Lighting

Karensa3

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Hi!
I live in Upstate New York and will hopefully be getting my tort baby by the end of summer!

I am looking into the basking/lighting set up and wondering if these would be sufficient with some kind of stand?
 

Attachments

  • 00475E94-AE35-4FB2-A295-506E505B29B5.jpeg
    00475E94-AE35-4FB2-A295-506E505B29B5.jpeg
    142.6 KB · Views: 19
  • 58631674-A3B9-492F-BF14-98C2F282FF25.jpeg
    58631674-A3B9-492F-BF14-98C2F282FF25.jpeg
    97.1 KB · Views: 18

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
Uv coil bulbs are no good. They can burn your baby's eyes and the uv the put out is low. You should get a strip HO uvb lamp.
 

Karensa3

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Good to know! I’ve read about tortoise eyes getting damaged, and I definitely want to avoid that!! Are there specific brands and types you recommend?
 

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
Good to know! I’ve read about tortoise eyes getting damaged, and I definitely want to avoid that!! Are there specific brands and types you recommend?
A lot of ppl on here like arcadia. I just have a zoomed one I think. Just make sure it says HO or hight output.
 

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
Also, if you get a dome for the che or anything like that, make sure its a large dome and its ceramic so it can take all of that heat ?
 

Karensa3

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
New York
How would this work to go with the ZooMed?
 

Attachments

  • 726C37AD-3287-4031-927F-81CE7432C913.jpeg
    726C37AD-3287-4031-927F-81CE7432C913.jpeg
    82.3 KB · Views: 7

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
Well I have a closed chamber so mine is hanging inside the enclosure.

What kind of tortoise are you getting? Hatchlings of all kinds really benefit from closed chambers for the heat and humidity control.
 

Karensa3

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Well I have a closed chamber so mine is hanging inside the enclosure.

What kind of tortoise are you getting? Hatchlings of all kinds really benefit from closed chambers for the heat and humidity control.

I have a ZooMed that I will expand to add a second when it’s bigger. But when it is really small I was thinking a plastic bin maybe? I am planning on an Eastern Hermanns:)
 

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
Well, the che heats your whole enclosure, but
make sure you have it on a thermostat.They get crazy hot! Mine is a 100watt che and it can heat my whole 4x2 chamber. An incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store works amazing for the basking light and doesn't hurt their eyes. That is usually a 55 or 65 watt, it'll just depend on your enclosure and time of year really.

I'm not super sure on hermanns as babys, but I think they still need around 50 or 60 atleast? Double check the care sheets here for that part lol, thats just a guess.

The care sheets here for all tortoise are the best you'll find! Info going around online everywhere is old info, so read up on those here and don't listen to a petstore on what you need! Most of them have no idea about tortoises at all. Plus there are so many threads on here that can help you save a lot of money by skipping petsmart or petco.

Learned some of that the hard way lol
 

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
found this too if you were interested. Screenshot_20200530-221126_Chrome.jpg

Super cheap ways to set up a closed chamber too if you search it
 

Karensa3

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
New York
Well, the che heats your whole enclosure, but
make sure you have it on a thermostat.They get crazy hot! Mine is a 100watt che and it can heat my whole 4x2 chamber. An incandescent flood bulb from the hardware store works amazing for the basking light and doesn't hurt their eyes. That is usually a 55 or 65 watt, it'll just depend on your enclosure and time of year really.

I'm not super sure on hermanns as babys, but I think they still need around 50 or 60 atleast? Double check the care sheets here for that part lol, thats just a guess.

The care sheets here for all tortoise are the best you'll find! Info going around online everywhere is old info, so read up on those here and don't listen to a petstore on what you need! Most of them have no idea about tortoises at all. Plus there are so many threads on here that can help you save a lot of money by skipping petsmart or petco.

Learned some of that the hard way lol
Thanks! Yes, I’ll be referencing the care sheets here often! Great tip about checking the hardware store!
 

Srmcclure

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
1,791
Location (City and/or State)
Oklahoma city
That’s great! I’ll look into some closed chamber plans! I’d feel good knowing it’s nice and humid for the baby.
I love mine! It gives me the peace of mind that mine has the best conditions possible for a healthy leo tort. Plus it keeps my electric bill down because it doesn't take as much energy to keep it where I want it.

Glance at this too if you want to look into closed chamber ideas for inexpensive options. There are a bunch more feeds too like this one.


Tortoise keeping is expensive, but you also dont have to go too crazy
 

Karensa3

New Member
Joined
May 25, 2020
Messages
17
Location (City and/or State)
New York
How would these work together?
 

Attachments

  • 40B5D2BE-A881-43FD-847E-C1830B363F93.jpeg
    40B5D2BE-A881-43FD-847E-C1830B363F93.jpeg
    98.4 KB · Views: 6
  • 5FD63B17-77A7-45C5-8575-75B750681E13.jpeg
    5FD63B17-77A7-45C5-8575-75B750681E13.jpeg
    76.2 KB · Views: 6
Top