Is this the right heat lamp?

rovertt

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Hi all! This is just a small question but i was hoping some of you may be able to help. It's been six months since we last bought our heat lamp so it was time to buy a new one and my mum picked one up from Pets At Home from her way back from work today and it's different to the one i had previously bought. We previously used to have two separate lamps, a white one and a red one, but we switched to a combined so now my horsefield tortoise just relies on one. I sometimes find the lighting set up confusing and I just wanted to ensure that he was getting the proper lighting so can anyone tell me if this is the right one or if I need to buy another one to pair with it.
 

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Minority2

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1. What is a combined? Please link the exact model if possible or picture:
2. Don't use red bulbs for tortoises.
3. the 150watt bulb you linked is probably a bit more than you actually need for a basking spot bulb. A regular 65 watt incandescent flood bulb will do fine. It cost probably $1.80-2.20 per bulb in most hardware stores and online retailers, definitely cheaper than the pet branded ones.

I sometimes find the lighting set up confusing and I just wanted to ensure that he was getting the proper lighting so can anyone tell me if this is the right one or if I need to buy another one to pair with it.
Horsefield tortoises require a basking spot, a uv(B) tube style bulb (if it doesn't regularly go out to see the sun), and a possibly a ceramic heat emitter/reptile heat panel if the tortoise is a hatchling or if your nighttime temperatures get lower than 60F to 15C.
 

rovertt

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1. What is a combined? Please link the exact model if possible or picture:
2. Don't use red bulbs for tortoises.
3. the 150watt bulb you linked is probably a bit more than you actually need for a basking spot bulb. A regular 65 watt incandescent flood bulb will do fine. It cost probably $1.80-2.20 per bulb in most hardware stores and online retailers, definitely cheaper than the pet branded ones.

I sometimes find the lighting set up confusing and I just wanted to ensure that he was getting the proper lighting so can anyone tell me if this is the right one or if I need to buy another one to pair with it.

Horsefield tortoises require a basking spot, a uv(B) tube style bulb (if it doesn't regularly go out to see the sun), and a possibly a ceramic heat emitter/reptile heat panel if the tortoise is a hatchling or if your nighttime temperatures get lower than 60F to 15C.
Thank you so much for your help! To answer your first question the lamp I had just before this one was the Arcadia D3 UV basking lamp with 80Watts. Also don't worry we haven't used a red light for him for years after learning that we shouldn't.
And thank you I'll go to a hardware store tomorrow to see If i can find a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb but I was just wondering with the UVB tube bulb what kind of wattage I should I be looking for.
 

Minority2

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Thank you so much for your help! To answer your first question the lamp I had just before this one was the Arcadia D3 UV basking lamp with 80Watts. Also don't worry we haven't used a red light for him for years after learning that we shouldn't.
And thank you I'll go to a hardware store tomorrow to see If i can find a 65 watt incandescent flood bulb but I was just wondering with the UVB tube bulb what kind of wattage I should I be looking for.

T5 uv(B) bulbs such as the reptisun or Arcardia is generally recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PNK42W8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Generic non-pet branded but well built T5 fixture:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721TG86M/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
You can use one slot for the uv(B) bulb and optionally another slot for a 6500k bulb to improve the overall lighting.

I have nothing against the Arcadia D3 bulbs I just dislike mercury vapor bulbs in general because they're all overpriced and the cheaper brands have been known to cause health issues with tortoises. Not to mention for the price you pay per bulb, they just don't reach far enough to beat a general tube bulb's output.
 

Tom

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There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
  3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
This might help too:
 

rovertt

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T5 uv(B) bulbs such as the reptisun or Arcardia is generally recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PNK42W8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Generic non-pet branded but well built T5 fixture:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721TG86M/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
You can use one slot for the uv(B) bulb and optionally another slot for a 6500k bulb to improve the overall lighting.

I have nothing against the Arcadia D3 bulbs I just dislike mercury vapor bulbs in general because they're all overpriced and the cheaper brands have been known to cause health issues with tortoises. Not to mention for the price you pay per bulb, they just don't reach far enough to beat a general tube bulb's output.
thank you so much! you've been really helpful, I'll be buying the new bulbs today
 

rovertt

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Denbigh
There are four elements to heating and lighting:
  1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt floods from the hardware store. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb.
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species. You'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT.
  3. Light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. If you want it anyway, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html
This might help too:
thank you that's really informative and helpful!
 

rovertt

New Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2020
Messages
19
Location (City and/or State)
Denbigh
T5 uv(B) bulbs such as the reptisun or Arcardia is generally recommended.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PNK42W8/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

Generic non-pet branded but well built T5 fixture:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721TG86M/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20
You can use one slot for the uv(B) bulb and optionally another slot for a 6500k bulb to improve the overall lighting.

I have nothing against the Arcadia D3 bulbs I just dislike mercury vapor bulbs in general because they're all overpriced and the cheaper brands have been known to cause health issues with tortoises. Not to mention for the price you pay per bulb, they just don't reach far enough to beat a general tube bulb's output.
thank you again for all the help, i just went and bought this from my local hardware store today and this was the only option there but i think it's the correct type.
 

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Minority2

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thank you again for all the help, i just went and bought this from my local hardware store today and this was the only option there but i think it's the correct type.

Halogen bulbs are not the same as incandescent flood bulbs. Halogen bulbs actually run much hotter and as a result can and will dry out a tortoise's carapace, taking away their energy in the process.

I think there is an old EU ban on incandescent bulbs. There are still some available but they call them rough-service/shock-resistant bulbs. I have no idea how you're going to be able to find incandescent flood bulbs. Hopefully someone in the UK can help you with this.
 

rovertt

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Apr 27, 2020
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Denbigh
Halogen bulbs are not the same as incandescent flood bulbs. Halogen bulbs actually run much hotter and as a result can and will dry out a tortoise's carapace, taking away their energy in the process.

I think there is an old EU ban on incandescent bulbs. There are still some available but they call them rough-service/shock-resistant bulbs. I have no idea how you're going to be able to find incandescent flood bulbs. Hopefully someone in the UK can help you with this.
oh no well thank you for letting me know, i haven't opened them yet so I'll be sure to return them. I think if finding an incandescent floodlight is so difficult I'll reorder the one I had before (the Arcadia D3 UV basking lamp) even if it is more expensive as he really needs a lamp sooner rather than later and i can easily get that from my local pet shop. thanks again for all of this
 

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