Temperature ranges to mimic natural variations

[herpderp]

Hello,
Do any of you try to mimic the natural changes in temperature that happen throughout the day? Like putting a light further from the cage in the morning and closer in the afternoon and further away in the evening?
I only ask because of the effect temperature has on the digestion in reptiles, I wonder if the use of a heatmat would be easier to alter over time.
Any thoughts would be welcome.

[Alan1]

some do but the other 99.9% don't

[Ozric Jonathan]

When mine are indoors I do this to some extent. I have heat and light sources on timers. To start the day they just have light. Then they have some heat, brighter light and uv. For a few hours in the middle of the day they have another lamp on as well so in theory its hotter and brighter. I say in theory because the enclosure is large and the tortoises might decide to go away from the hottest brightest place and it is important they have options. Into the afternoon the heat and light goes down again. I leave the strips which are light only on for a while but the tortoises go off to bed with the falling temperature. I'm not sure if this is worth doing or not to be honest! I wouldn't suggest this to anyone that doesn't have quite a big enclosure because the tortoise is the expert in heat regulation and I'm a total amateur.

I don't use heatmats.

[Kirkie]

I suppose I'm the other half of the .1% then. My routine is pretty much like Jonathans indoor routine. Tubes then small halogens then large halogens then UV then back down again. Big enclosures again, about 750 watts of light and heat when everythings on. Where my indoor setups are is unheated so I can give them a couple of good months prior to hibernation but as I don't adjust the lamps they become less and less effective so eventually I have prehibernation temperatures and the tortoises and box turtles now hibernate in their enclosures with ceramic tubular heaters on thermostats to prevent any freezing temps.

I'm trying out a mini version using little 35 watt halogen lamps and uv tubes. Seems to work, no heatmat required.

[ibizathetort]

Very interesting - would a tortoise in it's natural habitat hide away from the mid day sun anyway? I don't know their natural routine

[Kirkie]

Yes they would. It's not really an aspect to recreate indoors. If you want to impose a period of inactivity its far easier to reduce temperatures. My brightest, hottest time is 11-12 but as Jonathan has pointed out the tortoises have the room to avoid this if they don't want to be there.

[Alan1]

I know plenty who did this with fish tanks, sunrise to sunset but that was only light, the temperatures remained the same 25 hours a day, 8 days a week

[yuna1971]

I sort of do the same as Dave and Jon. I have my Repti Glo strip on first, then my halogen...then my Arcadia. Then halogen off, just Arcadia and Repti Glo. Then just Repti Glo for a few hours in the afternoon...then all on for tea and cakes...
Then darkness..
All done with timers and into a surge protected plug socket (Important with lights and timers IMO).
Now and then I tweak it according to what my temp readings give, however. xx

[Colette]

this all sounds a little complicated for me - i wil have to write it all down and follow my instructions each day when the weather becomes bad - luckily the weather has been great and my babies are out from 8am till 7.30pm. Even tho it is still quite cool in the morning they still explore their pen - plato usually making straight for the cuttlebone

i should receive all my set up next week - no sure if i will use the arcadia immediately as they are getting loads of sun - any advice about this?

[Alan1]

You should use it until it's warm enough for them to stay outside full time.. I realise you might not be putting them out permanently but if you were.

When you've bought it the guarantee starts from that date anyway. it's often cold and wet too on many days consecutively so you will need it I'm sure