Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi I am confused into how to properly set up the heat and the lights. I bought a Zoomed Spot lamp that said it provoides the UV but from what I was reading I don't think that they provide the right UV rays. So I purhased a Reptisun 5.0 bullb that I put over the enclosure. NowI use a regular black light bulb to provide the heat. The black light stays on all day and the reptisun bulb is on for 14 hours. Can anyone please explain how to properly set this all up. Does anyone have pics of their inclosures I can look at. Thanks. Dave.

You are looking for UVB, which the spot bulb wouldn't provide, but the Reptisun does (also mercury vapor bulbs, like Powersun, Active UVheat, etc.). Sounds like you are set up right, as long as you have a spot that is around 85-90 and a cooler spot around 75ish (you have a Hermann's, right?). Sorry, I can't post pics, but I use a 60w MV bulb and then another flood light on a dimmer for lighting/heat. In another few weeks mine will go outside for most of the day, and then I don't worry so much about indoor UVB.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.2 Hermann's Tortoises
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

I dont really like using the blacklight and actually wanted to use the zoomed spotlights. My concern is actually keeping the heat up at night. I keep my tortoise in the basement and it is a bit chilly in there. I'd keep it in my room but im actually trying to use the uvl light for two of the tortoises that I have. I have a 5 inch salcutta that I've been trying to adopt out. Until it's adopted out I can't really have the bulky setup of two tortoises in my room. Other than keeping a black light as a heat source for the whole day, is there another way to heat a reptile enclosure? Thanks Dave.

You could get a ceramic heat emitter, and put it on a dimmer or thermostat. You don't have to keep the nighttime temps as high as the daytime--around 70 to 75 should be fine, as long as there's a place he can snuggle into at night (either substrate or a folded towel). I don't use nighttime heat on mine at all, but he's older and the room he's in is close to 70 at night. He digs into hay under a hide and stays snug.
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Sohni
Northern California

0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.1 Rubber Boas
1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.0.2 Hermann's Tortoises
plus my kids' herps:
0.0.1 California King Snake
1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa
0.1 Leopard Gecko

is it ok to use a little hay for bedding for my baby tortoise ?
He is a marginated and about 6 cm long ? sound like a nice idea for him to snuggle up in at night ?