5.0 bulb

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ripdsawyer

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I have a 5.0 uvb bulb...I was advised not to go higher. its a coil bulb, which I know some people are against...but that's what I have at the moment. Anyways...my question is...I have a place for another bulb...will it hurt to have 2 5.0 uvb bulbs? I would like a little more light. Or maybe I should get a uva bulb instead?
 

Tom

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Its not that some people are against them, its that they can blind your tortoise and burn his eyes. This is not an opinion. This is something that happens with disturbing regularity. They should not be sold, and they should not be used. And now you ask if you should use TWO of them at the same time... No. No you should not. I recommend that you not use them at all, ever again including right now, today. There are lots of other lighting and UV options that don't risk causing your tortoise pain and blindness.

The best way to meet your tortoises UV needs is to get him some outside time in a safe enclosure at least a couple of times a week. My preference for hatchlings is an hour or two a day, with gradually longer and longer times outside as they gain size and age.

If outside is not an option and you must use artificial UV indoors, then go with a mercury vapor bulb or a long tube style florescent. Neither of these will generally damage your tortoises eyes.
 

ripdsawyer

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OK. Thanks. The guy at the store said to get the 5.0 so it wouldn't blind them...but I'll take ur word for it. I guess my problem is for every 1 that says its OK...1 says its not. Make up my mind already! Lol...which u just did. OK...so back to the store with this light fixture.
 

JoesMum

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I have a 5.0 tube UVB which I use with Joe indoors. The vet said he didn't need a higher one, but then he gets outside a lot.

I second the opinion that ANY coil UVB is bad news and should not be used.
 

ripdsawyer

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I'm gonna go back to the store and give him hell. Jk..he was doing his best. I will try to educate him tho. Lol...he probably won't listen...he was the manager. And I have nothing to back my word. I'll try at least. Thanks ya'll. Forgive for being a newb.
 

Spn785

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Compact and Coil bulbs are a big no-no. I wouldn't ever use either, adn Pet shops keep trying to sell them.
 

theelectraco

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Unless they are reptile owners who do a lot of research, the information of not using coil bulbs isn't really floating around the pet store world. All my staff knows not to recommend them, and if the customer insists on purchasing it anyways that it needs to be horizontally mounted and to watch out for any eye issues. Because there are still those customers who don't care and will try to save a buck. If we are selling the animal tho and its not an animal they already have we make sure they get the right stuff
 

Tom

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Many years ago the retail pet trade was my business too. I recommended that people keep their sulcatas and leopards hot and dry since these are "desert" species. That's what I read in books. That's what experts said. That's what breeders told me. And the vets all agreed too. We were all wrong. Plain and simple. It took decades for me to figure it out and most of the rest of the world still hasn't caught up. People on this forum are way ahead of this curve, but if you go talk to a typical reptile vet or pet store, you will still get the old wrong info. There are exceptions, and I try to steer business to the ones who do it right, but I have not found many of them.

Point being, the world is full of conflicting and misinformation. Just do your best. The people here have decades of real world hands on experience with the species in question, AND we stand to gain nothing by convincing somebody of something one way or another. We just love tortoises and love talking about them and learning about them.

For clarification: The long tube style 5.0 bulbs are fine. It's just the coil type cfl bulbs that can sometimes cause the problems.
 

ripdsawyer

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Yeah I'm finding this to be an amazing forum. Learned so much in such a short time. I'm gonna need help with this leopard, I know it...and I feel totally comfortable with the advice I find here. Thanks to all, seriously!
 

Cherbear

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Does it hurt anything if you use the 10.0 tube style?
 

Tom

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Cherbear said:
Does it hurt anything if you use the 10.0 tube style?

I've never seen one do harm. It might be too much light or UV for the comfort of some individuals of the forest tort species, but probably fine for a savanna grassland species.
 

abclements

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My buddy has a 10.0 4ft uvb tube over his cherryhead's enclosure. And his tort is way more active and exploitative than mine which only has 2 18inch 2.0 tubes... probably nothing to do with the lights, but that's really our only difference in care...

Sent from my LG-P769 using TortForum mobile app
 

Spn785

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abclements said:
My buddy has a 10.0 4ft uvb tube over his cherryhead's enclosure. And his tort is way more active and exploitative than mine which only has 2 18inch 2.0 tubes... probably nothing to do with the lights, but that's really our only difference in care...

Sent from my LG-P769 using TortForum mobile app

It might be the bulbs. I was taking care of several Russians at the same time, while friends were out of town, and the only difference in care was lighting and you could see a difference in activity. Then again there is also the difference between one tortoise and another. Although a species might generally be very active and inquisitive, some individuals might be shy by nature.
 

theelectraco

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I switched from using a basking bulb for light and heat, to using a CHE for heat and dim LEDs for light. No UVB in the cage since my tortoise gets outside regularly. Since switching to the CHE/led combo my tort is super active. It will frequently bask under the CHE now also. Mine def prefers dimmer lighting.
 
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