Lighting Help please

[Brbolton77]

Ok I have a baby Sulcata named Sully, i have a 10 gallon sterilite bin as his enclosure and I am using top soil and cypress mulch as his bedding (mostly top soil) he has a terra cotta water bowl and also a little hide big enough for him to move around in but he never uses it, he prefers to dig a burrow under his light. I have been doin some reading on here and now I'm confused I was told by a breeder that when they are babies its fine to have them in a smaller enclosure (but big enough to move around in) so you can control their heat better. I have a red exo terra heat glow 50w light for his basking spot and the zilla 18" t8 desert fixture with uvb as his other light both are about 8 to 10 inches above his enclosure. well after reading and doing some research on here are these lights not the proper ones and i need to change them or are they ok and its just a matter of opinion as to what people use. any advice or other info would be appreciated thanks

 

[Yvonne G]

Hi BR:

Welcome to the Forum!

Well, the red light isn't the best for basking during the day, but is quite ok to use for heat at night. I'd just use a regular 100W incandescent bulb for the heat during he day. The tube UVB light is fine.

You can keep your baby in the tub you have for a little while longer, but bear in mind that 10 gallons in a plastic bin means height, not floor space. Its really not very big as far as a walking around tortoise is concerned.

 

[Tom]

Ok I have a baby Sulcata named Sully, i have a 10 gallon sterilite bin as his enclosure and I am using top soil and cypress mulch as his bedding (mostly top soil) he has a terra cotta water bowl and also a little hide big enough for him to move around in but he never uses it, he prefers to dig a burrow under his light. I have been doin some reading on here and now I'm confused I was told by a breeder that when they are babies its fine to have them in a smaller enclosure (but big enough to move around in) so you can control their heat better. I have a red exo terra heat glow 50w light for his basking spot and the zilla 18" t8 desert fixture with uvb as his other light both are about 8 to 10 inches above his enclosure. well after reading and doing some research on here are these lights not the proper ones and i need to change them or are they ok and its just a matter of opinion as to what people use. any advice or other info would be appreciated thanks

Hello and welcome.

I see a few issues there:

10 gallons is way too small. I recommend a minimum of 40, but 60-100 is better for a hatchling. They need room to move and have a heat gradient.

I don't like red bulbs day or night. We should be trying to simulate nature. Its bright during the day and dark at night. Its never red outside. Use a daylight bulb during the day and a ceramic heating element set on a thermostat to maintain ambient day and night.

There are four temps you need to know and control. Warm side 85-90ish, cool side 80ish, basking spot 95-100, and night 80ish.


Here is how I like to start babies:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-79895.html
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-32333.html

Here is a feeding sheet:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-76744.html