Lights..

Cinnamon563

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Okay so I've gone round and round with the whole proper lighting for a Russian tortoise thing. My tort has a 150w heat light in the middle of his enclosure and one side he has a 75w bulb for basking that is only on at certain points during the day, I feel like no matter what I do his cage really isn't ever anything above room temp. He never comes out unless it's to eat which I feed him every other day. He has a t8 tube uvb light thing that is way past the date to be changed... I just recently found out they need replaced every 6 months. So I'm just going to go the route of replacing the t8 bulb even though the t5 is supposedly much better. Anyway I live in Florida and I am soon going to be moving to a place that I will be building him an outdoor pen since the weather is plenty warm, if I leave him outside for a few hours at least a day will he be getting enough uvb to compensate for the low output bulb? Also how can I get his cage warmer it's completely open except for a few areas there's boards cuz he tends to try and escape. I'm starting to get really worried about his lack of activity. Thanks, any other advise for him is also greatly appreciated I feel like there are other things I was misinformed on that might need addressing too. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1420687996.331658.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1420688010.897772.jpg
I also noticed a white ring around his shell last time he was out ImageUploadedByTapatalk1420688101.397882.jpg
 

tortadise

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Sealing the top would help control the temps vastly. Even a piece of plexi glass over more than half of it would help a lot.
 

Cinnamon563

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If I put a piece of plexiglass over it, will the heat from the lamp above it heat the inside of the enclosure if that makes any sense
 

Tom

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First, what are your four temps? Warm side, cool side, basking area and overnight low?

To get warmer temps you need higher wattage bulbs or you need to lower your bulbs.

Also, those clamps always fail eventually, and many a house has burned down because of it. You need to hang the fixtures from over head. This also makes it easy to raise or lower the fixtures to get the right temps.

If your temps are too low, why are you only using the 75 watt bulb "at certain points during the day", instead of all day?

The white ring is new growth. That is a good sign.

You need a new enclosure with much taller sides.

A couple hours of access to sunshine per week is enough to meet their UV needs. More will be even better.
 

leigti

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Why is the basking light on only part of the day? It should be on the whole day. if your tortoise gets outside for son every day then he doesn't technically need a UVB bulb indoors. you have the right kind of fixture but you may need to get a higher wattage bulb. do not put plexiglass directly under the light, but you can put it all around the area. You might see more activity if you feed him every day. The white ring is a growth ring and it is fine.
 

Cinnamon563

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It's currently on only two hours a day to save money basically my mom makes me cut all my reptiles lights down a lot because of money problems but that's the whole point of moving so it will change soon. I will try to lower the lights and see if that helps and change his feeding to smaller meals everyday. What do you mean by the clamps failing?
 

leigti

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I have no idea what the weather is in Florida right now. Is it warm enough for him to be outside all day? Those clamps eventually get to where they will not stay tight anymore and then the fixture falls down and could start a fire or hurt and burn your tortoise. Definitely cover at least part of the enclosure to help keep the heat in. when are you moving? maybe you could make temporary portable outdoor enclosure for now if the weather is warm enough.
 

Cinnamon563

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Right now it's been staying only in the low to mid 70s but I'm hoping by the time I move the end of this month it will warm up for him. He has a kiddie pool with some mulch in it that he goes in when it is warmer but since it's defiantly not escape proof it's only a few hours or so because you have to be around to keep an eye on him, I also let him walk around my screened porch area sometimes. I'm going to have to look into getting a piece of plexi glass to cover part of his cage.
 

leigti

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My tortoises outside when it is in the 70s. Do you have a temperature gun? I am usually very surprised how warm the outdoor enclosure actually is, especially near the walls. it is usually warmer then the air temperature. have you tried putting hardware cloth or chicken wire over the top of the pool with a frame or boards to wait it down? this might get you a few more hours outdoors. Then you wouldn't have to worry about it UVB lamp. Plexiglass and either a hotter bulb early bulb closer to the substrate will heat up the enclosure. but check the temperature on the top of your tortoises shell to make sure he is not getting too warm. they can sit under the bulb and actually get burned and not realize it.
 

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