Sulcata hatchling uvb light fixture and bulb

[C.M.]

My sulcata hatchling has to be kept indoors, can someone send me a direct link (to Amazon, Petco, PetSmart, etc.) for what uvb light I should purchase for the tank? I know to get a tube light as opposed to a coil, but there are so many options out there. Please help.

 

[Dave Dela Rosa]

Honestly, I like the solar glo, powersun is a bit too expensive for me. I like using solar glo, with thrive ceramic heater using a thrive ceramic dual dome lamp. I have pancake tortoises. solar glo 80 watt ceramic heater 100watt and the dual dome lamp is rated for 150watt

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

I want to start with this... what kind of enclosure do you have your tortoise in?
You could get a T5.

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

Honestly, I like the solar glo, powersun is a bit too expensive for me. I like using solar glo, with thrive ceramic heater using a thrive ceramic dual dome lamp. I have pancake tortoises. solar glo 80 watt ceramic heater 100watt and the dual dome lamp is rated for 150watt

That one isn’t recommend... for babies especially sulcatas when they are young they need high humidity. The MBV will dry the tortoises carapace.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

A T5
As stated above.
MVB is not the way to go.
An inexpensive T5 UVB such as this one from BIG ALS PETS
or LLL REPTILES is about $50 complete with the fixture and the tube.
It comes in at about the same price as a horrible MVB with a special fixture.

 

[Tom]

My sulcata hatchling has to be kept indoors, can someone send me a direct link (to Amazon, Petco, PetSmart, etc.) for what uvb light I should purchase for the tank? I know to get a tube light as opposed to a coil, but there are so many options out there. Please help.

Read this. Lighting and so much more is explained in detail:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

 

[C.M.]

I want to start with this... what kind of enclosure do you have your tortoise in?
You could get a T5.

Thank you for your help, I appreciate the response!

He is currently in a 4ft long x 19in tall x 13in deep, glass tank.

Currently, I have a "Zilla Slimline Tropical Fixture with a 25uvb T8 fluorescent bulb". I don't know if this is the right bulb for a sulcata hatchling.

Zilla Slimline Tropical 25 UVB T8 Fluorescent Fixture | Petco

www.petco.com

Initially, I made the assumption I would need a tropical fixture since the tank stays so humid.

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

Thank you for your help, I appreciate the response!

He is currently in a 4ft long x 19in tall x 13in deep, glass tank.

Currently, I have a "Zilla Slimline Tropical Fixture with a 25uvb T8 fluorescent bulb". I don't know if this is the right bulb for a sulcata hatchling.

Zilla Slimline Tropical 25 UVB T8 Fluorescent Fixture | Petco

www.petco.com

Initially, I made the assumption I would need a tropical fixture since the tank stays so humid.

Do you keep it closed?

 

[C.M.]

A T5
As stated above.
MVB is not the way to go.
An inexpensive T5 UVB such as this one from BIG ALS PETS
or LLL REPTILES is about $50 complete with the fixture and the tube.
It comes in at about the same price as a horrible MVB with a special fixture.

Do you keep it closed?

On one side, I have a glass top. On the other side, I just put a box on it because the dome light fixture for the heat bulb is in the way (keeping me from putting the lid on it). During the day I can keep a humidity level of 70%.

 

[C.M.]

A T5
As stated above.
MVB is not the way to go.
An inexpensive T5 UVB such as this one from BIG ALS PETS
or LLL REPTILES is about $50 complete with the fixture and the tube.
It comes in at about the same price as a horrible MVB with a special fixture.

Hi, thank you for the advice! So currently, I have a "Zilla Slimline Tropical Fixture with a 25uvb T8 fluorescent bulb".

Zilla Slimline Tropical 25 UVB T8 Fluorescent Fixture | Petco

www.petco.com

I don't exactly understand the difference between a T5 versus a T8.

After buying this new fixture, should I keep the other one in there as well since the tank is 4ft long or just take it out completely?

As it sits, a tube fixture will sit about 13in away from the dirt in the tank. Should I add more dirt or is 13in ok?

 

[ZEROPILOT]

The T5 is a much more powerful lamp than a T8.
If you have a T8, 13" is too far away.
If it has to go through a screen top, it'd be rendered almost useless.

 

[C.M.]

