Want one light

[GingerLove]

Hello again,
Just had a question about bulbs. I did some research, and I realized that I would like to switch to just one bulb in my tortoises enclosure. I am currently using a heat bulb and a UV bulb. I was thinking of switching to a 100 watt Power Sun bulb. From what I could tell, it has heat and UV combined?
My question is... is this the correct bulb to use for an indoor enclosure for a Russian tortoise? I heard a lot of people use them for tropical tortoises, but mine is more in the desert tortoise category, I believe. Will the bulb still be okay? I just don't want to waste $70 on the wrong bulb. Thanks!

 

[Yvonne G]

You can get a heck of a deal right now:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/petco-mercury-vapor-on-sale-with-free-shipping.148216/

I use this bulb for leopards, desert tortoises and whatever I happen to have in the house at the moment.

 

[Speedy-1]

Go to walmart and get a uv bulb for under 10 dollars , get a higher wattage than you think you need , run it through a dimmer switch . Another 10 dollars , and you will be able to adjust the temps to your torts liking ! One 65 watt uv bulb was all I ever used in Speedy's tank , but it was closed to keep humidity up !

 

[GingerLove]

You can get a heck of a deal right now:

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/petco-mercury-vapor-on-sale-with-free-shipping.148216/

I use this bulb for leopards, desert tortoises and whatever I happen to have in the house at the moment.

So Mercury Vapor bulbs aren't just for tropical torts? Perfect!

 

[Speedy-1]

If you cant hook up a dimmer switch , get a rheostat switch looks like this and is "plug and play"

Plug in the rheostat , plug the light into the outlet on the rheostat , then adjust it up or down with the dial . Both items will cost a lot less than $ 70.00

 

[Tom]

If you cant hook up a dimmer switch , get a rheostat switch looks like this and is "plug and play"

Plug in the rheostat , plug the light into the outlet on the rheostat , then adjust it up or down with the dial . Both items will cost a lot less than $ 70.00

You CANNOT use a rheostat with a MVB. And Walmart does not sell UV bulbs that give our tortoises what they need.

 

[Tom]

Hello again,
Just had a question about bulbs. I did some research, and I realized that I would like to switch to just one bulb in my tortoises enclosure. I am currently using a heat bulb and a UV bulb. I was thinking of switching to a 100 watt Power Sun bulb. From what I could tell, it has heat and UV combined?
My question is... is this the correct bulb to use for an indoor enclosure for a Russian tortoise? I heard a lot of people use them for tropical tortoises, but mine is more in the desert tortoise category, I believe. Will the bulb still be okay? I just don't want to waste $70 on the wrong bulb. Thanks!

MVBs are fine for any species, but like all bulbs, they have good and bad points.

Good points:
1. They make heat, light and UVB, all-in-one.
2. When they are new they make a lot of UV.
3. They make light in the correct spectrum and closely simulate light from real sunshine. (Well… relatively close…)

Bad points:
1. They are expensive.
2. They run too hot for some enclosures.
3. All that heat can desiccate the carapace.
4. The current crop seem to stop making any UV after about 3 months, even when the bulb is still lighting up and working.

My preference for a russian is to run a 65 watt flood for basking heat and light, a long UV tube, and a CHE on a thermostat if needed for people whose houses get really really cold at night. If your house stays above 60-65 at night, you don't need night heat for a russian.

 

[GingerLove]

MVBs are fine for any species, but like all bulbs, they have good and bad points.

Good points:
1. They make heat, light and UVB, all-in-one.
2. When they are new they make a lot of UV.
3. They make light in the correct spectrum and closely simulate light from real sunshine. (Well… relatively close…)

Bad points:
1. They are expensive.
2. They run too hot for some enclosures.
3. All that heat can desiccate the carapace.
4. The current crop seem to stop making any UV after about 3 months, even when the bulb is still lighting up and working.

My preference for a russian is to run a 65 watt flood for basking heat and light, a long UV tube, and a CHE on a thermostat if needed for people whose houses get really really cold at night. If your house stays above 60-65 at night, you don't need night heat for a russian.

That is super helpful, thank you so much!!!! What exactly does desiccate mean? Will it cause her to pyramid or crack? Thanks again!

 

[JoesMum]

Desiccate is a posh word for dry out.

 

[GingerLove]

Oohhhh, thank you.

 

[Tom]

Desiccate is a posh word for dry out.

What does "posh" mean?

 

[Yvonne G]

If you cant hook up a dimmer switch , get a rheostat switch looks like this and is "plug and play"

Plug in the rheostat , plug the light into the outlet on the rheostat , then adjust it up or down with the dial . Both items will cost a lot less than $ 70.00

I don't think you're supposed to use something like that with a mercury vapor bulb.

 

[JoesMum]

What does "posh" mean?

You Tom of course

 

[JoesMum]

I don't think you're supposed to use something like that with a mercury vapor bulb.

You're not.

The temperature under an MVB is adjusted by its height above the substrate. If you can't get the right temperature you need a different wattage bulb.

No rheostat, no dimmer, no thermostat with an MVB

 

[Speedy-1]

You CANNOT use a rheostat with a MVB. And Walmart does not sell UV bulbs that give our tortoises what they need.

I totally agree , that is why I was suggesting an alternative to the MVB for all the reasons you mentioned ! Your walmart may not , but one of the first things I did when I got Speedy was replace the 125 watt MVB that was being used , I may be mistaken and got it at hardware hank ! The reason I replaced it was because of all your advice on humidity , and the fact that you suggested a 65 watt uv bulb was all you used and it worked well for you ! So thank you so much for all your invaluable advice Tom it was spot on and really worked well for me !

 

[Speedy-1]

I don't think you're supposed to use something like that with a mercury vapor bulb.

Please take the time to re-read my post and you will see I was not saying to use it with a MVB ! Thank you !

 

[Speedy-1]

You're not.

The temperature under an MVB is adjusted by its height above the substrate. If you can't get the right temperature you need a different wattage bulb.

No rheostat, no dimmer, no thermostat with an MVB

And one more time , I never said to use it with a MVB , I was just trying to suggest a viable alternative to an MVB for the reasons you mentioned here . From as many times as I have been corrected , just in this post for something I did not say I would say people might try to read a bit slower for accuracy before correcting others . It doesn't bother me much because I see it every day , and I am also pretty "thick skinned" ! I would like to point out though , that this is exactly the sort of thing that runs new people off ! No one likes to be told they are wrong , or stupid , especially for saying something they didn't say . Bone up on your reading and people skills folks !

 

[saginawhxc]

Go to walmart and get a uv bulb for under 10 dollars , get a higher wattage than you think you need , run it through a dimmer switch . Another 10 dollars , and you will be able to adjust the temps to your torts liking ! One 65 watt uv bulb was all I ever used in Speedy's tank , but it was closed to keep humidity up !

(I typed this two different times. I'm afraid it still comes across as a little snarky, but I honestly don't mean it that way. I apologize if it does come across as so.)

I don't know if I'm confused here and missing something. First off I never read your comment as talking about dimming a mvb so I'm following you there, but what uv light did you buy at Walmart that can be dimmed and provide uvb and heat? I was under the impression that only MVB's provided both. I was also under the impression that uv bulbs needed to provide uvb to be beneficial to our torts. What bulb at Walmart provides uvb? I didn't think general use full spectrum lights provided uvb.

Maybe I'm missing something here, and if I am I'm sorry, but maybe the confusion here is what led everyone astray.