Best UV lighting???!!! Please help!!!

[*Amber*]

Please could somebody tell me the best UV lighting I can buy for George's enclosure (he's an Eastern Hermann's tortoise.) At the moment he has (on the advise of a tortoise man I know) got an Exo Terra Repti Glo 10.0, 15W strip tube, at a height of 10 inches from the substrate, as I was told, and he also has an Exo Terra Sun Glo 75W lamp, as advised, but I am now panicking, as I've just read on here that the strip tube I have is really naff and may damage his eyes! I want to buy him the best I can, but I just don't know, as I am new to tortoises! Please can someone tell me what I can buy here in the UK, that will be best for my little man? Many thanks.

 

[cherylim]

I use an MVB myself (I also have an Eastern Hermann's). Since you're in the UK, I can even give the specific brand.

Mine is this one: http://www.littlebigpet.co.uk/reptiles/arcadia-basking-lamp-100w-p-952.html

With this: http://www.littlebigpet.co.uk/repti...6_190&osCsid=5f4c24943c657c32d7775688fa44abf3

 

[tyler0912]

I use an MVB myself (I also have an Eastern Hermann's). Since you're in the UK, I can even give the specific brand.

Mine is this one: http://www.littlebigpet.co.uk/reptiles/arcadia-basking-lamp-100w-p-952.html

With this: http://www.littlebigpet.co.uk/repti...6_190&osCsid=5f4c24943c657c32d7775688fa44abf3

Ditto!^

 

[Tom]

Amber, don't panic. The long tubes are fine. They don't hurt their eyes that I have ever seen. Its the compact florescent bulbs that are suspect. You know, the little coil type ones.

In my experience the florescent bulbs are not adequate for preventing MBD SOMETIMES, and I usually prefer to use a mercury vapor bulb for an indoor tortoise.

There is no "best" lighting. There are a whole host of products available to suit different peoples preferences, different enclosures and set-ups, and different species. Everybody has a different opinion on the subject and different things have worked well for different people.

 

[*Amber*]

Thank you very much for your replies, and thank you Cheryl, that lamp looks great. Do you just use that with the reflector, and no other bulbs? Thanks.

 

[DeanS]

Amber...I've been using the Zoo Med Powersun exclusively...no fluorescent tubes...no nothing. It provides all the light, heat and UV a tortoise needs...when there is no available sunlight. Keep in mind that if your tortoise even gets 2 hours of direct sunlight a day...then you don't need to be concerned about the UV. At night, use a Ceramic Heat Emitter...no bulbs...no nothing! It'll give off all the neccesary heat with no light to interrupt his sleep cycle.

 

[cherylim]

Thank you very much for your replies, and thank you Cheryl, that lamp looks great. Do you just use that with the reflector, and no other bulbs? Thanks.

Yep, I just use the one and it lights half of his table, so he's got his central basking spot and plenty more light, with the other half of his table just lit by whatever sunlight comes in through the window.

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

I know that the spiral uvb bulbs are the ones that have issues but what about this one?

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/E...7czoxOiIwIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF95IjtzOjE6IjAiO30=

 

[*Amber*]

Thank you both, I'll have a look at the Zoo Med Powersun too before I decide, many thanks.

 

[cherylim]

Just a quick image of my set-up so you can see how the light's placed and how much of his enclosure it covers.

 

[DeanS]

I know that the spiral uvb bulbs are the ones that have issues but what about this one?

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/E...7czoxOiIwIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF95IjtzOjE6IjAiO30=

They're crap, too!

 

[Yvonne G]

I know that the spiral uvb bulbs are the ones that have issues but what about this one?

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/E...7czoxOiIwIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF95IjtzOjE6IjAiO30=

We have a newish member right now complaining about his tortoise's closed eyes, and your link above is the light he's using.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pics-for-previous-thread-i-posted-eye-infection#axzz1eHpxBXzy

 

[DeanS]

I know that the spiral uvb bulbs are the ones that have issues but what about this one?

http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/E...7czoxOiIwIjtzOjg6IlNlYXJjaF95IjtzOjE6IjAiO30=

We have a newish member right now complaining about his tortoise's closed eyes, and your link above is the light he's using.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Pics-for-previous-thread-i-posted-eye-infection#axzz1eHpxBXzy

As I said...CRAP!

 

[Lulu]

We use the Reptisun 10.0 tube bulbs and have noticed no problems with eyes. We have used them with different herps for years with good results.

 

[DeanS]

Just a quick image of my set-up so you can see how the light's placed and how much of his enclosure it covers.

I actually like this...look at the 'DARK ZONE'...lots of options there...nice Cheryl!

 

[*Amber*]

Thanks, I'll def steer well clear from those coil type!

Cheryl- thanks, your enclosure looks great! Thanks for your help!

 

[FADE2BLACK_1973]

I know that the ZooMed Powersun MVB is the best bulb for the job that it does but only 2 thing's I dont like about them.

1. They are extremely way too high priced for a light bulb.
2. I have heard time after time that they dont last very long and would blow in acouple of weeks after buying the new.

I am so afraid buying one at the time because of this. See I thought of using one of the ZooMeds double light combo deep dome's with one Repti sun 10.0 in one side and a 150 watt heat bulb in the other. Just because that in fact flouresent bulb outlast all others plus energy savers.

 

[DeanS]

I know that the ZooMed Powersun MVB is the best bulb for the job that it does but only 2 thing's I dont like about them.

1. They are extremely way too high priced for a light bulb.
2. I have heard time after time that they dont last very long and would blow in acouple of weeks after buying the new.

I am so afraid buying one at the time because of this. See I thought of using one of the ZooMeds double light combo deep dome's with one Repti sun 10.0 in one side and a 150 watt heat bulb in the other. Just because that in fact flouresent bulb outlast all others plus energy savers.

There's a reason why they're pricey...they do what they're supposed to. They also come with a warranty...take advantage of that! Those combo Deep Domes suck, too! You can't use a CHE in 'em or you'll have a little problem with your house burning down! And fluorescent bulbs, tubes, whatever ALL SUCK! Forget about saving energy...SAVE YOUR TORTOISE!

 

[*Amber*]

Oooo, sounds scary about them blowing, but my partner used to keep marine fish, and now and then, a bulb wouldn't work, and he took them back, and they always replaced them.

 

[DeanS]

Oooo, sounds scary about them blowing, but my partner used to keep marine fish, and now and then, a bulb wouldn't work, and he took them back, and they always replaced them.

Mind you, that's only the Zoo Med Double Deep Dome that has problems. The ONLY drawback with the Powersun is that the UV diminshes after about 6 months...if you're running them 12 hours a day.