Confused about lamps help

[Charliethetortoise]

I have a spotlight basking lamp and a coil lamp. I have been told to replace this coil lamp as they are bad? but I am confused as what to replace it with? Any help would be much appreciated

 

[Yvonne G]

You can get on tube-type fluorescent bulb and fixture. Or you can replace both of the lights you have now and get a Mercury Vapor Bulb (UVB & heat all in one bulb).

 

[Charliethetortoise]

You can get on tube-type fluorescent bulb and fixture. Or you can replace both of the lights you have now and get a Mercury Vapor Bulb (UVB & heat all in one bulb).

What would you suggest?

 

[Yvonne G]

I prefer the MVB, however they're pretty expensive, so your best bet is just replace the coil bulb with a tube-type.

 

[tortoisetime565]

I got a MVB 100 watt on amazon for $42. That was $22.00 cheaper than the pet stores around me.

 

[Tom]

A long florescent UV tube will also brighten up the whole enclosure. Make sure you know the mounting distance for whichever type you get. The regular 10.0 types produce very little UV and need to be within 10-12" from the tortoise in most cases. Don't even bother with the 5.0 types. The newer HO types generate a lot more UV and can and should be mounted higher up at more "normal" distances from the tortoise.

The best of all possible worlds is to give your tortoise some outside time in a suitable safe enclosure and let him get his UV from the sun. Just tow or three times a week is enough to get the job done, but more is better.

Is there a medical reason why your tortoise is on newspaper? If not, they really fare much better on some real substrate like orchid bark, coco coir or cypress mulch.

 

[Yvonne G]

@Tom - he has an ulcer on his cornea and the vet suggested the newspaper while the eye is healing. We then thought that maybe the coil bulb has caused the ulcer and not a substrate injury.

 

[Tom]

Thank you for the info Yvonne. Hope it heals up nice and quick.

 

[Charliethetortoise]

Thanks, my poor little guy is very unwell as he also has a respiratory infection, for which he his receiving fortum injections every 3 days, worrying time for us all .

 

[Yvonne G]

He's going to be fine. Just keep him warm. Don't let the habitat get cooler than 80F day or night while he's fighting off the infection. Also, soak every day, as antibiotic injections are hard on tortoise kidneys.

 

[Charliethetortoise]

He's going to be fine. Just keep him warm. Don't let the habitat get cooler than 80F day or night while he's fighting off the infection. Also, soak every day, as antibiotic injections are hard on tortoise kidneys.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Charliethetortoise]

If I get an MVB lamp, can I put it in the fittings I already have?

 

[Tom]

Looks okay. Make sure your fixtures are rated for higher wattage than your bulb and then check it and watch it very carefully for the first few days. MVBs run hot.

 

[dannel]

Mind telling me what his eating habits have been, if you have been giving him calcium, etc.

 

[Charliethetortoise]

I mostly give him weeds from my garden for example dandelion and i sprinkle nutrobal on it and he also has a cuttle fish, he eats pretty regularly.

 

[Yellow Turtle01]

I mostly give him weeds from my garden for example dandelion and i sprinkle nutrobal on it and he also has a cuttle fish, he eats pretty regularly.

Maybe some lettuce too? Very hydrating, but never iceberg. HE can also eat carrots, strawberries and many types of weed flowers like clovers, flea bane and some others... Hope your tort gets better

 

[Charliethetortoise]

Thanks