The T5 is a much more powerful lamp than a T8.
If you have a T8, 13" is too far away.
If it has to go through a screen top, it'd be rendered almost useless.

Thanks! Ok, so I'll buy a T5 uvb bulb and more substrate, but how many inches away should it be? Oh, it's actually mounted inside the tank, not on top, so it doesn't have to go through a screen.

 

[Dave Dela Rosa]

That one isn’t recommend... for babies especially sulcatas when they are young they need high humidity. The MBV will dry the tortoises carapace.

i actually got the recommendation to use MBV from this group. A little birdie told me that it would be alright if I kept them in sort of a "marsh like environment" and making sure that the humudity is about 70% and daily soaks.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thanks! Ok, so I'll buy a T5 uvb bulb and more substrate, but how many inches away should it be? Oh, it's actually mounted inside the tank, not on top, so it doesn't have to go through a screen.

If your T8 is located INSIDE, 8"?
If it's a T5 5.0 ho 15"? T5 10.0 20"?
These are guesses. But educated guesses.
I have T5 5.0 here at my home and I own a UV meter.
If you buy a T5 5.0, I can measure the output of mine to help you better place yours.

 

[C.M.]

If your T8 is located INSIDE, 8"?
If it's a T5 5.0 ho 15"? T5 10.0 20"?
These are guesses. But educated guesses.
I have T5 5.0 here at my home and I own a UV meter.
If you buy a T5 5.0, I can measure the output of mine to help you better place yours.

Thank you everyone for your help. I really appreciate it! I want to keep my little guy healthy!
So I bought a Zoo Med T5 5.0 High Output light. If I have it mounted inside of the tank, it will be 13in (or less if I add more substrate), is this ok? I could mount it higher to get that *15in away* measurement and figure out something to close it in again in order to maintain the humidity. Thoughts?

 

[C.M.]

i actually got the recommendation to use MBV from this group. A little birdie told me that it would be alright if I kept them in sort of a "marsh like environment" and making sure that the humudity is about 70% and daily soaks.

I've been able to maintain the humidity level at 70% during the day using a humidifier. I soak him for about 5-15min a day. Am I supposed to do something at night? It drops to 70-76 degrees, no humidifier, heat lamp is off. I just keep a small heating pad on the side of the tank (a hermit crab one) in case he gets a little too cold.

 

[Tom]

I've been able to maintain the humidity level at 70% during the day using a humidifier. I soak him for about 5-15min a day. Am I supposed to do something at night? It drops to 70-76 degrees, no humidifier, heat lamp is off. I just keep a small heating pad on the side of the tank (a hermit crab one) in case he gets a little too cold.

Please read this:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Your tortoises life depends on it.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Thank you everyone for your help. I really appreciate it! I want to keep my little guy healthy!
So I bought a Zoo Med T5 5.0 High Output light. If I have it mounted inside of the tank, it will be 13in (or less if I add more substrate), is this ok? I could mount it higher to get that *15in away* measurement and figure out something to close it in again in order to maintain the humidity. Thoughts?

I see your dilemma.
I just measured my T5 5.0 at 13" and I get a reading of 5.5.
That's pretty strong.
So.....Maybe hook it to a timer for use just 5 or 6 hours a day.

I feel like an idiot. So I'm going to ask @Tom. He convinced me that I needed the T5s and the meter for my Chameleons.
What type of "top" do you have? Plastic? Glass?

 

[C.M.]

Please read this:

The Best Way To Raise A Sulcata, Leopard, Or Star Tortoise

I chose the title of this care sheet very carefully. Are there other ways to raise babies? Yes. Yes there are, but those ways are not as good. What follows is the BEST way, according to 30 years of research and experimentation with hundreds of babies of many species. Babies hatch during the...

tortoiseforum.org

Your tortoises life depends on it.

Will do, thank you!

 

[C.M.]

I see your dilemma.
I just measured my T5 5.0 at 13" and I get a reading of 5.5.
That's pretty strong.
So.....Maybe hook it to a timer for use just 5 or 6 hours a day.

I feel like an idiot. So I'm going to ask @Tom. He convinced me that I needed the T5s and the meter for my Chameleons.
What type of "top" do you have? Plastic? Glass?

Glass on one side and a cardboard box on the other side because the heat bulb is in a dome fixture which is in the way of me being able to put the lid on it.