Sitting under UVB tube all day

[laney]

My tort was sitting under his UVB tube bulb regularly for a couple of days so because it was approaching time for replacement I figured he wasn't getting enough UVB so I replaced it.
That was about two weeks ago but he keeps sitting at the side of his enclosure directly under the UVB all day now. He will move away with some coaxing but it's really out of character for him. Because he is under the UVB and not the basking bulb I don't think he is getting warmed up properly and his appetite and activity have been poor since.
His temps have been checked, I've went back to soaking him daily to try and help, the bulb is a 10% strip UVB bulb (same as before) nothing else has changed.
I don't know what's up with him normally such a cheeky, rowdy little fella. Could it be the winter blues? He is an indoor tort the majority of the year and I took him out in summer on nice days but maybe he knows summers over. Not hibernating this year btw.
Could it be something wrong with the bulb? It did start a couple of days before which made me hurry to change it!
Maybe I'm just over worrying again! He just isn't himself
Anyone had this happen before?

 

[Dave1]

Could be a lot of things, but there is a lot of fake lights about, I would get a new one from a pet shop but not of internet as some on line do not have the blue tint in them( if it's got a blue tint in them they will not be fake, as a fake one will have a stamp mark on it saying UVB but will not have a tint to it, some without a tint could be ok but all them with a tint of blue in them are not fake

 

[Tom]

What are your four temps and how long are your lights on each day?

 

[laney]

@Dave1 I bought it at pets at home and it does have a blueness to it. It is a proper UVB bulb I'm just dubious to the amount it's giving out because he is so attracted to sitting under it.
@Tom the basking area is 33oC and a gradient down to 23oC the night temp is approx 20oC. The spot under the UVB where he keeps choosing to sit most of the day is 25oC I just can't figure why he wants to sit there?! The lights go on at 8am and off at 9.30pm unless he is still up or it's feeling a little chilly they sometimes stay on another hour.

 

[Tom]

I would up your basking temp to closer to 37. The rest sound fine.

Here is what I speculate about the lights and where he is sitting: In the wild there is no light source without heat. If a tortoise finds a ray of sunshine peeking through the trees or brush, it finds light AND heat. For millions of years tortoises have evolved to understand that sun means heat and light. There is no separating the two. Your bulb is probably doing a good enough job of simulating sunshine, at least from your tortoise's POV, so his brain is telling him that this must also be a warm spot. Try warming your daytime temps and then watch his behavior.

 

[laney]

I would up your basking temp to closer to 37. The rest sound fine.

Here is what I speculate about the lights and where he is sitting: In the wild there is no light source without heat. If a tortoise finds a ray of sunshine peeking through the trees or brush, it finds light AND heat. For millions of years tortoises have evolved to understand that sun means heat and light. There is no separating the two. Your bulb is probably doing a good enough job of simulating sunshine, at least from your tortoise's POV, so his brain is telling him that this must also be a warm spot. Try warming your daytime temps and then watch his behavior.

Yeah that makes sense. He didn't do it before though, do you think it's because it's a new UVB bulb it's more intense so causing confusion? I will try upping the temps, do you think I should try moving his basking lamp to near where he is sitting to see if that makes a difference?

 

[Tom]

Yes. It won't hurt anything to try.

 

[ascott]

LOL...he could very well be patiently waiting for the warmth to arrive...they are a patient group..