Types of UV Lighting

Margaret_A_F

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I am putting together a new setup for my Sully. Besides a larger indoor enclosure, I am looking at heat lamps and UV lights.

Because I am one of those folks who is always on the cutting edge of technology, I have been looking at UV lighting in a slightly different manner. I am looking at LED lights, specifically 80W Full Spectrum LED "Grow Lights" with a designation of E26 UV IR Plant Light.

Would this be sufficient for a Sully? I live up north, and he will be coming in for the winter, and I understand they need UV lights. I have one, one of those Reptile 13W UVB 200's by Exo Terra, but it does not seem very bright. And as I know very little about these kinds of bulbs, someone pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.

I am also looking at a basking lamp, deciding on two, one heat lamp 150W infrared ceramic heating non light and one basking spot lamp for daytime.

Anyone pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.
 

Hugo's Home

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I know for LED grow lights if your not willing to use a reputable company and spend the $$$ then your probably getting ripped off. Both on the wattage and the spectrum. If plants won't thrive with the low budget ones (under $200) I'm sure there not doing anything for the tort.
I think most people on here use the Acadia t5 tube bulbs. Much more inexpensive then doing LED lights and have been tested.

I am just a simple gardner though no expert like other ppl on here

Also for heat people use Radiant heat panels, Kane heat mats, mini oil-filled heaters,depending on size a Che might not be good. And then of course a basking lamp.
 

JoesMum

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UVB isn't as simple as getting a lamp. The wavelength of UVB light for optimum plant growth is different to that used by torts for making Vitamin D (which helps them absorb dietary Calcium). We had a thread about it on TFO some time ago

The sun emits a huge range of frequencies; a lamp does not. UVB lamps for plants are not suitable as reptile UVB. You need to use a brand designed for the purpose... reptile UVB
 

Margaret_A_F

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Sounds logical. So, it would be bulbs specific to reptiles. Thanks for the input. Use reptile bulbs for reptiles, plant bulbs for plants.
 

Markw84

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Margaret, Welcome to the forum! I believe this is the best place by far for all your tortoise questions.

The best way to answer your questions is to ask you to read that section in a care sheet I made for Stars, Sulcatas, and Leopards. I take the time to thoroughly explain the answers to your specific questions you posted here. It is in the star tortoise section, but the lighting and heating is identical for sulcatas when housed indoors their first year or so.

https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-star-tortoise.159167/

The compact fluorescent bulb you have now is not what I would use for a tortoise. The UVB it puts out just creates too small of an effective area of optimal UVB for a basking tortoise. I like more of the enclosure covered in a greater area of UVB for exposure while basking and eating and a gradient towards the other parts of the enclosure.

A good UVB bulb will look dimmer than a similar bulb that is not UV producing. Most reptile fluorescents produce about 40% of its energy in UV "llight" which is invisible to us. 60% is in the visible light range. A standard fluorescent of the same size and wattage is designed to produce all its energy in visible light so will look almost twice as bright to your eye.

Plant lights do not produce UVB. Some are made to produce some UVA but that is a small portion as plants thrive in the blue and red colors, and a good plant grow light will be designed to produce a larger portion of its energy in those wavelength.

Read through the section on light and heat in the link above and come back with any questions.
 

Via Infinito

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The sun is the best source of UVB, if you can get him out in the sun just for an hour a day, it will alleviate the pressure of getting your UVB right in the enclosure by a lot
Over the winter, just used the UVB people recommended above. But if you can device a way to get the sun on your tortoise (not through glass as glass filtered out all UVB) and still kept it warm then that will be great.

As for heating lamp, try to position it so that the basking spot is as wide as possible. Do not put it too near or too focused on the top of the shell, that will desiccate parts of the shell and caused it to dry out = pyramiding.

I negate the drying effect by positioning the heat spot very slightly slanted, and part of it shined at the water bowl so it raised humidity up.
 

Margaret_A_F

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You all have some great ideas, and I appreciate your input! I especially like the heat spot near the water bowl for added humidity.

While there are days during the winter here that may be OK for the tort to get outdoors, for the most part living in Bucks County means snow, and we have had a couple of harsh winters of late. I really wish I did not have to bring her in, she is so happy outside, but weather being what it is, for her own protection she needs to come in. She is still small enough that we can get a container that will offer her ample room to move around.

I am retired. I have the time to dedicate to making sure she gets the necessary attention she needs. I appreciate all that you have given in the way of information. I have gone over some of the files, I didn't know about the start tort file, I will find that one as well.

Many thanks.
 

Tom

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Because I am one of those folks who is always on the cutting edge of technology, I have been looking at UV lighting in a slightly different manner. I am looking at LED lights, specifically 80W Full Spectrum LED "Grow Lights" with a designation of E26 UV IR Plant Light.

Would this be sufficient for a Sully? I live up north, and he will be coming in for the winter, and I understand they need UV lights. I have one, one of those Reptile 13W UVB 200's by Exo Terra, but it does not seem very bright. And as I know very little about these kinds of bulbs, someone pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.

I am also looking at a basking lamp, deciding on two, one heat lamp 150W infrared ceramic heating non light and one basking spot lamp for daytime.

Anyone pointing me in the right direction would be appreciated.

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 and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. You can use smaller or larger wattage bulbs to help you get the desired temperature under them too. Do not use "spot" type bulbs. These concentrate too much heat into too small of an area and desiccate the carapace which causes pyramiding.
  2. Ambient heat maintenance. I use ceramic heating elements or radiant heat panels set on thermostats to maintain ambient above 80 degrees day and night for tropical species like sulcatas.
  3. Light. I use florescent tubes for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most tubes at the hardware store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. If the room where the enclosure sits if well lit, and the tortoises behavior is normal, you don't "need" this, but its usually beneficial.
  4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside 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. In addition to not being an effective UV source. the 13 watt cfl type bulbs that you are using now can also damage tortoise eyes in some cases. I would not use it any more.
Here is more care info:
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/how-to-raise-a-healthy-sulcata-or-leopard-version-2-0.79895/
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/for-those-who-have-a-young-sulcata.76744/

What are you going to do with a giant, 100+ pound, tropical reptile during your long frozen winters? That is going to be quite the challenge.
 

Margaret_A_F

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What are you going to do with a giant, 100+ pound, tropical reptile during your long frozen winters? That is going to be quite the challenge.



She is still small enough I can handle her. And there appear to be plenty of people up north here who deal with the weather and the care of their Sullys, so I am sure I will get good advice for the care and treatment during the winter.

Question is, what is a 65 year old lady going to do with a tortoise who will clearly outlive her? I have no idea at this point. As I said, I took her in as a foundling only cause I know about turtles. This is really a different thing all together. She will stay with me as long as she is supposed to stay. Hopefully she has another good home after this one.
 

Margaret_A_F

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@Margaret_A_F I live in the UK and wrote this about outdoor accommodation in a less than perfect climate. It might be useful to you
https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/outdoor-accommodation-in-a-colder-uk-climate.140866/


That is some excellent information, and thank you for it. I love the kennel idea. I had thought about it a bit, but I am sure somewhere along the line she will get some kind of a box like that.

Sullys don't hibernate, so she will be active during the winter. That will be a challenge when he gets bigger. But right now I am in the process of trying to set up a large indoor habitat for her. So, the questions about lighting.

Thank you again for sharing. Will let you know how it progresses.
 
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