The temperature has dropped dramatically recently and JD is starting to slow down which isnt good as hes too underweight to hibernate this winter!

In a previous post I brought this up and someone mentioned a ceramic heat emitter? I've looked into it and would like to get one but i just wanted advice on what wattage to get and if i should use it at the same time as the bulb during the day and leave it on at night or swap them over at night and just have the lamp on during the day? altho i dont think its getting hot enough from just the lamp and we've lowered it as much as it will go! heres the one im looking at:

http://www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/stkcode/669425/master/669427/category/1188.html

Also we don't have heating in our house as the boiler is broken which is why im worried about him getting too cold!

Hi -- it's freezing here too. Ceramic heat emitters are great (the one you linked to looks fine), as they don't give out any light so you can use them at night. And they last forever -- really (I have one in my snake's cage that has been there for 22 years, and it's still going strong).

First, what wattage is the bulb you are using in the daytime? If it still isn't hot enough when you lower it, then maybe you could get a higher wattage one. Or, if it's a combined UV/heat bulb (i.e. expensive) then you could just get a desk lamp with a 60W bulb and hang it over the side of the enclosure for extra heat.

For nighttime, I have my CHE on a thermostat, so that it goes on if the temperature goes below about 12C or 13C. I don't often need it, but it is useful if temperature drops or, as in your case, if the house is cold because the boiler is broken.

Hope that helps.

Nina

Hi, thanks for getting back to me! I'm pretty sure the bulb we have is a 125watt, and i think it is a combined UV and Heat one as thats all we have in there and i remember it being rather expensive!! if i can afford a higher wattage how high should i go? and also what wattage should i get for the ceramic heat emitter?

Hi,

I don't think I'd buy another expensive mercury vapour (combined UV/heat) bulb. Couldn't you just buy an inexpensive desk lamp (I use the kind with the sort of bendy gooseneck thing, and I just hook it over the top of the enclosure so that the light shines down.) I'm afraid I don't use the combined bulbs, so I don't know what wattage you should go for if you want to get a bigger one.
I just checked, and the CHE I use in my enclosure is 100W. I have to say that it doesn't raise the temperature by that much (because it just radiates heat and doesn't project a beam downward like spotlights do), but it is enough to bring the temperature up by a couple of degrees at night when it falls below the desired level.

Nina

great i think my mum may even have a desk lamp somewhere! do you think an 100w ceramic heat emitter will do for JD then or should I get 150w? sorry for all the questions!!

Well, I'm not sure what wattage. I know your boiler isn't working at the moment, but generally the residual heat in a house at night, after the heat goes off, is OK for tortoises, and you don't need additional heat. They can take temperatures down to 10C - 12C without a problem, and it rarely drops that low indoors. The 150W will cost you more in electricity {g}.

Nina

ok great i'll go for the 100w, thanks for your help!!