HELP BULB NOT HOT ENOUGH

[Voiletthetort]

Okay so i’ve gone from a basking bulb and no uvb to now a combi bulb as i couldn’t afford the t5 strip.
I’ve put up my combi 100Watt bulb and had to lower a significant amount as it’s coming up on my thermo gun at 28/29 not warm enough?!
I’m worried that the 2/3 degrees will make a big difference and make her poorly what shall i do??

 

[Tom]

Okay so i’ve gone from a basking bulb and no uvb to now a combi bulb as i couldn’t afford the t5 strip.
I’ve put up my combi 100Watt bulb and had to lower a significant amount as it’s coming up on my thermo gun at 28/29 not warm enough?!
I’m worried that the 2/3 degrees will make a big difference and make her poorly what shall i do??

If this is for a smaller animal with a lot of growing to do, that bulb will cause pyramiding. Irreversible pyramiding. Those bulbs also have very unreliable UV output with some of them dangerously high, and some of them ceasing all UVB production after less than 3 months. These facts coupled with the high cost and delicate nature of those bulbs is why we recommend against them now, even though they seemed like a good option in years past. I used to use and recommend them myself, until I learned more about them.

In any case, to get your basking temperature up to 36-37 directly under the bulb, lower the fixture, or get a higher wattage bulb.

I'd also hand pack that substrate down to make a better walking surface. Is there sand mixed in with that?

 

[Lyn W]

Do you have any night heat?
A che run through a thermostat would be a good option because it gives heat but not light - torts need darkness to sleep. It can also be used for additional day heat.
You'll lose a lot of heat because of the open table.