Spanna98
New Member
I just wanted to check after reading a forum that stated the Mercury vapour bulbs can cause pyramiding. Is this bulb safe for my 8 month old Horsfield?Is this bulb safe
- Thread starter Spanna98
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I just wanted to check after reading a forum that stated the Mercury vapour bulbs can cause pyramiding. Is this bulb safe for my 8 month old Horsfield?
My guess would be it's a mercury vapor bulb.
The best to use it as follows.
Tube florescent for uvb
Incandescent flood bulb for basking.
Ceramic heat emitter or RHP for added day heat and night heat.
The best to use it as follows.
Tube florescent for uvb
Incandescent flood bulb for basking.
Ceramic heat emitter or RHP for added day heat and night heat.
Spanna98
New Member
I have been using it for 12 hours a day. Would you only turn the Mercury vapour on for say 3 hours and then use just a basking light for the 9 hours instead? He has a heat mat on the wall for night on a thermostat in case it gets below 20 •c
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The 3 in 1 or "all in one" that I've used have not been satisfactory at doing anything. And they're not consistent.
This brand is not what I purchased.
It looks like a MVB.
However, I wouldn't use it for any reason
This brand is not what I purchased.
It looks like a MVB.
However, I wouldn't use it for any reason
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No, I would not use that bulb at all and purchase the right ones which is what I listed. That bulb likely does not put out enough good UV and it's too harsh on the shell.
You wouldn't need the night heat suggestions I made because you already have the mat.
Is it safe? What do you mean by that? I don't think this bulb will kill your tortoise if you use it. It might emit too much UV, which would be unsafe. It might emit zero UVB, which would be unsafe if you are relying on this as a sole source of UVB. A meter can confirm or deny either of those scenarios.
So to answer your question: "Is this bulb safe?" Maybe, but there is no way for use to tell. Only a meter can answer that. I don't think that whether or not it is safe is the right question.
The problem with these bulbs is not really "safety" in most cases. The problems are that they are usually unreliable as far as UVB output, that they cause pyramiding in young growing animals, and that it is totally unnatural to have high levels of UV all day long everyday because that is not what is happening outside. You need your UVB to come from a separate source so that the heat lamp and ambient lighting can be on all day to make it warm and "sunny", but the UV should only be on for a few hours mid day.
There is a heating and lighting breakdown and a temperate species care sheet near the bottom of this thread:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
tortoiseforum.org
Spanna98
New Member
Hi thank youIs it safe? What do you mean by that? I don't think this bulb will kill your tortoise if you use it. It might emit too much UV, which would be unsafe. It might emit zero UVB, which would be unsafe if you are relying on this as a sole source of UVB. A meter can confirm or deny either of those scenarios.
So to answer your question: "Is this bulb safe?" Maybe, but there is no way for use to tell. Only a meter can answer that. I don't think that whether or not it is safe is the right question.
The problem with these bulbs is not really "safety" in most cases. The problems are that they are usually unreliable as far as UVB output, that they cause pyramiding in young growing animals, and that it is totally unnatural to have high levels of UV all day long everyday because that is not what is happening outside. You need your UVB to come from a separate source so that the heat lamp and ambient lighting can be on all day to make it warm and "sunny", but the UV should only be on for a few hours mid day.
There is a heating and lighting breakdown and a temperate species care sheet near the bottom of this thread:
Info For New People. Please Read This First.
Hello and welcome to tortoiseforum.org! We are all glad you are here! There is no other forum like this anywhere. We have tens of thousands of members from all over the world ranging from kids with their first tortoise to people who have been breeding and keeping high end tortoises since the...
Would you be able to advise which basking bulb and which UV bulb you would recommend for the UK please?
Arcadia makes basking flood bulbs that you should be able to find and order online.
Arcadia also make a "12% ProT5 Kit" UV tube that comes with everything you need. Don't let the price scare you. It includes the reflector, a good fixture, and the bulb will last 3 or four years if you use it for 3-4 hours mid day.
Don't forget ambient light, and ambient heat if you need it.
Spanna98
New Member
Perfect thank you! The basking bulbs include UVA, is this okay to have on for 12 hours and then I’ll just have the UV tube on for around 3 hours?
That is ideal. And don't skip the step of adding more LED light that can run on the same 12 hour timer as your basking bulb. Make it bright and "sunny" during the day.
Your thermometer will tell you what wattage basking bulb you need. It depends on your type of enclosure, room temp, etc... Usually 75-100 watts will get it done, but don't be afraid to go to 150 or add another basking bulb if your thermometer says you need it.
Spanna98
New Member
Alex and the Redfoot
Well-Known Member
About 18-20 inches above substrate (you can check heights here: https://www.arcadiareptile.com/lighting/medium-uv-species/). If placed over the mesh top - 14-16 inches (depends on mesh.. it's hard to tell without Solarmeter).
This depends on what type of bulb you get. They are all different.
Even the same bulbs from the same manufacturer will be on a spectrum and you will get a range of readings from them. If you tell us which bulb you get, we can give you a good guesstimate based on our previous experience with them, but the only way to be sure your tortoise is getting enough UVB and not too much is to put a meter under your bulb in your enclosure. The Solarmeter 6.5 is the one you want. They cost around $250, but you'll save that much within a few years by not needing to replace bulbs that are still working perfectly fine. In addition to saving money, you will always know with a push of a button, that your tortoise is getting what it needs.
Spanna98
New Member
Perfect thank you and on the meter what would be the perfect level of UVB?
There is no "perfect". Different people have different preferences and opinions. It also depends on the species, size and age of the tortoise, the area where you live, how much time the tortoise gets outside, etc...
For a young growing Testudo in a colder climate like yours, I would want a reading between 3 and 5 for several hours mid day. A little more than that won't hurt anything, and a little less than that will still get the job done.
The key thing for the meter is to ensure you aren't blasting the tortoise with a UVI of 10+ because the bulb is too close, or to ensure that you aren't hitting the tortoise with a UVI of less than 1 because the bulb is too far away or because a screen is filtering out too much, or because the bulb is not old and in need of replacement. The only way to know that you are getting the right amount of UV to your tortoise is to measure it with a meter.
