I got a 10.0 reptio glow UV light and it looks SO bright! Its bright blue and just wondering if it will be hurting Ed's eyes?

stupid question i know but it is very bright for me so surley its bright for Ed?

Is it a tube or a compact lamp? I have the 10.0 reptiglo tube and don't find it a problem at all -- but I would never look into it because it can hurt your eyes. The best thing is to get a reflector (you can get them at most shops that sell the tubes) which clips onto the top, and protects your eyes because it directs the rays downwards. With a new 10.0 tube it should be at about 12" directly above the tortoise -- and then as it gets older it can be lowered a bit to about six inches or so. But it should be above the tortoise. A tortoise's eyelids protect his eyes from UVB rays from above -- much as ours do -- but if the light is very low (say, at tortoise level) so that it enters his eyes from the side, then they aren't protected, and some damage could occur. Re the brightness -- tortoises actually like bright light, and they function better in it (unless Ed is a tropical tortoise, like a redfoot) that likes lower light levels. If you have a compact UVB light, then there are definitely some problems with eye damage -- see this article (sorry, but I can't post live links here, so you will have to cut and paste)
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm
Hopes this helps.

Nina

its a flourescent bulb. I will have to heighten it to 12" and also buy a reflector... :).

Ed is a herman, so he should like bright light right? (like the rhyming?!)

the UV light i have is on this site - http://www.pawsforthoughtpetcentres.co.uk/flourescent.html -- its the 10.0 one. Is this a compact light, im unsure?

Hi,

The one you have -- if it is a long thin tube, is a fluorescent tube (even though that website calls it a bulb (it is a bulb, but in tube shape). The compact lamp is very different -- it looks like one of those energy saving light bulbs for your home -- sort of twisted around. You can see one at the bottom of that page that you gave the link to (it's the Arcadia Compact D3 lamp).

Yes, Ed will really like the bright light (think how bright the light is outside on a sunny day -- oops sorry, I don't think any of us can remember what a sunny day is like {g}! I think Ed will be fine, and he should like the light -- let us know how he reacts to it.

Cheers,
Nina

he seems to be acting as if its not there which is a good sign as he is not irritated by it... although, he seems to be acting strangley --

he is always trying to walk up the side of the table enclosure he is in - at first i thought it was because he could see his reflection (temporary plastic under bed storage box), but then i put paper on the inside of the box so he could not see himself but he is still trying to climb out...constantly --usually trying to get out of the same corner! He is neither eating or drinking both of which are fresh for him.

Hi what are the temperatures reading in the basking end and the cool end?

Regards Vivienne