UVB Lamp

[Niickster]

Had to make a temporary place for my granddaughter's Russian tortoise for cold days. She has an outdoor habitat for mild weather. We live near the Gulf Coast, so many winter days are warm here.

I'm using a purple UVB lamp bulb 12 hours during the day, nothing at night - house stays at 70 degrees.
On warm days, it stays outside for the sunshine, comes in for nights less than 60 degrees.



Is the single UVB lamp enough, or does it need an additional one with another bulb?

 

[wellington]

I know of no purple UVB lamp. One bulb would probably be enough but if he can't get outside for UVB and to warm upto 100 degrees he can't properly digest his food. Also UVB will not go through plastic, screen, etc without being diminished.

 

[cmacusa3]

While your making some changes, you may want to add more substrate so he can bury himself when indoors and add a small terra cotta sauce for water.

 

[Niickster]

You're of course, right. Turns out it is a heat bulb. Since it may have to stay in several days at a time, do I need a UVB bulb?
If so, should use both during the day?

It has a terra cotta dish large enough to get into.
The real habitat has the materials allowing him to dig in.

 

[Niickster]

Would this do?

Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 UVB Cool Burning Mini Compact Fluorescent Bulbs 13 Watts

 

[Tom]

Would this do?

Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 UVB Cool Burning Mini Compact Fluorescent Bulbs 13 Watts

You do not need indoor UV for a tortoise that lives outside most of the year. Coil bulbs, like the one you are asking about, should never be used. They sometimes damage reptile eyes.

What your tortoise needs is a basking bulb for 12-13 hours a day. I use 65 watt flood bulbs from the hardware store. Adjust the height to get the correct basking temperature under it.

Read these for more explanation of what your tortoise needs in its indoor enclosure:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/beginner-mistakes.45180/
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/russian-tortoise-care-sheet.80698/

 

[Oogway the russian tort]

I'm pretty sure that most uvb/uva can't penetrate glass,tight mess,and plastic that well or at all so maybe considering to remove the top off

 

[Niickster]

There is no top.
Although my granddaughter mostly ignores it, my wife and I have become quite attached to it. It seems to respond to voice and eats from our fingers.
Feeding it romaine, celery, turnip leaves and kale. It will not eat pellets, but I do sprinkle calcium on the food.

Is this a suitable UVB bulb?

 

[Markw84]

Since your tortoise is normally outside and gets plenty of natural sunlight, unless your tortoise is going to be inside - without any exposure to sunlight - for more than 6 weeks, no UVB light is needed. As Tom suggested, simply put a regular, incandescent 65 watt FLOOD bulb from the hardware store or Home Depot, into the fixture you have and keep it on 14 hours per day. That is all you will need.

 

[Niickster]

Thanks.
Do these things bite? i feed it slivers of carrots with my fingers.

 

[Niickster]

Think I finally understand. Thanks for all the patience. I think I was kinda "over engineering".

Granddaughter had a 60 watt nighttime incandescent heat bulb. The tortoise likes light, so I added the bulb I noted above.
I'm going to completely remove the UVB lamp on the right and replace the heat bulb on the left with a 60watt flood lamp bulb so it can have both heat and light. it seems to really like light. I have an instant heat device. What temp should it be at ground level?
Will only use the UVB if ever necessary for extended periods inside.