12 hours of light

[pagan queen]

Both my new hatchling and my adult iberas don't stay awake for 12 hours a day. They get up at 7am and are back in their plant pots by 5pm at the latest. How can they get 12 hours of light if they are hiden away? The temps are fine and both have periods of activity and rest but both go to bed early. I used to get Herbie up and bath him in the hope he would stay up longer but he would just stomp off to bed in a huff.

[yuna1971]

Lily doesnt ever stay up for the full 12hours. He will wander to bed for an afternoon nap at around 1pm/2pm. Then he comes out again when i come home.
You have to remember, it aint exactly peak summer weather now. Its starting to be cold. Mornings getting darker, days getting shorter. So you might find a little bit of winding down.
If you are overwintering , just keep the heat contained in the room, temps monitored, torts hydrated and continue providing what you are already doing. A good diet and good UV.
They do sense what things are like outside.
You might want to consider an additional strip for lighting purposes, Wendy?? It might make a difference.
A repti glo 2.0?? Go with something that will fit the horizontal of the table. It might help. But alot of it is down to a bit of a dip in temps and outside conditions...xx

[TortBabe]

I personally just turn their lights off when they have gone to bed for the night. My central heating is set at 18oc constantly to keep the background temps up

[swad1000]

Mine never stay constantly active for 12 hours whether they are indoors or outside during the middle of summer, when indoors I have the lights in a timer so they at least get constant hours of day/ night to approximate natural conditions.
Before I had my out side enclosure I would change the hours if light by an hour a month to give 12 hours spring and autumn going up to 16 hours middle of summer.

[loublou95]

My one isn't awake the whole 12 hours either and i turn the lights of when she is in bed too, i always check the temperature and it is always fine

[16 shells]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

Both my new hatchling and my adult iberas don't stay awake for 12 hours a day. They get up at 7am and are back in their plant pots by 5pm at the latest. How can they get 12 hours of light if they are hiden away? The temps are fine and both have periods of activity and rest but both go to bed early. I used to get Herbie up and bath him in the hope he would stay up longer but he would just stomp off to bed in a huff.

Wendy, the idea is to extend the day like a summer, it is a guide for new owner's as well or tort's that are trying to slow down and the keeper's don't want. Nowing your own tort's needs is the main, once you know they have turned in, i used to switch off about an hour after, when indoor's about 5pm ish.

[16 shells]

As Swad say's some tort's need more to keep them active, mine were only yearling's when i did this, the first year i did not hibernate and they were ok, but still turned in about 4 ish, 5 years on living outside they still, turn in about 4 to 5 pm

[ziggy's owner]

Mu torts are still awake now lol,

[pagan queen]

This isn't a winter thing. Herbie has done this all through the summer when he was outside too. I would go out to bring him in at around 7 at the height of summer and he would be fast asleep and had been for a few hours. I wasn't too concerned about Herbie as he is a big boy and looked after himself pretty well for quite a few years. It's the baby I was worried about. I don't want her to miss out on her UVB allowance.

[yuna1971]

Maybe add a strip Wendy....maybe more light will stimulate the little one?
If the temps are good and you are maintaining good warmth then it could just be the light deterioration of late...some days lets face it - positively dull, even though there is no rain - today was one of them! xx