Soft shell

[tortoisetime565]

One of my rescues is around 18-24 months. He is approx 6" and I noticed his sides have some give. I have seen countless reports of this and then calcium supplements. It's been cold so I can't take him outside but sometimes I keep the window open so he gets natural sunlight. His basking spot reaches 98-102. And the coldest part is like 75-80. I have a heat emiter on the way. (First one I got was broken) so I'm going to fix that soon! He has a cool UVB bulb, (yes I know, they can harm the eyes.) I'm going to have a MVB put in for him but I'm waiting on my new fixtures to come in. He eats fine and I soak him every other day for 25-30 mins. He is having regular bowel moments. His previous conditions were not the best, he was in a plexiglass glass enclosure. Also on a calcium substrate. I have him on coco coir. Please help! thanks.

 

[Tom]

Use a calcium supplement with D3 in it every other day, and get him a proper UV bulb. You don't have to use a MVB. You can use one of the new HO florescent tube types too.

You didn't mention diet, but that can be a big help too.

 

[tortoisetime565]

Use a calcium supplement with D3 in it every other day, and get him a proper UV bulb. You don't have to use a MVB. You can use one of the new HO florescent tube types too.

You didn't mention diet, but that can be a big help too.

Okay, do the coil bulbs offer uvb at all? This one was the highest rated one on "uvb/UVA put out." I feed them normally, collards, sometimes lettuce, only romaine, never iceberg. I also feed them a variety of home grown grasses/weeds.

 

[happyjoyjoy]

Use a calcium supplement with D3 in it every other day, and get him a proper UV bulb. You don't have to use a MVB. You can use one of the new HO florescent tube types too.

You didn't mention diet, but that can be a big help too.

Okay, do the coil bulbs offer uvb at all? This one was the highest rated one on "uvb/UVA put out." I feed them normally, collards, sometimes lettuce, only romaine, never iceberg. I also feed them a variety of home grown grasses/weeds.

From years of experience with bearded dragon and crested geckos alone I have learned and witnessed many times coil uvb bulbs damaging reptiles eyes. I just saw a box turtle the other day at the vet that had squishy infected eyes most likely from the coil bulb the owner had her under for 3 years. exo terra brand too. The same applies for tortoises. I've always had success with Reptisun bulbs, Powersuns, and MVB's. I have a UVB reader and it always indicates that reptisun gives off the most efficient UVB rays so thats what I use now (only).

You can buy them at petsmart or petco for around $35 and I buy the fixture that fits the tube light at walmart for $10. I then install them inside my enclosures. UVB output is good for about 6-8 months. Goodluck

 

[tortoisetime565]

Use a calcium supplement with D3 in it every other day, and get him a proper UV bulb. You don't have to use a MVB. You can use one of the new HO florescent tube types too.

You didn't mention diet, but that can be a big help too.

Okay, do the coil bulbs offer uvb at all? This one was the highest rated one on "uvb/UVA put out." I feed them normally, collards, sometimes lettuce, only romaine, never iceberg. I also feed them a variety of home grown grasses/weeds.

From years of experience with bearded dragon and crested geckos alone I have learned and witnessed many times coil uvb bulbs damaging reptiles eyes. I just saw a box turtle the other day at the vet that had squishy infected eyes most likely from the coil bulb the owner had her under for 3 years. exo terra brand too. The same applies for tortoises. I've always had success with Reptisun bulbs, Powersuns, and MVB's. I have a UVB reader and it always indicates that reptisun gives off the most efficient UVB rays so thats what I use now (only).

You can buy them at petsmart or petco for around $35 and I buy the fixture that fits the tube light at walmart for $10. I then install them inside my enclosures. UVB output is good for about 6-8 months. Goodluck

Okay thanks a bunch! I have a 18 inch light holder I just have to get it hooked up. I'm building new tables for the other torts and the bottom of the table is going to act as a mount for the lights for the torts underneath. I will for sure get rid of the coil bulbs. Which bulbs put off heat as well as uvb?

 

[happyjoyjoy]

Use a calcium supplement with D3 in it every other day, and get him a proper UV bulb. You don't have to use a MVB. You can use one of the new HO florescent tube types too.

