Is my light situation ok?

[Ivan'sMom]

I currently have a hundred watt basking bulb that illuminates the tank and has a dimmer so you adjust the amount of light. On the other end I have an ultraviolet light over the corner where he sleeps. At first he would sleep under his log but now that I am using larger amounts of substrate he ignores is log and just burrows in. Do you think that is enough light for a forty gallon tank?

 

[Yvonne G]

Is the ultraviolet light a UVB bulb? That's really all they need in UV, the B, not the A. And the UVB light should be turned off at night.

If you're using a compact fluorescent bulb, one of the spiral-shaped bulbs, they don't give off enough UVB to do much good. You're better off with either a Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) or a tube-type fluorescent bulb.

 

[Lyn W]

Hi and welcome If you can post a pic then members will be able to advise you better about the position of the lights etc.

 

[Jodie]

Welcome to the forum. Pictures would be great.

 

[Tom]

Do you mean you are using one of those colored night bulbs? Those are no good for torts. They see colors better than we do, so if you can see it, your tortoise can see it better.

Only your thermometer can tell you if you have enough heat.

Also a 40 gallon tank is much too small, unless you have a tiny hatchling.



These will help tremendously:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/