Regarding halogen flood lighting in tortoise table.

[Thomas Lamar]

Good day!

I purchased a custom tortoise table second hand, and it has a light fixture mounted to it that allows for three halogen flood bulbs to be placed inside it. The person that sold it to me linked me to these bulbs, saying that is all they ever used in the fixture, as it provided basking heat, UVA, and UVB, and thus met all the tortoise's needs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MLRHNNH/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

However, there are a couple issues. The socket type of the fixture requires a gu10 bulb. This seller only seems to have regular threaded socket bulbs. And I have scoured the internet for an all in one, halogen, gu10 bulb. I cannot find any.

I am either not looking in the right place, or I was duped as far as the lighting fixture that is already mounted to the table is suitable for an all in one light. I can just get a clamp fixture and rig up a UVB bulb to the side of the table, but if I can get all my Russian needs from one light fixture, it would be nice. I can provide photos of the light bar if it helps.

Is there even such a thing as a full spectrum heat, UVA, and UVB halogen flood light? Or have I been looking for a Macguffin?

Thank

 

[Blackdog1714]

Based on the fact that they are currenlty unavailable I wouldn't use them especially without a UVB meter. They could produce too little or too much. As the light fixture I would scrap it and install new. That odd size bulb is not meant for reptile care more like fancy knick knack illumination. Get a UVB bulb, a RHP and a 5000k Led bulb

 

[Tom]

There is no halogen bulb that makes UV for reptiles.

Further, halogen bulbs shouldn't be used over tortoises because they cause excessive carapace desiccation and pyramiding due to the high levels of IR-A they produce.

Last thing, the type of screw in cfl UV bulbs used in clamp lamps are ineffective as UV sources and sometime damage reptile eyes. Those should not be used. Use a long HO tube for UV, if needed.

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 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can mount a fixture on the ceiling, or hang a dome lamp from the ceiling. Go lower or higher wattage if this makes the enclosure too hot or not warm enough. Do not use "spot" bulbs, mercury vapor bulbs or halogen bulbs.
2. Ambient heat maintenance. Unless your house gets unusually cold at night, you can skip this step for a Russian. Night lows above 60 require no night heat for Testudo species.
3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. I've been using LEDs lately and they are great, and run cooler than a florescent. This can be set on the same timer as the basking bulb. If your tortoises room is already adequately lit, you don't need this one either.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside in a safe secure enclosure 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. It helps to have a UV meter to test and see what your bulb is actually putting out at your mounting height. Plexi-glass or screen tops will filter out some or all of the UV produced by your bulb.

More info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/