. It is for the health and safety of your tortoise after all. A UV meter could be considered a luxery but a thermostat may be considered a necessity. What if something happens and you are not there to turn switches on and off? It's a risk I would not take.

I hear ya They are my Grandtortoises, my daughter is their Mom and I like few of us others on here, ended up spending more time on the forum than she does. I am, naturally helping my child learn all about good husbandry. I have been home since before the torts' arrival. Had to take a look at nag sabbatical from work following complicated leg injury. Anyway, I'm there all the time fooling with those babies, the lights, CHE's, fogger, etc. have 4 digital thermo/hygrometers including one with probes and one infrared, situated in different areas of their enclosure, so I have pretty good idea of how my interventions work (how effective heating elements and fogger are). I am a bit of a "science buff" who asks lots of questions and needs to understand rationales for any actions. The torts are my daughter's pets and hers is the budget. I think she's been doing a very fine job allotting her dollars towards the essentials and saving for other stuff. She will need all the electrical controls for the outdoor heated house for them as there will not be a constant human presence then as it is now. I am very proud of my daughter, and think that for a first time pet owner she's awesome.
this picture was just taken couple of hrs ago during the babies' bath and enclosure clean up/remodeling (put in some fresh moss and took out another 2 plants that didn't do well in there. The babies loved exploring new moss, but mostly liked the freshly steamed white fish (protein day is on Sunday). they don't look like they are hurtin' do they?

 

[leigti]

I have a UV index meter. The solar meter 6.5 unit. I tested a couple bulbs I had and although I cannot remember the exact numbers I do remember that the Zila bulb in the Zila fixture reading was half that of the zoo med reptisun in the zoo med fixture reading. They were both 24 inch long fluorescent tubes. They were not the high output. So take it for what it's worth. I hope it's somewhat helpful. This was about a year and a half ago.

 

[Pearly]

I have a UV index meter. The solar meter 6.5 unit. I tested a couple bulbs I had and although I cannot remember the exact numbers I do remember that the Zila bulb in the Zila fixture reading was half that of the zoo med reptisun in the zoo med fixture reading. They were both 24 inch long fluorescent tubes. They were not the high output. So take it for what it's worth. I hope it's somewhat helpful. This was about a year and a half ago.

This is great to know! Thank you! We happen to have the 30" Zilla tube. Thank God for living in sunny state of Texas. We got that light mostly "just because" this summer rather then as necessity. The babies got to go outside almost every day. It is good to know about the weak output thigh now in winter months. I was going to suggest to my daughter trying out MVB on her next enclosure related purchase

 

[leigti]

This is great to know! Thank you! We happen to have the 30" Zilla tube. Thank God for living in sunny state of Texas. We got that light mostly "just because" this summer rather then as necessity. The babies got to go outside almost every day. It is good to know about the weak output thigh now in winter months. I was going to suggest to my daughter trying out MVB on her next enclosure related purchase

I know a couple people who own red foots and they don't seem nearly as worried about the UVB as those of us with Russians. I also have a pancake. They both love to sit out in the sun. But ask some Redfoot people on here and see what they say. Your daughter may not need a mercury vapor bulb.

 

[naturalman91]

I know a couple people who own red foots and they don't seem nearly as worried about the UVB as those of us with Russians. I also have a pancake. They both love to sit out in the sun. But ask some Redfoot people on here and see what they say. Your daughter may not need a mercury vapor bulb.

in my experience my red foot has never seeked out the light unless in real sunlight i've never seen him bask indoors or anything like that, that's not to say i don't worry about uvb i use a arcadia t5 12% uvb in my personal opinion a MVB would be useless with a redfoot a arcadia will run the same price as a mvb tho not counting the fixture

i've never looked it up but i'd imagine red foot's color helps absorb some heat from being black, i've also wondered this theory on hypo red's and extremely marbled reds if they'd seek it because they're lighter

 

[Pearly]

in my experience my red foot has never seeked out the light unless in real sunlight i've never seen him bask indoors or anything like that, that's not to say i don't worry about uvb i use a arcadia t5 12% uvb in my personal opinion a MVB would be useless with a redfoot a arcadia will run the same price as a mvb tho not counting the fixture

i've never looked it up but i'd imagine red foot's color helps absorb some heat from being black, i've also wondered this theory on hypo red's and extremely marbled reds if they'd seek it because they're lighter

This thread has become very interesting! I love the exchange of thoughts and ideas. This is what makes this forum such a great place! Thank you, Guys!

 

[W Shaw]

What length was this bulb and what distance was it mounted from the tortoise?

Your results are surprising because they usually like it brighter. It might just be that you made a change and he would take a few days to get used to it.

What bulb were you using prior?

His previous one was a zoomed compact. I know there are issues with some of the compacts, but a herpetologist told me the issues are usually with improper use, because they produce a more concentrated UVB, and people don't realize that they need to be placed higher than a standard tube. He said that people tend to put them them too close and the tortoise ends up with sunburned eyes. Ronan's done well with his. Nonetheless, I'd seen enough really experienced keepers not liking them, so I had decided to eliminate it. He's never objected to any change of light before, but this was really dramatic. It was about 18-20" above the substrate.

 

[Tom]

I think what you have there is a case of a tortoise just needing time to adjust to something new. Our tortoises are such creatures of habit, they often don't take to any changes without some adjustment time. I doubt that the bulb was any kind of a problem as far as damaging the tortoises eyes or anything like that.

I'm glad that your coil bulb was one of the ones that don't cause a problem, but when and if you encounter one of the ones that do cause a problem, you will understand why so many of us are dead set against them.

 

[leigti]

His previous one was a zoomed compact. I know there are issues with some of the compacts, but a herpetologist told me the issues are usually with improper use, because they produce a more concentrated UVB, and people don't realize that they need to be placed higher than a standard tube. He said that people tend to put them them too close and the tortoise ends up with sunburned eyes. Ronan's done well with his. Nonetheless, I'd seen enough really experienced keepers not liking them, so I had decided to eliminate it. He's never objected to any change of light before, but this was really dramatic. It was about 18-20" above the substrate.

How big is your enclosure? How tall?