UVB times?

[THEADEMARCO]

So I have the arcadia proT5 strip for UVB. I have heard people say tortoises only need 3 hours of UVB per day, and others say they need 12 hours? Which is correct?
Also, if the time is around 3 hours then would it be okay for me to turn on the uvb from 5-8p? I am a student which causes me to be out the house from 8am till 5pm.

 

[Yvonne G]

Set it on a timer

 

[Tom]

So I have the arcadia proT5 strip for UVB. I have heard people say tortoises only need 3 hours of UVB per day, and others say they need 12 hours? Which is correct?
Also, if the time is around 3 hours then would it be okay for me to turn on the uvb from 5-8p? I am a student which causes me to be out the house from 8am till 5pm.

Take a UV meter outside and you'll see that no where in the world is there strong UV in the morning or or evening. The UV builds in the late morning, peaks mid day, and drops off again by the afternoon. 12 hours of strong UV is unnatural and unnecessary. Arguably, it could be detrimental.

In addition to the above point about what happens in nature, there is also the point of what is required to get the needed D3 production in our captive tortoises. They really only need about 15 minutes toe get it done. Surplus D3 is stored for later use in the fat cells. One hour of outside time with access to direct sunshine a couple times a week will prevent MBD in any tortoise. Having 2-4 hours of strong UV indoors will ensure the same thing, and then some.

Your UV should be on a timer and it should be on sometime in the middle of the day when the outside light is brightest, not in the late evening. I like mine on from 11am-3pm in winter, and 12pm - 2 pm in summer, since they typically get some outside time in the summer.

Also, UV is just one of the elements of lighting you need. You also need a basking lamp, ambient light, and in most cases, you need some ambient heating too. What species do you have? What are your typical room temps in summer and in winter?

 

[wellington]

The 12 hours is for lights and basking bulb to be on. The 3 to 4 hours is for the uvb.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The 12 hours is for lights and basking bulb to be on. The 3 to 4 hours is for the uvb.

LED lights are an excellent choice for "daylight" lights. They require very little electricity. Produce virtually no heat and are a nice white color.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Thanks for all the replies. From what I gather it should be on midday for a couple of hours. As I say, I am out the house. However one of my siblings is almost always in so I will ask them to turn on the UVB at around 12 and turn it off at 3pm.
Also, do not worry. UVB is not the only light I have. I have a basking bulb, CHE and appropriate ambient light.

 

[THEADEMARCO]

Take a UV meter outside and you'll see that no where in the world is there strong UV in the morning or or evening. The UV builds in the late morning, peaks mid day, and drops off again by the afternoon. 12 hours of strong UV is unnatural and unnecessary. Arguably, it could be detrimental.

In addition to the above point about what happens in nature, there is also the point of what is required to get the needed D3 production in our captive tortoises. They really only need about 15 minutes toe get it done. Surplus D3 is stored for later use in the fat cells. One hour of outside time with access to direct sunshine a couple times a week will prevent MBD in any tortoise. Having 2-4 hours of strong UV indoors will ensure the same thing, and then some.

Your UV should be on a timer and it should be on sometime in the middle of the day when the outside light is brightest, not in the late evening. I like mine on from 11am-3pm in winter, and 12pm - 2 pm in summer, since they typically get some outside time in the summer.

Also, UV is just one of the elements of lighting you need. You also need a basking lamp, ambient light, and in most cases, you need some ambient heating too. What species do you have? What are your typical room temps in summer and in winter?

I'm getting a Hermann's tortoise. My room stays 70F in winter and can go up to early 80s in the summer.