Light bulbs.

[SavannanSpike]

[/font][/font]I have had non stop problems with both of my day time lights and night time... They always seem to burn out after about 3 weeks.. I have taken several back to petsmart! Im so sick of doing it! What kind of bulbs is everyone using? I have All Living Things ones now, and just burnt my red out again last night!!!! Suggestions?

 

[Tom]

Get a ceramic heat emitter and put it on a thermostat set for the temp you want. This will give you heat day and night.

I like the Powersun bulbs from Zoo Med for light and UV, but all of them work for me. You might have the wrong type of fixture or too small a dome. You need a fixture with a ceramic base and a big wide dome of 10" or more. I like the ones with the "heavy duty" cord from hardware stores. Also the bulbs need to point straight down, NOT at an angle. Some people use those clamps and clamp it off to something. This will shorten the life of your bulbs and it is a huge hazard too because those clamps always eventually fail.

 

[SavannanSpike]

OK... Ill try that! I have them just as you explained there on top of the cage and I think there less then 10" around... It does have the ceramic part on it.. Maybe thats the problem.. Thank you Tom! your always a life saver!

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Another question: What is the positioning of your lamps/bulbs?

For instance, Mercury Vapor Bulbs and (I would imagine the heavy nature of CHE's) are designed to be oriented in a straight up/down angle, directed into the enclosure. I know with the MVBs, if the lamp is angled, it puts strain on the lower end of the bulb (as well as compromises the even UVB output), ultimately shortening the lifespan. I don't know if CHE's are "supposed" to be the same way, but like I said, because they are so heavy, I would wager placing them at an angle instead of directly up-and-down could possibly have the same effect.

Also, any "tight beam" bulbs (the mushroom-shaped bulbs that differ from the typical pear-shaped light bulb) I would also make sure to direct up-and-down, and not at an angle. I don't how it would effect their lifespan, but similar to making the UVB output in MVBs uneven, it could expose your tortoises to brighter, more intense portions of the bulbs that were not intended for it to be exposed to.
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On another note, the compact florescent bulbs (CFBs), although most tortoise keepers generally avoid these anyway because their propensity of causing blindness, are designed to be mounted in a horizontal orientation, NOT pointing directly into the cage with a typical dome-style lamp. The horizontal position makes for maximum UVB output.

 

[Yvonne G]

I mainly use regular 75 or 100 watt incandescent bulbs in my tortoises' houses, but they have access to going outside any time they want to.

On the two indoor habitats (that are really outside but closed up), I use Exo Terra Solar Glo Mercury Vapor Bulbs. You can get them right now on Amazon.com for $24. The light part lasts for a very long time...a couple years or more, however "they" recommend you replace the bulb after 6 months because the UV part wears out after that length of time.

For night time heat I turn on black lights. Most of them are 60 watts, but some off the wall brands are a little stronger. Usually my black light bulbs last a whole season. Some of the cheaper off the wall brands don't last that long.

 

[BrinnANDTorts]

On another note, the compact florescent bulbs (CFBs), although most tortoise keepers generally avoid these anyway because their propensity of causing blindness, are designed to be mounted in a horizontal orientation, NOT pointing directly into the cage with a typical dome-style lamp. The horizontal position makes for maximum UVB output.

That is false , instructions that come with CFB (compact Fluorescent bulbs) say spefically to face them straight down and never at a horizontal or any kind of angle because when u face them at a horizontal they shine straight into your tortoises eyes which would be horibble your tortoises eyes. whereas if they were facing straight down there shining on the top of your tortoises head not right into his eyes. I have read the instructions that came with a 10.0 and 5.0 zoomed reptisun compact bulbs and it says to always face straight down. I sent these bulbs back because they do cause blindness and r very hard on tortoises eyes.

 

[Linzbragg]

I've had 2 lights blow in one day too. I have a flukers 150 W ceramic light fixture and a zoomed 150 W basking bulb. No idea why they blew. I'll have to use my red heat lamp until I can make it to the store AGAIN!

 

[Tony the tank]

Heat and vibration.. Are the major cause of early failure... Is the fixture secured to the enclosure ?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

On another note, the compact florescent bulbs (CFBs), although most tortoise keepers generally avoid these anyway because their propensity of causing blindness, are designed to be mounted in a horizontal orientation, NOT pointing directly into the cage with a typical dome-style lamp. The horizontal position makes for maximum UVB output.

That is false , instructions that come with CFB (compact Fluorescent bulbs) say spefically to face them straight down and never at a horizontal or any kind of angle because when u face them at a horizontal they shine straight into your tortoises eyes which would be horibble your tortoises eyes. whereas if they were facing straight down there shining on the top of your tortoises head not right into his eyes. I have read the instructions that came with a 10.0 and 5.0 zoomed reptisun compact bulbs and it says to always face straight down. I sent these bulbs back because they do cause blindness and r very hard on tortoises eyes.

Perhaps the Zoomed brand CFBs are designed differently. I know the Exo Terra CFBs are meant to be in a horizontal position. In fact, Exo Terra makes light fixtures specifically for this reason, you know the ones that fit on the glass terrariums they make? Also, it was discussed on another thread that someone was using their UV meter on a CFB that was pointed straight down (they didn't say which brand). The UV reading was highest on the outer rim of the light beam, not toward the center as you may think. Although no one as far as I know as taken UV reading of a CFB in a horizontal angle (except for http://www.uvguide.co.uk/ ... but regrettably their site is under construction) for comparison, it indicates that the UV output is greater on the sides, not on the end of the CFB.

Of course, its' all rather moot, since they've been known to cause blindness in tortoises and none of us really suggests using them anyway!