Basking spot

[Matthill955]

Hello,
I’ve never owned a tortoise but have done a pretty good amount of research but there is a few things that I’m worried about!

Firstly I’m struggling to find the perfect temperature I’m getting around 100 right now but I raised it around an inch higher & the temp dropped below 90, I assume that once I add the substrate it’ll be easier to gage the correct temp?
Also is the mercury all in one bulbs okay to use? I ask this purely because I acquired 25 brand new ones for basically free but have read mixed reviews.
Sorry these probably seem like silly questions but I want everything to be correct before I rehome a tortoise

 

[Matthill955]

Hello,
I’ve never owned a tortoise but have done a pretty good amount of research but there is a few things that I’m worried about!

Firstly I’m struggling to find the perfect temperature I’m getting around 100 right now but I raised it around an inch higher & the temp dropped below 90, I assume that once I add the substrate it’ll be easier to gage the correct temp?
Also is the mercury all in one bulbs okay to use? I ask this purely because I acquired 25 brand new ones for basically free but have read mixed reviews.
Sorry these probably seem like silly questions but I want everything to be correct before I rehome a tortoise

I should probably mention I’ll be getting a horse field tortoise

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

That turtle shell decoration is torture for the tortoise.... you also need to get a new water bowl. We're you ordering any substrate for the inclosure, it looks very empty.

 

[Tom]

Hello,
I’ve never owned a tortoise but have done a pretty good amount of research but there is a few things that I’m worried about!

Firstly I’m struggling to find the perfect temperature I’m getting around 100 right now but I raised it around an inch higher & the temp dropped below 90, I assume that once I add the substrate it’ll be easier to gage the correct temp?
Also is the mercury all in one bulbs okay to use? I ask this purely because I acquired 25 brand new ones for basically free but have read mixed reviews.
Sorry these probably seem like silly questions but I want everything to be correct before I rehome a tortoise

Get your substrate in and place a flat rock directly under the basking bulb. Lay a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb and let it bake for an hour or more. Adjust your bulb up or down as needed to get it around 95-100.

You can use an MVB for a fully grown adult if you have a solar meter 6.5 to check the UV output. Ordinarily I would not recommend them.
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. In most cases 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. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

About the research you've done: Most of the info out in the world is all wrong and the pet shop will tell you the wrong stuff and sell you the wrong stuff. FB and YT are both terrible and everyone seems tone repeating the same wrong info. Here is the correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

 

[Matthill955]

Get your substrate in and place a flat rock directly under the basking bulb. Lay a digital thermometer on its back directly under the bulb and let it bake for an hour or more. Adjust your bulb up or down as needed to get it around 95-100.

You can use an MVB for a fully grown adult if you have a solar meter 6.5 to check the UV output. Ordinarily I would not recommend them.
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. In most cases 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. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient 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 LED 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. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.

About the research you've done: Most of the info out in the world is all wrong and the pet shop will tell you the wrong stuff and sell you the wrong stuff. FB and YT are both terrible and everyone seems tone repeating the same wrong info. Here is the correct care info:

The Best Way To Raise Any Temperate Species Of Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies and care for adults? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. What is...

tortoiseforum.org

Questions are welcome.

Thankyou for the great advice

 

[Matthill955]

That turtle shell decoration is torture for the tortoise.... you also need to get a new water bowl. We're you ordering any substrate for the inclosure, it looks very empty.

That turtle shell decoration is torture for the tortoise.... you also need to get a new water bowl. We're you ordering any substrate for the inclosure, it looks very empty.

I did say I was adding substrate & what’s the reason for the bowl? I did wonder about the shell but didn’t think it would be an issue

 

[Beasty_Artemis]

Oh the bowl is a risky brand name kind that's a drowning hazard to tortoises. And torts feel threatened by statues that are turtle shaped.