Should I copy the sun?

[LeopardTortLover]

In England now the clocks have gone back so it's light at seven AM and dark at six PM. I was just wondering, should I set my lights to follow this timetable? Is 7-6 a long enough day time?

I'm not sure if Africa has a similar summer and winter? Where the days are longer in summer than winter?

What would you guys do?

 

[mike taylor]

I keep my set ups set to summer sun . So they are on the same time table all year.

 

[Millerlite]

Depends, I switch my lights shorter durning winter, that way try get a good cycle for the year

 

[Levi the Leopard]

My Leopard lights are 7-7. That's not to far off your sun.
It's up to you...

 

[ascott]

I would say to give it a try each way and see what way has positive results...

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I don't change my timers once set up at then current daytime length. Mine are set for a 14 hour day. 6-8.

 

[Tom]

I don't change my timers either.

In equatorial Africa, there is not much seasonal difference. 12 hour days all year basically. The farther you get form the equator, the more this changes. Down at the southern tip there is quite a big seasonal difference.

Do you know where in Africa your leopard came from?

 

[LeopardTortLover]

Okay, thanks everyone. Today I set my timer for 7am - 7pm and I'll keep it like that until next summer when it'll change to a 14/15 hour day. If I kept up with the sun I realised in a few weeks it'll be going dark at 4pm which is way to soon!

And, Tom, I'm not sure. He's a babcocki not a pardalis and thats all I know... besides he came from a pet shop in Warrington

 

[Millerlite]

What If I kept my toroises outdoors year around? And in Africa days never get as short as the days here in so Cali... Does that mean I should add a light to make it 14 hrs of sun? I mean I usually bring my lights down to 10-11 hrs in the winter saves me electricity and hey the suns down I feel like why should there lights be on haha.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Re: RE: Should I copy the sun?

What If I kept my toroises outdoors year around? And in Africa days never get as short as the days here in so Cali... Does that mean I should add a light to make it 14 hrs of sun?

No lights.
Your torts live here in CA not in Africa. They will live just fine following our day/night cycles.

 

[Saleama]

My go on at 6:30 am and off at 7:30 pm. I will turn some back on if there are some little ones still wanting to play or have a late snack. Usually they get max 14 hours of day light.

 

[Tom]

And in Africa days never get as short as the days here in so Cali...

Not true. Down on the Cape they have very similar seasonal variations. The seasons are just reversed because they are in the Southern Hemisphere. In Central, or Equatorial Africa, maybe not...

In a practical sense, I agree with Team Gomberg. If they live outside, they will adapt and do fine.

 

[Joanne]

I've kept my light hours the same, just changed the time on the timer so I still have the time after work to harass Shermann!