Temperature ranges to mimic natural variations

[EJ]

I really don't see any reason to do this. There is going to be a natural fluctuation without doing anything.

Originally Posted by 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.

[wigwamman]

we have 3 planted aquariums with lights on simple timers.
3 tortoise tables with lights on simple timers.
heated outdoor accomodation on a simple timer.
why make life more complicated than need be.
then again it might be because i'm simple!

[EJ]

It seems I misunderstood your main post...

Do you move the position of those lights in all those situations???????

I use timers on all my tortoise lighting... 12 hour cycle... fixed.

Originally Posted by wigwamman

we have 3 planted aquariums with lights on simple timers.
3 tortoise tables with lights on simple timers.
heated outdoor accomodation on a simple timer.
why make life more complicated than need be.
then again it might be because i'm simple!

[herpderp]

I basically wanted to know if anyone tries to make the temperature in their tort enclosures change in the same way it would during the day in the wild. For example, hottest during midday and then cooler during the afternoon.
I wasn't asking if it was too much hassle for you to bother with, I want to know how you do it if you do it. I'm not attacking anyone, this sort of thing interests me. Temperature is the most important factor for reptiles.

[EJ]

I don't think anyone thought you were attacking anyone.

You'll get no disagreement on the point of temperature and reptiles.

What I was saying is that unless you had a hermeticly sealed enclosure the temperatures are going to flucuate with the temperatures of the day especially if you use fixed bulbs or ceramic emitters.

Originally Posted by herpderp

I basically wanted to know if anyone tries to make the temperature in their tort enclosures change in the same way it would during the day in the wild. For example, hottest during midday and then cooler during the afternoon.
I wasn't asking if it was too much hassle for you to bother with, I want to know how you do it if you do it. I'm not attacking anyone, this sort of thing interests me. Temperature is the most important factor for reptiles.

[Alan1]

Originally Posted by herpderp

I basically wanted to know if anyone tries to make the temperature in their tort enclosures change in the same way it would during the day in the wild. For example, hottest during midday and then cooler during the afternoon.
I wasn't asking if it was too much hassle for you to bother with, I want to know how you do it if you do it. I'm not attacking anyone, this sort of thing interests me. Temperature is the most important factor for reptiles.

posts number 3 and 4 say they do

Personally, I don't see how it can mimic the wild really. it will not necessarily be hotter at mid-day than in the afternoon or the other way round. it may even be hotter AM than PM on some days. I know someone who has just come back from a week in Malta and it was freezing all week in the middle of the Med so you'd have to leave your lamps off for a week

[herpderp]

I like the idea of trying to mimic the wild as much as possible, it just seems like the best for my pets

[ibizathetort]

It's a good starting point if that's the way you want to go but personally I feel some things are just too hard to replicate

[Kirkie]

It's hard to replicate the wild experience because a lot of the climactic data comes from weather stations 2 metres above the ground, not down where the tortoises are. Its very easy to map out the favourable conditions when tortoises are outdoors in the UK. Where they are at certain times, what the temperature is, even UV levels. You can then use this information to tailor your indoor routine.

[Gem]

I let the great out doors do my regulating as its more natural for them to be outdoors rather then stuck indoors in an enclosure. Seems to work for me, but if i did have to have them stuck in doors I would like to think I would at least try and mimic the great outdoors as much as possible.
guess its so much simpler with the med specis then it is with say the sullys or red foots??