First time tortoise owner!

[brittaniwray]

Hello everyone! I just bought my first tortoise just over a week ago, a Russian named Tevye (see attached pic). After doing a lot of reading here, I'm so thankful for you guys already! The minimal reading about the tortoises I did before rushing to PetSmart was probably not a good way to start this hopefully lifelong endeavor. Lucky for me, it's not too late to correct most of the errors I've already made.

I have one quick question right off the bat: I've noticed that his heat lamp doesn't give off enough heat. The hottest part under the lamp is usually between 80 to 85 degrees F (I have a separate lamp for UVB that doesn't give off heat). Should I get a bulb with a higher wattage to correct the problem, or should I perhaps add a ceramic heat source to the mixture? If ceramic, how do I know which wattage is best?

I'm looking forward to becoming an active member of this community! I've always had a special affinity for reptiles, and a 50-year-long or more relationship will certainly be special.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Brittani!

You can first try lowering the light and see if that helps. We don't recommend using a clamp fixture. Its best to hang the light. That way you can raise it or lower it. And sometimes the clamps fail, causing smoke and maybe fire.

 

[brittaniwray]

Welcome to the Forum, Brittani!

You can first try lowering the light and see if that helps. We don't recommend using a clamp fixture. Its best to hang the light. That way you can raise it or lower it. And sometimes the clamps fail, causing smoke and maybe fire.

Thanks for the tip! I've been looking at stands to hang the UVB lamp (I read that the angle from the clamp is bad for the tort's eyes), but the heat source is currently just sitting on top of the wired lid. Can't get any lower than that without going inside the enclosure (which is the wooden Zoo Med Tortoise House).

 

[wellington]

Tortoises really need a basking spot of 90-100. It's best to do this with one light/heat source. I would either cut a hole in the lid or leave the lid open as long as there is no other pet that can get in the torts cage. Russians don't need all over heat as high as some torts and adding another heat source might make the whole enclosure too hot.

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Sorry, I almost forgot. Hello and Welcome

 

[gieseygirly]

I recommend a higher watt bulb. I started with a 50 watt, returned it for a 100 watt, and then returned that one for, finally, a 150 watt infrared max heat bulb. I have it on a stand directely above a huge flat rock. The bulb dome around it has a dial on it so I can easily increase or decrease the heat by simply turning the dial up or down. It's perfect! I keep it right at 90 degress and my lil Russian loves it!

 

[brittaniwray]

Again, thanks to everyone I decided to increase the wattage to fix the temperature problem. Does the UVB light need to be positioned in the same spot as the basking light? Or do the UVB rays distribute throughout the tank regardless of where it's pointed?

 

[pam]

Welcome Russiansare awesome