Guidance on UV lighting for Shed

[Julianh]

Hi All,

I've got a couple of sulcata tortoises (6 and 21), they're moving into a new shed in the garden. It's double insulated with 100mm kingspan, heated with a temperature controlled radiator, and another as a spare. A hatch for summer to let them wander the garden. It's all in hand, but the only thing I'm stuck on is the UV light.

I thought I'd put a single UV dome light in the corner of the shed, hanging from the roof about 18' from the floor. Or strip if you think it would be better.

What recommendations can you offer regarding the lights? I want to create an area they can go to, but also avoid the Light should they want. Any particular products in particular.

thanks for your help

Julian

 

[Krista S]

First and foremost, 2 tortoises should never be house together, regardless of what sex they are. Will they each have their own shed? For UV you don’t want any type of screw in bulb that would fit into a dome fixture. They’re unreliable, can damage tortoises eyes and don’t provide good UV. If the tortoises have access to the outdoors they shouldn’t need UV inside. If you do want a UV fixture, go with a T5 HO fluorescent tube and fixture. Arcadia Pro T5 12% kit is usually the most recommended.

Arcadia Pro T5 UVB Kit - Desert 12%

Highly adaptable lighting kit producing UV-rich light Links up to multiple kits Fix inside a vivarium or place upon a wire mesh glass terrarium

www.reptiles.swelluk.com