Hi,

My 70 year old mediterainian tortoise has full run of our back garden and sleeps in a shelter in the night.

Inside the shelter I currently have 2 X 100w standard reflector bulbs to keep him warm.

I ensure he's inside the shelter on an evening and the doors shut,although this time of year I put him in the garage inside a box (box has a heat pad to keep warm).

My question is, do I need to change his lighting in the shelter from standard Tesco reflector bulbs to something more suitable?

Many Thanks

Nick

Hiya

What a good age for your tortoise - my eldest two are in their 50's.  Have you had him a long time?

I can't see a problem with your set up.  I'm assuming that the reflector lamps are turned off at night to give him the benefit of darkness?  He will benefit from the UVB from natural sunshine, and the necessary vitamin D3 which he will get through supplementing hhis food with a pinch of nutrobal (or simething similar about 2or 3 times a week).  Some people have ceramic heat emitters with the ceramic holder set on a thermostat to come on during the night if the temps drop too low. 

HTH

Helen

Hi,

I've had him for about 5 years and he is a happy tortoise.

It's just been in the back of my mind whether I should be using something more professional.

Hi Nick, Welcome to the TPG. If you look on the menu at the left hand side of your screen and click on The Tortoise, a drop down menu will appear this will give you a wider view of what the current day opinions are on keeping tortoises. Then if you have any more questions please get back to us. I live in Kent and all my tortoises have enjoyed a wonderful day of sunshine.

Regards

Elaine

Hi Elaine,

I'll have a look at the current day opinions.

I live in Yorkshire and my tortoise has also had a busy day in the garden.

Nick

If it is of any help I live in Yorkshire too.  I do keep Hermann's and Russian tortoises and both of mine have different tpes of set ups. 

My hermanns live in an insulated small house that has an inner bedroom box with a heat lamp built into the ceiling.  Their house itself has a 100 w basking bulb and they are free to wander in and out all day.  Just yet I do bring them in at night and they sleep in an indoor table top in my conservatory with no heat at all apart from the conservatory back ground heat.

I've attached a couple of pictures of their set up, but you will see the inner bedroom box is set on a substrate of hemp.  this has now been replaced bu a soil/sand mix.

Helen

Isn't it so good to see them buzzing about in the first days of sun, my lot are only just beginning to emerge from their hyperactivities of yesterday (9:30). Your lucky being in Yorkshire as Helen will be able to tell you all the 'tips' to beat your Yorkshire weather.

Again, welcome to the group,

Elaine

LOL

Nothing wrong with Yorkshire weather.  Didn't you know that Yorkshire is God's own county  ? 

All my tortoises were out yesterday and they are all out today too.  I just have to keep an eye on the leopards as it isn't really warm enough for them.  They go out and find a nice basking spot and then when the sun goes in they just stop there getting cooler waiting for the sun to come out again.

Helen

But the facts that they were wearing hand knitted hats, scarfs and waistcoats were omitted.

Glad you had some of the much awaited sunshine too.

TC

Elaine

Oh no they weren't kitted out for the cold weather .  Just been to check and most are outside now.  The hermanns are basking, the Russians are eating and the leopards are hiding.  I've set the cooker timer to ring in 15 mins to make sure I remember to put the leos back inside as I don't want my tropicals getting too cold.

Helen

Just going back to the light question, I'm currently using two 100w spotlight type bulbs from Tesco. Are these adequate?

Hiya

That's what I use if my tortoises have access to the outside.  As I said before they will need D3 supplementation with a supplement such as nutrobal and obviously UVB from the natural sunshine.  Just one should be OK if you can get the basking temp to at least 30°C at tortoise shell height under it.

When your tortoises don't have outside access they will need to get UVB through an artificial light such as a megaray or powersun combined heat/UVB bulb or an alternative is to add a UVB tube such as a reptisun 10 suspended overhead near your spot basking bulb.

Helen

Thanks again Helen, my minds at ease.

Victor is a happy Tortoise and I'm sure he likes to hide from me in the afternoon just before I get home from work

Nick