Advice on Heat/UVB and Layout

Hi, I am looking for some advice on what to get for a heat and uvb light and how exactly to set it up.

Tank is way too small, but it is what it is right now (see this thread about why: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/saving-some-box-turtles.154136/)

Because this tank is so small, I am not sure exactly what I should get or how to lay it all out in the best way possible (heat over the water to keep it warm? should I move stuff around so both "caves" are one side and the water/basking on the other?). I need something that will not overheat the entire tank, and I may also need a grated lid to diffuse light? I am not sure. I have never setup any sort of terrarium so any help is appreciated!

I think the biggest things to consider are the size of the tank and the fact that it is glass.
36 x 18 x 17 (standard 40 gallon)

(Not sure if this is the right thread for this since these are box turtles... feel free to move it if it should go in the turtle thread.)

You are going to think I am mean but "GET A BIGGER TANK!!"

Lol you are not mean.. I completely agree. That is why I posted the link to that other thread. These are turtles at the school that I work at, they are not mine. I am trying to help them out as much as I can. When I first found them, they looked like this....

They also need to be separated. They're territorial and won't live in harmony together forever. There's possibly trouble brewing already.

They're not social creatures; they're loners

Trust me, I am aware of what their needs are (see the linked thread in the op) and how they are not being taken care of as they are now. They are not mine, so I can only do as much as their owner will allow me to. I already sent him a care sheet and have purchased $50 worth of stuff for them as a donation because it makes me sad to see them in their current state. They are both 30 years old according to their owner, so convincing him that he needs to change things up is not an easy task. If he would let me, I would take them home in a heartbeat.

If anyone has actual suggestions on the heat lamp and lighting though, that is what I am looking for right now.

I of course, ideally would build them two separate enclosures that are much, much larger. In the meantime though, I need to do what I can, and what I can do right now is get them a heat lamp and a uvb light, in addition to what I have already done... adding hides, moss, a bigger water dish they can soak in, misting their tank daily, giving them each a 20 min soak daily, giving them veggies and fruits, additional proteins, calcium powder and cuttle bones, and taking them outside to stretch their legs when it is a nice day and I am able to.

I have no direct experience with this species sorry

Have you seen this?
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/box-turtle-care-sheet.93937/

Yeah I did look at that, but I was assuming that the person who wrote it probably has a proper size enclosure, so I wasn't sure if it would apply to this situation or not.

Xabbusan said:

Yeah I did look at that, but I was assuming that the person who wrote it probably has a proper size enclosure, so I wasn't sure if it would apply to this situation or not.

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The heat and light parameters are the same whatever. You may need a lower wattage bulb in a smaller enclosure that's all

Ok awesome. I am not familiar with lighting lol so knowing to get a lower wattage will help a lot. Thanks so much!

Someone on my other thread also mentioned that in such a small space a fluorescent light may give off enough heat on it's own to forgo a separate heat lamp. I think I will try that out first and test temps and see how it works out.

Xabbusan said:

Someone on my other thread also mentioned that in such a small space a fluorescent light may give off enough heat on it's own to forgo a separate heat lamp. I think I will try that out first and test temps and see how it works out.

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A UVB lamp (Tube) will definitely NOT give off enough heat on its own. We don't recommend CFL compact bulbs that look like a low energy light bulb as they frequently cause eye problems in torts. CFL don't give out heat either.

A Mercury Vapour Bulb (MVB) which gives off both basking heat and UVB may well give off all the heat you need. The UVB output of MVB bulbs diminishes rapidly at around 6-9 months, long before the bulb blows, so you must plan on replacing the bulb frequently.

To adjust temperature under a basking / MVB bulb either use a lower wattage or raise or lower the fitting to change the temperature under it.

If you don't get enough heat from the basking / MVB bulb then you will need a Ceramic Heat Emitter which you run with a thermostat. This will provide supplementary heat at night too as it gives off no light.

Thank you so much! I will check out the MVB bulbs, I don't mind replacing them if it means only having one fixture. In 6-9 months I may even have a new enclosure for them (fingers crossed)! I am thinking of building them something better over the summer so that when they return next school year they will have something MUCH better.

As long as the ambient room temp stays around 70 degrees day and night, will that be ok to NOT have heat at night (granted, they have been without any sort of heat or uvb at all for who knows how long and they seem to be doing ok)? Like if I buy a timer and just have the light/heat on during the day? Say 16 hrs on, 8hrs off?

Xabbusan said:

Thank you so much! I will check out the MVB bulbs, I don't mind replacing them if it means only having one fixture. In 6-9 months I may even have a new enclosure for them (fingers crossed)! I am thinking of building them something better over the summer so that when they return next school year they will have something MUCH better.

As long as the ambient room temp stays around 70 degrees day and night, will that be ok to NOT have heat at night (granted, they have been without any sort of heat or uvb at all for who knows how long and they seem to be doing ok)? Like if I buy a timer and just have the light/heat on during the day? Say 16 hrs on, 8hrs off?

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They're not babies. Room temperature at night should be fine