Will a regular light bulb be ok for a russian tortoise?

[Bigdave619]

The light bulb in my tortoise's vivarium just went out and I don't have any replacement ones. Can I just get a regular light bulb from the supermarket (Asda, etc) and would that be ok for the tortosie in the long term?

Heating bulb is fine, just the lighting one thats blown. Been in there since I got my tortoise, which was roughly 2 years ago.

 

[wellington]

Yes, just don't get a coil type, halogen or mercury. But a regular lamp type bulb will work fine.

 

[_The_Beast_]

Is the bulb you use for lighting also the primary source of UV?

 

[wellington]

As stated above, if it's not for UV but just for lighting.

 

[Bigdave619]

This the bulb I was using. Also have a heating bulb in there that turns off and on as required.

 

[_The_Beast_]

As stated above, if it's not for UV but just for lighting.

Yes, I saw that, but wanted to ask because a UV bulb wasn't mentioned, just light and heating and some people use their UV light as their general lighting source as well 🤷‍♀️ Seemed worth checking

 

[_The_Beast_]

This the bulb I was using. Also have a heating bulb in there that turns off and on as required.

This looks like a coil florescent bulb for providing UV (and general lighting). Is this what it was being used for?

Coil bulbs can hurt their eyes, so it's definitely good to replace this with something that won't. If you just need light and not UV, a regular bulb from the store will work, as Wellington noted. If you also need a UV light source, it's a great time to switch to a tube light that will provide UV without hurting their eyes

 

[Bigdave619]

I have something similar to this in there now as my heat lamp, and from what I've read from looking at the same ones on amazon, they do provide UV.

 

[wellington]

I have something similar to this in there now as my heat lamp, and from what I've read from looking at the same ones on amazon, they do provide UV.

You do not want any coil bulbs like the one you had in there that went out if its for UV.

 

[wellington]

Yes, I saw that, but wanted to ask because a UV bulb wasn't mentioned, just light and heating and some people use their UV light as their general lighting source as well 🤷‍♀️ Seemed worth checking

No, that's why I posted. I seen your post and didn't even think that they could be asking about the uvb bulb. So wanted them to be sure they seen your post and I was agreeing.

 

[wellington]

You should have a straight tube fluorescent for uvb
An incandescent flood bulb for basking
Ceramic heat emitter (s) for any extra heat needed.
Any needed added regular light can come from a regular house bulb.

 

[Bigdave619]

You do not want any coil bulbs like the one you had in there that went out if its for UV.

So if I go for a regular light bulb for lighting (not coil bulb) and a UV heat lamp, that should be OK for my tortoise?

 

[wellington]

It depends on the temps day and night that that would do.
Russians need day temps that range 75-80F
Basking 95-100F
Night temps 70F for keeping them from brumating, but if your having a mild winter or not a cold winter then you don't need night heat for a Russian as long as it doesn't get below 60.

 

[Bigdave619]

Ok, thanks for all the help and advice.

 

[Tom]

So if I go for a regular light bulb for lighting (not coil bulb) and a UV heat lamp, that should be OK for my tortoise?

No. The bulbs that produce heat and UV all-in-one are mercury vapor bulbs. Those are not reliable, sometimes dangerous, and they cause pyramiding. They should not be used.

Here is a breakdown of the four heating and lighting essentials:

1. Basking bulb. I use 65 watt incandescent floods from the hardware store. Some people will need bigger, or smaller wattage bulbs. Let your thermometer be your guide. I run them on a timer for about 12 hours and adjust the height to get the correct basking temp under them. I also like to use a flat rock of some sort directly under the bulb. You need to check the temp with a thermometer directly under the bulb and get it to around 95-100F (36-37C).
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. In most cases you'd only need day heat for a temperate species like Testudo or DT, as long as your house stays above 60F (15-16C) at night. Some people in colder climates or with larger enclosures will need multiple CHEs or RHPs to spread out enough heat.
3. Ambient light. I use LEDs for this purpose. Something in the 5000-6500K color range will look the best. Most bulbs at the store are in the 2500K range and they look yellowish. Strip or screw-in LED bulb types are both fine.
4. UV. If you can get your tortoise outside for an hour 2 or 3 times a week, you won't need indoor UV. In colder climates, get one of the newer HO type fluorescent tubes. Which type will depend on mounting height. 5.0 bulbs make almost no UV. I like the 12% HO bulbs from Arcadia. You need a meter to check this: https://www.solarmeter.com/model65.html A good UV bulb only needs to run for 2-3 hours mid day. You need the basking bulb and the ambient lighting to be on at least 12 hours a day.