do I need to add a second source of heating light

[elpatron_jrz]

Do I need a second source of light when. I have a 20 watt uvb coil bulb? It seems not that warm or do I purchase. A new bulb with more watts ..... need some info please. Seems like. A weird question lol

 

[JoesMum]

Firstly you do need to get rid of that coil bulb. They are shown to cause eye damage in tortoises.

You need UVB from either a tube UVB or an MVB lamp indoors. UVB is essential for your tort to make vitamin D3 essential for the digestion of calcium and thus for healthy bones and shell. A tort kept outside gets UVB from the sun.

The tube needs replacement every 6 months and provides UVB, but no heat. (The compact coil UVB you have provides no heat either)
An MVB is more expensive, but lasts 9-12 months and also provides a basking spot.

Your tort must have a basking spot. It is cold blooded and cannot digest food without basking at 95-100F. If you use a tube UVB, you must also have a spot lamp to provide this basking spot. It doesn't need to be expensive - a standard 100W household spot lamp in a reptile lamp holder is fine.

Lighting should be on a timer to provide light for 12-14 hours every day.

There are 4 important temperatures for your tort: Warm side, cool side, directly under the basking spot and the overnight minimum. You need to measure these accurately. The temperatures needed vary depending on the species of your tort. If your enclosure is too cold at night, you need to boost it with a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) which looks a bit like a light bulb, but doesn't give out any light

 

[banshee4711]

Try a ceramic heat emitter

 

[JoesMum]

Hey thank u for the info can u send me pics of the bulbs ??? im thinking if getting the stuff at petco petsmart ..Wat is a MVB i think i want to get that better or should i get a tube?thank u im new at this i appreciate ur help i never really owned hatchling sulcatas im used to the ones that live outside lol thanks again

In response to PM, an MVB looks like this

I am in The UK, so am not sure where the best place to buy them in the US is.

I have no experience of Sulcatas.. for those you need Tom. He's done some excellent threads on their care. I'll try to look them out when I get home from work if someone doesn't beat me to it... including the man himself.

 

[wellington]

As JoesMum said, get rid of the coil bulb. You can use a ceramic heat emitter, a regular bulb or a mercury vapor bulb for a basking spot. You also need a humidity of 80% and temps no lower then 80 if the sully is small. For one 8 inches to adult the humidity and temp does not have to be kept so high. However, tortoise do always need to have a warm 85+ place in order to digest their food properly. Toms threads are below in post. The leopard one will apply also.

 

[Tom]

Hola El Patron.

Click and read the links in my signature. The info you need is there. It looks like a couple of sulcatas in your avatar pic. They NEED warm temps day and night, so do not wait one more minute on this. Get an incandescent bulb or something and get them warmed up right away. Don't let them get cool at night either. Room temp in most homes is too cool for a sulcata baby over night. Hurry. Don't delay. Cool temps will make your babies sick and could possibly kill them.

---

So to answer your original question, YES you need a second source of heating AND you still need a FIRST source and the thermometers to set and adjust the temps properly.

 

[elpatron_jrz]

Hi tom thanks for the info

I have light for them at night
everyone says the coil bulb isint good for there eyes so i bought a tube set up bulb with uvb and uva is that good???? And i have a second source of heating bulb or should i return it and get the
MVB??? I dint see any in the petstore

---

Thanks for all your guys help

 

[JoesMum]

They need complete darkness at night, not a night light. That's why a CHE is recommended for nighttime

 

[Atra42o]

I have a tube UVB light and so far it has worked fine for me... I also put him outside in the warm months for additional sunlight for at least an hour a day... I also have a heat bulb and a night time "black light" bulb to keep it at least 80° at night time... While other bulbs r better, these seem to work fine for my 9 month old sulcata... Also I change the tube UVB about every 4-5 months in the colder months (I live on the east coast) but summer months I keep it for 6 months... Also, NEVER put ur baby to soak under a heat bulb... I recently made that mistake after doing it all winter and caused him to overheat... Good luck! This forum is the BEST!!! Everyone is very helpful and gives u the best info on how to raise a smooth, healthy tortoise

 

[elpatron_jrz]

I bought zoo mee reptisun terraium hood and the tube bulb repti glo 10.0 uva 33% uvb 10% is that good??or should i i.return.it.and get something else thanks guys

 

[theelectraco]

You need either a powersun for heat and UVB, or a basking bulb and a tube UVB bulb. For night u need a Che. No coil bulbs.


0.1.0 Dachshund
0.0.1 Redfoot
1.0.0 Greek
0.0.1 Crested Gecko

 

[JoesMum]

Re: RE: do I need to add a second source of heating light

I bought zoo mee reptisun terraium hood and the tube bulb repti glo 10.0 uva 33% uvb 10% is that good??or should i i.return.it.and get something else thanks guys

That's fine. Remember to change the bulb every 6 months. What have you got for basking heat? And for overnight heat?

 

[elpatron_jrz]

Ok ....for nighttime i have a black light that provides heat 75 watt it really dark u could hardly see it at night...and in the day i got another bulb that provides heat its a day light 100watt is that cool ???? I have a 75 watt too And i take em outside to get some sun and eat grass and weeds an hour to an hour in a half before i go to work oh and i got eco earth with 80% humidity is eco earth good??how do i keep it moist ??sorry lots of questions ...THANKS ALOT GUYS

 

[Atra42o]

That's exactly what I have... It's worked fine for me so far... I replace it every 4-5 months in the cold months n every 6 months in the warm months

---

As for the humidity, the only way I can keep it up is by spraying throughout the day.. I also have Eco-earth n it dries out very quickly on the warm side of the tank... The only thing I don't like, is its EXTREMELY messy lol... Sometimes I have to change his water every 2 hours... But that gives me the chance to spray him n his tank down, so I guess it's not too bad

 

[Tom]

Any tortoise getting sunshine for an hour a day, does not need indoor UV. Won't hurt anything, but its not "needed".