You didn't mention diet, but that can be a big help too.

Okay, do the coil bulbs offer uvb at all? This one was the highest rated one on "uvb/UVA put out." I feed them normally, collards, sometimes lettuce, only romaine, never iceberg. I also feed them a variety of home grown grasses/weeds.

From years of experience with bearded dragon and crested geckos alone I have learned and witnessed many times coil uvb bulbs damaging reptiles eyes. I just saw a box turtle the other day at the vet that had squishy infected eyes most likely from the coil bulb the owner had her under for 3 years. exo terra brand too. The same applies for tortoises. I've always had success with Reptisun bulbs, Powersuns, and MVB's. I have a UVB reader and it always indicates that reptisun gives off the most efficient UVB rays so thats what I use now (only).

You can buy them at petsmart or petco for around $35 and I buy the fixture that fits the tube light at walmart for $10. I then install them inside my enclosures. UVB output is good for about 6-8 months. Goodluck

Okay thanks a bunch! I have a 18 inch light holder I just have to get it hooked up. I'm building new tables for the other torts and the bottom of the table is going to act as a mount for the lights for the torts underneath. I will for sure get rid of the coil bulbs. Which bulbs put off heat as well as uvb?

MVB's which include powersun (zoomed brand & best choice for MVB also most $$$) and solar glo (exoterra brand) these are the only brands I've tried and tested with pretty good UVB output reads. They are bulbs tho not tubes and are great for heat and uvb. The reptisun is a tube tho but only gives off UVB no heat.... BUT is the best for UVB output.

Any of these will work great! There are just a few differences..... sorry if this was confusing. Also the tube provides a nice even light throughout the enclosure that why I like them more as well.

 

[tortoisetime565]

Use a calcium supplement with D3 in it every other day, and get him a proper UV bulb. You don't have to use a MVB. You can use one of the new HO florescent tube types too.

You didn't mention diet, but that can be a big help too.

Okay, do the coil bulbs offer uvb at all? This one was the highest rated one on "uvb/UVA put out." I feed them normally, collards, sometimes lettuce, only romaine, never iceberg. I also feed them a variety of home grown grasses/weeds.

From years of experience with bearded dragon and crested geckos alone I have learned and witnessed many times coil uvb bulbs damaging reptiles eyes. I just saw a box turtle the other day at the vet that had squishy infected eyes most likely from the coil bulb the owner had her under for 3 years. exo terra brand too. The same applies for tortoises. I've always had success with Reptisun bulbs, Powersuns, and MVB's. I have a UVB reader and it always indicates that reptisun gives off the most efficient UVB rays so thats what I use now (only).

You can buy them at petsmart or petco for around $35 and I buy the fixture that fits the tube light at walmart for $10. I then install them inside my enclosures. UVB output is good for about 6-8 months. Goodluck

Okay thanks a bunch! I have a 18 inch light holder I just have to get it hooked up. I'm building new tables for the other torts and the bottom of the table is going to act as a mount for the lights for the torts underneath. I will for sure get rid of the coil bulbs. Which bulbs put off heat as well as uvb?

MVB's which include powersun (zoomed brand & best choice for MVB also most $$$) and solar glo (exoterra brand) these are the only brands I've tried and tested with pretty good UVB output reads. They are bulbs tho not tubes and are great for heat and uvb. The reptisun is a tube tho but only gives off UVB no heat.... BUT is the best for UVB output.

Any of these will work great! There are just a few differences..... sorry if this was confusing. Also the tube provides a nice even light throughout the enclosure that why I like them more as well.

Well I am limited in plugins so I am trying to not run up my bill with a bunch of lights, I just recently found out about MVB bulbs. I'm going to look into them. thanks a lot!!

 

[tortoisetime565]

has anyone tried these bulbs? They are fairly cheap and come up to 150 watt.

 

[abclements]

They don't give out any uvb, that's why they're so inexpensive. Just heat and light.

 

[tortoisetime565]

Ah, okay. I thought I found the deal of a life time! Thanks!!

 

[abclements]

Haha Ya I almost made that mistake a while back too!

 

[tortoisetime565]

I use one like it for basking. But I have a uvb light too.