Help with UV light..

Mikki

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I need someone to help me figure out what UV light bulb & watt i can use please. I have read the care sheet however i have an aquarium that is covered on the bottom. I live in Florida so Scooter goes outside every day.. However its been to windy the last two days and cloudy so she's been inside. I have a bulb but was told it was junk and to get rid of it. The light I have is s 13w that looks like the energy saving bulbs we all now use in our homes. I am having a Plexiglas lid made for the enclosure so it will act as an enclosed chamber as Tom has suggested. I can't put the lights inside the enclosure so I'm trying to do the best with what i have. I'll cut out for the dome lights that will sit on the mesh. I got a 45w incandescent flood bulb for basking. I won't be able to set up the arcadia T5 hood for UV that was suggested to me. I have a dome fixture & need advice on which bulb & watt would be the best. I'll get an better inside enclosure but right now I'm not able to however Scooter has a really nice above ground enclosure that's predator proof. Also what temp is to cold for Scooter to go out side for sun. I appreciate any advice.
Thank you!!
 

Toddrickfl1

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If you live in Florida and you can get your tort outside a couple hours a week then don't worry about a UVB light inside. Just use LED lights.
 

Mikki

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If you live in Florida and you can get your tort outside a couple hours a week then don't worry about a UVB light inside. Just use LED lights.
Also at what temp is to cold for my little one to be out side in the sun? You mean LED light for basking? I got 45w incandescent bulb
 

Tom

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Also at what temp is to cold for my little one to be out side in the sun? You mean LED light for basking? I got 45w incandescent bulb
If you must use a dome fixture, then they have 40-60 watt LED "replacement" bulbs that will work fine. I use those in some of my enclosures. Just the round screw in types.

There is no UV bulb that is safe to use in a fixture like that. In your climate, just use real sunshine. They can skip several weeks in winter with no ill effect. If you feed Mazuri, and use a calcium supplement with D3 in addition to occasional sunning, then you really don't have to worry about indoor UV.

There is no easy answer to your temperature question. It depends on many factors. Ground temp, sunny or overcast, wind, humidity, dampness (like after a rain), etc... If its wet and there will be evaporative cooling, I'd say 75-80 would be the minimum. If its dry, not windy, and the tortoise has a wall that reflects the sun, it might be okay as low as 65-70, if it is very sunny and the tortoise can bask to stay warm. If its 70 and sunny, but the tortoise is just hiding in damp bushes, then not much point or benefit to being outside.
 

Mikki

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Location (City and/or State)
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If you must use a dome fixture, then they have 40-60 watt LED "replacement" bulbs that will work fine. I use those in some of my enclosures. Just the round screw in types.

There is no UV bulb that is safe to use in a fixture like that. In your climate, just use real sunshine. They can skip several weeks in winter with no ill effect. If you feed Mazuri, and use a calcium supplement with D3 in addition to occasional sunning, then you really don't have to worry about indoor UV.

There is no easy answer to your temperature question. It depends on many factors. Ground temp, sunny or overcast, wind, humidity, dampness (like after a rain), etc... If its wet and there will be evaporative cooling, I'd say 75-80 would be the minimum. If its dry, not windy, and the tortoise has a wall that reflects the sun, it might be okay as low as 65-70, if it is very sunny and the tortoise can bask to stay warm. If its 70 and sunny, but the tortoise is just hiding in damp bushes, then not much point or benefit to being outside.
Ok so I'm using a 45w incandescent flood bulb for basking and i can use a regular home 40-60 LED light bulb? I will get a better enclosure i just can't right now. Scooter has a big & better out side enclosure but i don't have the inside room just yet for a better inside enclosure. I don't want to fail this baby.. I appreciate all your help..
 

Tom

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Ok so I'm using a 45w incandescent flood bulb for basking and i can use a regular home 40-60 LED light bulb? I will get a better enclosure i just can't right now. Scooter has a big & better out side enclosure but i don't have the inside room just yet for a better inside enclosure. I don't want to fail this baby.. I appreciate all your help..
Just to make sure I'm explaining this properly, you'd use the 45 watt incandescent for basking, AND the 40-60 LED for additional light. Both can be on the same timer if you want, or you can stagger them to simulate sunrise and sunset. I'd have the basking bulb come on first and stay on later if you do it this way.

Basking light on at 7am and off at 7:30pm. LED on at 8:00am and off at 6:30pm.
 

Mikki

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Just to make sure I'm explaining this properly, you'd use the 45 watt incandescent for basking, AND the 40-60 LED for additional light. Both can be on the same timer if you want, or you can stagger them to simulate sunrise and sunset. I'd have the basking bulb come on first and stay on later if you do it this way.

Basking light on at 7am and off at 7:30pm. LED on at 8:00am and off at 6:30pm.
I seriously can't thank you enough!! As i said i will get another enclosure. I'm working on space for it. Thank you again.
 

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