I am worried

[pagan queen]

I, and others don't use a UV bulb. They get the vitamins they need from the supplements and pellets and the basking lamp helps them metabolise the vits. It's your choice though.

[bradley g]

i have ordered the cuttlefish from the shelled warriors ebay page (and some seeds to grow some weeds for them) so waiting for them to be delivered (but it is delayed because she has just given birth i believe). I am going to change the mix to the top soil then i think.
I have read threads here about using UV bulbs but i didnt know what to do, so Pagan queen would you not recommend using them if i give them if they have the pellets and the vits?

[pagan queen]

I wouldn't make recommendations to anyone with regards to the keeping of their animals. I don't use UV lights for my torts as I feel it is unnecessary. All the vitamins they need to have are in nutrabol and pellets. As long as you add calcium (limestone flour) to the food they will, in my opinion, have everything they need. You will need a nice outdoor enclosure for the summer months where they can get UV from the sun. I don't give nutrabol during the summer as long as there is plenty of sun, if the weather is rubbish I then supplement them.

There is a whole thread on the subject somewhere but it gets a bit heated as people have strong views on the subject. All I can say is, my torts are thriving under the care I give them and that's my main concern.

Originally Posted by bradley g

i have ordered the cuttlefish from the shelled warriors ebay page (and some seeds to grow some weeds for them) so waiting for them to be delivered (but it is delayed because she has just given birth i believe). I am going to change the mix to the top soil then i think.
I have read threads here about using UV bulbs but i didnt know what to do, so Pagan queen would you not recommend using them if i give them if they have the pellets and the vits?

[bradley g]

Thanks that is very good to know, they have the pellets and the nutrabol, so they get allot of vitamins and in the summer they will be out all the time in the sun. i did read the thread but it was hard to determine what to do as opinions did vary so much. what light/ heat do you provide your tortoises with please?

[pagan queen]

My torts are both in vivs in the winter as I don't hibernate them. They have a daylight basking spot bulb and as they are in my very cold conservatory, they have a ceramic heater on a thermostat that keeps the temps up during the night. The ceramic heater doesn't give light, just heat. If you go on http://www.surreypetsupplies.co.uk/ you can buy all you need at a good price. search ceramic heaters and thermostats to see what suits your set up.

[Helen M]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

I, and others don't use a UV bulb. They get the vitamins they need from the supplements and pellets and the basking lamp helps them metabolise the vits. It's your choice though.

Just how many others don't use UV lighting of any kind? I mean you must let your torts outdoors which is somewhat different to them not getting any UV at all.

I would argue that UV is definitely the more natural way for your tortoise to synthesise the D3 it needs rather then it having to rely on it from its diet, given data on supplementation of D3 is probably spurious at best. It is also dangerous to overdose on D3 especially for young animals who have higher calcium requirements than adults. I don't use nutrabol very often at all given how very concentrated it is and how easy it is to overdose young animals below 1kg in weight, plus the vitamins in nutrabol will be breaking down the minute you buy them so levels will deteriorate very quickly over just a few weeks. Lighting allows the animal to control its own UV intake and therefore how much D3 it sythesises for calcium uptake.

The lighting available for UV cannot be compared to the sun in terms of quality but it is better than nothing at all. A tortoise can probably get all the sun it needs during the summer if it is going into hibernation, but if like me you overwinter your animals you need a little backup just to tie your animals over for the winter months. Plus lighting is getting better quality and cheaper as it certainly has over the past few years I've been using UV heat bulbs.

So personally I would say UV lighting is a must.

Helen xx

[pagan queen]

Here is a thread on my baby torts set up. http://www.shelledwarriors.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=44919

[pagan queen]

I don't give nutrabol much either. I mainly feed pellets this time of year so they don't need the extra supplement.

It is all a matter of opinion. My torts don't hibernate but they do slow down and eat a lot less so their requirements for D3 are less too.

Originally Posted by Helen M

Just how many others don't use UV lighting of any kind? I mean you must let your torts outdoors which is somewhat different to them not getting any UV at all.

There is a whole thread on here all about it and there are others that don't use it. I think the thread is in "evolving husbandry"

I would argue that UV is definitely the more natural way for your tortoise to synthesise the D3 it needs rather then it having to rely on it from its diet, given data on supplementation of D3 is probably spurious at best. It is also dangerous to overdose on D3 especially for young animals who have higher calcium requirements than adults. I don't use nutrabol very often at all given how very concentrated it is and how easy it is to overdose young animals below 1kg in weight, plus the vitamins in nutrabol will be breaking down the minute you buy them so levels will deteriorate very quickly over just a few weeks. Lighting allows the animal to control its own UV intake and therefore how much D3 it sythesises for calcium uptake.

The lighting available for UV cannot be compared to the sun in terms of quality but it is better than nothing at all. A tortoise can probably get all the sun it needs during the summer if it is going into hibernation, but if like me you overwinter your animals you need a little backup just to tie your animals over for the winter months. Plus lighting is getting better quality and cheaper as it certainly has over the past few years I've been using UV heat bulbs.

So personally I would say UV lighting is a must.

Helen xx

[Helen M]

Originally Posted by pagan queen

I don't give nutrabol much either. I mainly feed pellets this time of year so they don't need the extra supplement.

It is all a matter of opinion. My torts don't hibernate but they do slow down and eat a lot less so their requirements for D3 are less too.

But they do go out during the summer don't they?

Helen xx

[pagan queen]

Originally Posted by Helen M

But they do go out during the summer don't they?

Helen xx

Yes they do go out when the weather is nice enough. Living in the south east we get a lot of sun.