Extra heat in colder times
 

Hello usually my combi bulbs do just fine if not more than enough for the torts. Since we have moved they are bigger room so the temp is not getting high enough. Is there a dif method I can add for temporary measures whilst its cold to keep the heat up .... like a matt? I have a 160w bulb so is enough to produce enough heat just not as much as usual in a large room so thought that adding a heat bulb to it would probably just loose heat into the room too ?

Heat mats are fine if they are off the ground and not under anywhere where the tortoises move. Attached to side is fine during the day. Or a lamp on a stand can give extra heat and light:0)
Do you have a cover over the Lamp?
As long as they have a hot spot to bask, then it should be fine.
Just thought making the sides of the enclosure (temporarily) with cardboard or the like might work too:0)

I use the zoo med 160w hanging lamp with metal shade which has always done the trick
Just being in a new larger room it is loosing the heat to the room as heat rises so don't think another lamp bulb will be any dif to a tortoise table as it would surely do the same as the combi one on cooler days. A heat mat on the wall may well be the answer just for the colder days where the combi does not reach its potential so thanks

You just have to find which works for you and your tortoise:0)

Taszia how are you? hope life is treating you well. I have similar issue in unheated conservatory. I use a 160w and think of a cone shape for coverage, so I then use a 40w basking a little way along and then if very bad cold snap I will use a moonlight 40w which just take the chill off - this is in a moveable clamp so very often will leave on day and night as temp remains static around 22 degrees but can make warmer lower down.
I am not a great fan of heat mats at all - torts thermoregulate so ambient temp is far better CB

Thanks for this I will look into that. Everyone else seems to just assume I'm using the wrong things or doing it all wrong for the temp to drop but I have never had an issue til moving into much larger room so heat is escaping and harder to hit temp

If the temps are a little lower than the norm, your tortoises will adjust in time.
With careful monitoring you will be able to tell if its really affecting your tortoises. Or you just have to adjust too:0)
Its hard when we all have a system that works, and then suddenly it changes.
You have to change as much as the tortoises.
I remember when I went from boxing for hibernation to letting them dig down in my GH soil. It was scary, but I have never looked back, neither have my tortoises:0)
As long as they are acting normally, eating, drinking and coming out to bask, then its just a matter of time for you both to adjust. Monitoring is the key.
Tortoises are a lot hardier than most think:0)

Thank you for all your help. They are feeding... well more more than the other but that's not overly worrying as our one would eat in snow if she could. It's not freezing they still come out just not the temp I wanted so just wondered about additional heat til we get some warmer weather . Just unsure what source and brand to use ? As its something I have never had to do.

Will be looking into green house conversions soon as we have moved to a much larger outdoor space so would like them to be in there with added outside run. How on earth you keep heat in there and add electric egg will be the next sorry haha xx

I live in the SE, so that helps. But I only use heat in the GH from when they get up until the end of April (depending on the weather) then they just have the heat of the GH until around the end of September, this of course depends on the weather. But as mine are under ground at the moment, I only have the GH heater set to come on if the temps drop to 5c.
They really can take colder temps than we think, but not all the time. A few days of colder weather really does not have an effect on them. But weeks of course would:0)
My GH is bubble wrapped which does help keep some heat in, and the heat of the Summer off the tortoises.

oooh let us know how it goes. I must admit when my lot are out in the conservatory I try and keep their spaces small for this reason as I worry about them wandering to the cooler end and it can be 5 degrees before Spring kicks in. I have a shed set up and haven't tested it massively yet but think I will be in same boaty mcboat face as you ! I do find ceramic heat emitters are wonderful and they get blooming hot also so I may try that first off. Always great to bounce ideas around. CB