Sorry folks, me again!

We have brought the indoor rabbit cage so another step closer!  We will probably get a UV strip light (have i got the name right?) and try to hang it in the cage.  Which type should I get and also which type of basking lamp?

Thanks,

Angelina

Hi Angelina,

I've got a indoor rabbit cage and I use a strip light and a separate basking light. First of all I hope you got the largest cage possible (I think it needs to be a minimum of 120cm or you will have to be trading up for a bigger one soon). The Reptisun 10.0 is the best fluorescent strip light, and the Reptiglo 10.0 is OK too. If you get one that is less powerful (like a 2.0 or 5.0 then the UVB given off is less, plus you will have to change them every six months. The Reptisun 10 only needs to be changed every 10 - 12 months. Get one that is almost as long as your rabbit cage. They are really easy to hang from the top, as they have a cord at each end of the tube and you can just tie those. It is also very important to get a reflector for the tube: it will increase the UVB reaching the tortoise by up to 30%, plus it shields your eyes (and it is not good for you to look directly into them). At the beginning hang it no closer than 6" or 7" from the tortoise, but after a few months you can lower it a bit.

For the basking light, the best and cheapest thing is an ordinary household spotlight - either 60W or 100W, and you just raise or lower it until you get the right temperature. Have the basking light at one end and aim for 30C or 32C underneath it, and you want the other end of the enclosure to be about 20C. There is no need for any light or heat at night.

You can put both those lights on a timer, so they go on in the morning and off in the evening (they should be on about 12 - 14 hrs a day.

Hope that helps.

Nina