Can my baby SHELLY be healthy by only basking under the UVB ZooMed strip??

Marz ??&?shelly

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Please read my previous feed! But basically my baby Spur-Thighed tortoise only basks under the UVB strip light and ignores the basking ceramic 100w lamp/lighting? Please help ?
 

Marz ??&?shelly

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i bought a link you sent it comes the 8th - so I’ll let you know how I get on when it comes ? thanks again
 

Tom

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Please read my previous feed! But basically my baby Spur-Thighed tortoise only basks under the UVB strip light and ignores the basking ceramic 100w lamp/lighting? Please help ?
Ceramic heating elements are not for basking. Basking needs to be light and heat, like the sun.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
  3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html Here in our climate, you shouldn't need indoor UV.
 

Marz ??&?shelly

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Ceramic heating elements are not for basking. Basking needs to be light and heat, like the sun.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
  3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html Here in our climate, you shouldn't need indoor UV.

Sorry I wasn’t meant to put ceramic - these are the bulbs I have
 

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Marz ??&?shelly

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Spot bulbs shouldn't be used over tortoises. All this is explained in the care sheet too.

thank you so much for all your help Tom
It’s much appreciated

I have looked through the care sheet and as far as I can see I have picked the below bulbs that should be fine to go with the ZooMed light strip I have

please can you confirm? As I want to get the right fit my baby Shelly❤️

I will buy 50,75 &100w to try just in case and once I achieve the tight temperatures I will then return what is not needed.

A6B188BA-08B5-45F8-B6ED-C235360E9E4A.png
 

KarenSoCal

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Tom

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thank you so much for all your help Tom
It’s much appreciated

I have looked through the care sheet and as far as I can see I have picked the below bulbs that should be fine to go with the ZooMed light strip I have

please can you confirm? As I want to get the right fit my baby Shelly❤

I will buy 50,75 &100w to try just in case and once I achieve the tight temperatures I will then return what is not needed.

View attachment 314844
I didn't know Arcadia made flood bulbs. That is great news as they make/sell quality products.

That bulb type should work perfectly and your thermometer will help you confirm the correct mounting height and wattage.
 

Marz ??&?shelly

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I didn't know Arcadia made flood bulbs. That is great news as they make/sell quality products.

That bulb type should work perfectly and your thermometer will help you confirm the correct mounting height and wattage.

Perfect thank you so much for your help it’s been very helpful and I’m so glad I registered on here ❤️
 

Marz ??&?shelly

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I didn't know Arcadia made flood bulbs. That is great news as they make/sell quality products.

That bulb type should work perfectly and your thermometer will help you confirm the correct mounting height and wattage.

hi tom
I have changed the bulb and have monitored the heating with my new thermometer gun keeping the basking spot at 31- when she woke up she did her usual came and waited just outside her cave I then popped her into her warm shallow water - she stays in that until she’s ready to come out - she then waits by her food dish - I then put her food down and she ate - I watched her once she had finished she looked like she was going under the new spot and looked the other way and walked to her usual spot laid down and sun bathed as usual ??? why won’t she bask under the new bulb ???
 

Tom

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hi tom
I have changed the bulb and have monitored the heating with my new thermometer gun keeping the basking spot at 31- when she woke up she did her usual came and waited just outside her cave I then popped her into her warm shallow water - she stays in that until she’s ready to come out - she then waits by her food dish - I then put her food down and she ate - I watched her once she had finished she looked like she was going under the new spot and looked the other way and walked to her usual spot laid down and sun bathed as usual ??? why won’t she bask under the new bulb ???
Basking area needs to be 36-37 directly under the bulb.

Where is the usual spot for basking? What lamp is over there?
 

Marz ??&?shelly

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Basking area needs to be 36-37 directly under the bulb.

Where is the usual spot for basking? What lamp is over there?
Sorry tom
I’ve only just seen the reply so she basks on the left of the tortoise table under the UVB strip light which is giving off around 29 /30 degrees c and I thought that her basking area should be 32-35 degrees c but she seems to hate it that high as never goes near it - I even tried to be clever and put her directly there after her bath but she moved away quickly - so I feel if I was to put it even higher she would hate it even more.
The light is at a height of 28cm from her shell to the edge of the bottom of the basking lamp bulb

???
 

Tom

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Sorry tom
I’ve only just seen the reply so she basks on the left of the tortoise table under the UVB strip light which is giving off around 29 /30 degrees c and I thought that her basking area should be 32-35 degrees c but she seems to hate it that high as never goes near it - I even tried to be clever and put her directly there after her bath but she moved away quickly - so I feel if I was to put it even higher she would hate it even more.
The light is at a height of 28cm from her shell to the edge of the bottom of the basking lamp bulb

???
Strip lights are not basking lights. Most tortoises avoid their UV bulbs, just like they avoid the mid day sun when outside.

There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night.
  3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in bulb types are both fine.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html Here in our climate, you shouldn't need indoor UV.
 
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