Is buying a UVB lamps even necessary if my babies are getting sunlight 4 times weekly?

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
Hi, when I first started keeping my baby tortoise I purchased a full spectrum UVA+UVB vapor lamp. a replacement after that & it served me fine at first but now my tortoises are taken outdoors for natural sunlight at temperatures of 22-28 degrees celcius 4-5 times per week or in the summer time often above 30 degrees. Is it even necessary to buy UVB lamps alone when UVA for heat source is sufficient? I find full spectrum lamps are over rated & expensive than if bought separately, half an hour of natural none filtered sunlight equals 8 hours of artificial UVB.
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi, when I first started keeping my baby tortoise I purchased a full spectrum UVA+UVB vapor lamp. a replacement after that & it served me fine at first but now my tortoises are taken outdoors for natural sunlight at temperatures of 22-28 degrees celcius 4-5 times per week or in the summer time often above 30 degrees. Is it even necessary to buy UVB lamps alone when UVA for heat source is sufficient? I find full spectrum lamps are over rated & expensive than if bought separately, half an hour of natural none filtered sunlight equals 8 hours of artificial UVB.
MVBs shouldn't be used over any tortoise, but especially not a RF.

No you don't need indoor UV in your situation.
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
MVBs shouldn't be used over any tortoise, but especially not a RF.

No you don't need indoor UV in your situation.
Yes, I noticed way from the beginning my tort would try to avoid the mercury vapor light & it didn't give out the same soft warm glow of my previous one instead was much hasher & unnatural. The retailer didn't recommend anything more suitable, I have stopped using full spectrum bulbs as it wasn't economical & burns out under 4 months of average used.
 

CherryLover

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2021
Messages
11
Location (City and/or State)
Allen, TX
MVBs shouldn't be used over any tortoise, but especially not a RF.

No you don't need indoor UV in your situation.

Hi Tom, I'm a new forum member and new tortoise owner (well sort of ... I helped my daughter raise a cherry head almost 20 years ago). When I was raising Maxwell House with my daughter, the MVB bulbs were new and a "must have" item. Based on that old information, I bought an MVB all-in-one for my new tortoise friends for UVB. I've since read various threads and am now confused regarding what would be best for cherry heads. I have purchased a separate CHE for heat (all-in-one was insufficient, luckily found out prior to tort arrival), so really just concerned about lighting/UVB.


Why do you say not to use MVB, and especially not for RF? Too drying? What is best to meet the needs of cherry head hatchlings? Pointers to other posts/articles fine, I've just read so many now I've confused myself :)

Thanks for any input/advice!
 

Maggie3fan

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
8,046
Location (City and/or State)
PacificNorthWest
I do not keep redfoots. But I do know that they live on the forest floor where it's not really bright. I know that they want/need higher humidity. If I kept them and I could get them sun 4 times a week for about 15 minutes at a time. I wouldn't use an MVB on them. I keep Sulcata and the MVB dries out the carapace terribly

 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
Platinum Tortoise Club
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
63,269
Location (City and/or State)
Southern California
Hi Tom, I'm a new forum member and new tortoise owner (well sort of ... I helped my daughter raise a cherry head almost 20 years ago). When I was raising Maxwell House with my daughter, the MVB bulbs were new and a "must have" item. Based on that old information, I bought an MVB all-in-one for my new tortoise friends for UVB. I've since read various threads and am now confused regarding what would be best for cherry heads. I have purchased a separate CHE for heat (all-in-one was insufficient, luckily found out prior to tort arrival), so really just concerned about lighting/UVB.


Why do you say not to use MVB, and especially not for RF? Too drying? What is best to meet the needs of cherry head hatchlings? Pointers to other posts/articles fine, I've just read so many now I've confused myself :)

Thanks for any input/advice!
I'm not a RF keeper, but I do like them and read what other keepers here on the forum do with them.

Here is what I've gleaned:
  1. They don't need a basking lamp. Certainly not a MVB. MVBs run too hot, over heat closed chambers, are expensive, are delicate, sometimes stop producing UV prematurely, sometimes produce way too much UV, and cause pyramiding in small growing tortoises.
  2. You need a closed chamber to maintain the correct temps and humidity.
  3. Radiant heat panels controlled by a thermostat are the best way to maintain the correct temperature. For RFs, an ambient of around 82-88 all the time is ideal. No gradient, no basking area. A CHE or two can work too, but RHPs distribute the heat better.
  4. A 5.0 HO type bulb controlled by a timer will provide some light and UV during the day. Hides, cover and plants are essential.
 

willee638

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2020
Messages
283
Location (City and/or State)
HK
Hi Tom, I'm a new forum member and new tortoise owner (well sort of ... I helped my daughter raise a cherry head almost 20 years ago). When I was raising Maxwell House with my daughter, the MVB bulbs were new and a "must have" item. Based on that old information, I bought an MVB all-in-one for my new tortoise friends for UVB. I've since read various threads and am now confused regarding what would be best for cherry heads. I have purchased a separate CHE for heat (all-in-one was insufficient, luckily found out prior to tort arrival), so really just concerned about lighting/UVB.


Why do you say not to use MVB, and especially not for RF? Too drying? What is best to meet the needs of cherry head hatchlings? Pointers to other posts/articles fine, I've just read so many now I've confused myself :)

Thanks for any input/advice!
Yes, I too was given this advice & it's true red footed tortoises/cherry heads or any other tortoises shouldn't use Mercury Vapor lamps. That was my big mistake when I purchased one as a replacement to the first UVA+UVB light with a Lucky Herp 80 watts MVB full spectrum lamp for my then baby RF, I immediately noticed the lights emitted was much hasher, more intense in light/heat & my baby red foot would not bask under it & was avoiding it by hiding. The MVB was giving out dryer heat than the previous lamp I guess it's more suitable for dessert lizards.
 
Top