How many different kinds of lamps do I need for my tortoise table?

Question

I have a 75 watt bulb

a 50 watt infrared bulb for nighttime

and now I hear that I need a UVB bulb! So I need 3 different kinds?

Also, how do you fit them all onto a tortoise table?

Thanks for answering (I know I have asked about 10 different tortoise related questions, sorry about that).

Answer 1

you do need a uvb bulb as it helps tortoises absorb essential calcium and helps for them to digest their food, it has to be on for 12 hrs a day, you can get a bulb that emits uv lighting but also doubles as a heat lamp, but the inferred bulb will not be on in the day time, so you will only have two bulbs running in the day light, the night time bulb is for the heat at night, the other two for the day time, unfortunately you do need these lights, you can fit them on your table by putting up a frame so you can hang the lights up, you need a basking spot at one end and a cool spot at the other i would  put the basking spot at the other end away fro the hide so your tortoise has a cool place to go, best of luck with your tortoise honey

Answer 2

Lighting should do several things...

- Illuminate the table and establish a day/night cycle, and...

Well, that is really about it.

It CAN offer heat- but honestly, I prefer a ceramic heat emitter for that so I don't need a night-time bulb (My heater is on a thermostatic control)

It CAN offer UVB, which is important unless your tortoise gets good Vitamin D3 in the diet, or gets about 15 minutes of sunlight that is not going through glass or plastic.

I make mine easy...

- Compact fluorescent UVB bulb for lighting and UVB, positioned about 12-18" over the ground, on a 12-14 hour timer.

- Ceramic heater on a thermostat (I use a big heater, so it can work even on chilly nights).

The EXACT answer depends on your set-up and the species of tortoise.

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