uvb?

miriam

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I just got a Russian tortoise and we put his tank in a bright window and put a heat lamp up but wanted to know how necessary it was to get a uvb light as well. From my understanding the uvb light is to help mimic the sun so in theory he shouldnt need it if he gets the sun? Right?
 

pfara

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Your window screens out UVB so although you have visible light coming through, the UV spectrum isn't. Sunlight through a window is a nice complementary light source, but you'll need a UVB light for a healthy tort.
 

miriam

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Even if I don't have a screen on the window? Its literally just glass
 

jaizei

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Even if I don't have a screen on the window? Its literally just glass

The glass is what filters most of the UVB. If it was an open window with just a screen you might have been ok since the screen typically only filters 30-50% of the UVB.
 

Tom

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Also be very careful that your tortoises doesn't overheat in direct sun through a window.

Tortoises benefit tremendously from having an outdoor enclosure to sun, exercise and graze in. If you can get your tortoise outside in a safe enclosure a few times a week, you won't need any indoor UV.

If you do need indoor UV, I would recommend a mercury vapor bulb or you could simply add a long florescent tube to your current set up. The pet store will likely try to sell you a coil type cfl bulb, but those sometimes damage tortoise eyes, so most of us recommend against them.
 

Grandpa Turtle 144

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Hello Miriam welcome to the TFO from AZ . And Evan with a open window it sounds like you have your tort in a glass enclosure and that glass is filtering the UV rays


Sent from my iPhone using TortForum
 

wellington

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Hello,and Welcome:) I agree that you need to be very careful with the tort in the window. Over heating a tortoise could be a sad death. I would make sure that half the enclosure is blocked of the sun coming in. Also, the window is blocking the uv.
 

miriam

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Thank you all so much! So if I get him outside which I plan to I won't need a uvb? And he is in the window but not getting full sun ever because its on a certain side of the house. Should I turn out the heat lamp out at night to make it more realistic for him in the wild?
 

Tom

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All species should have it dark at night. Some species still need night heat, depending on your ambient room temps. Unless you live inside a refrigerator, you should not need night heat for a healthy russian.
 

miriam

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All species should have it dark at night. Some species still need night heat, depending on your ambient room temps. Unless you live inside a refrigerator, you should not need night heat for a healthy russian.
Thank you
 

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