Lighting help need please

[Sheldons Dad]

Hi all.

I am quite a newbie owner and am still finding my way.

I have built a table for my lovely Horsefield, and have been using a Exo Terra Solar-Glo bulb with a wire light surround. This seems to have been perfectly fine for Sheldon, but the bulbs tend to 'blow' after a few months and cost a lot of money. I am finding this both annoying and expensive.

I have read and read online lighting guides, and have become so bewildered and confused by them all.

Should I just keep buying these damn expensive bulbs? Should I change set-up to include a strip light of sorts?

I want Sheldon to be happy and healthy, and am becoming concerned that my efforts may be falling short here.

Any help would be great, thank you.

[lonelylayla]

Originally Posted by Sheldons Dad

Hi all.

I am quite a newbie owner and am still finding my way.

I have built a table for my lovely Horsefield, and have been using a Exo Terra Solar-Glo bulb with a wire light surround. This seems to have been perfectly fine for Sheldon, but the bulbs tend to 'blow' after a few months and cost a lot of money. I am finding this both annoying and expensive.

I have read and read online lighting guides, and have become so bewildered and confused by them all.

Should I just keep buying these damn expensive bulbs? Should I change set-up to include a strip light of sorts?

I want Sheldon to be happy and healthy, and am becoming concerned that my efforts may be falling short here.

Any help would be great, thank you.

Hello and welcome to you and Sheldon to the forum Unless I am mistaken, your bulb is an MVB bulb - you must be spending an absolute fortune. Could I suggest you give some dimensions, or put up some pictures of your table - that way advice from the experts will be more accurate. It may well be that you will be better off with a UV strip and heat bulb, 'tho I would have thought that your MVBs had a 12 month guarantee?

[Sheldons Dad]

Thank you for the quick reply.

The table is approx. 2ft wide, 4ft long and a depth of around 8inches (which he can scale when climbing so has an extra couple of inches around the corners to prevent...)

Sheldon is approx. 3 years old ( I was told this is a 'guess-timate) and seems pretty chipper as the norm.

Bulbs are around £35-40 each and are lasting a few months at a stretch. I have the lamp on a timer, as I work shifts and cannot be here all of the time to do it myself.

Running short on money and worrying more and more......

[Sheldons Dad]

Oh! And in respect to any guarantee on bulbs, retailers wriggle out of it as there is little telling on a bulb being fitted correctly, the supply being reliable/safe etc etc....

[Laura Mac]

I had some combis blow on me so have opted to go for a strip light myself. Just waiting on the final part coming and then will have to be creative with it as my table will not allow for me to fix this onto the table therefore will have to fix the reflector against the wall I think

[Sheldons Dad]

Originally Posted by Laura Mac

I had some combis blow on me so have opted to go for a strip light myself. Just waiting on the final part coming and then will have to be creative with it as my table will not allow for me to fix this onto the table therefore will have to fix the reflector against the wall I think

Any links for this strip-light and 'final part'? Would be helpful for me to see other options

[lonelylayla]

Originally Posted by Sheldons Dad

Any links for this strip-light and 'final part'? Would be helpful for me to see other options

Hi I am attaching a link to a reptile equipment retailer

http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/

I have just ordered some stuff from them and their prices seem pretty good - not that I would want to recommend any one particular retailer

Like you, I was trying to decide on bet lighting & heating for a new project and found that this site did at least seem to have everything imaginable, which was also confusing

The joy of MVBs is that they work "by themselves" so to speak. If you are looking at UVB tubes, you also need a controller - although there are some complete units. the UVB will not (probably) emit enough heat for Sheldon, so will need to consider alternative heat source too.

Hope this helps a bit and hopefully someone more expert than me will be along soon

[Sheldons Dad]

Thanks again for the reply.

Excellent help, really kind if you.

Looking at the site that has been linked, the offer a 'Tortoise Kit' of various levels. Looking at the 'Gold' kit http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/rept...old-59129.html it mentions a heat mat, and a 23w bulb. Would this set up be ok for my lovely fella?

Seems a little lacking, but my experience is nil, so I'm happy to be corrected there. Thinking being that it must be ok for the retailer to offer it as part of a 'starter' package, but I know how these things can work, hence the uncertainty on my part.

Looked at the 'strip' lights, and still a little confused. Can anyone offer further advice please, as currently, my tortoise has very limited light and heat sources, and I'm worried. My instinct would have me at the local Pets At Home and forking out a fortune, but I want the right gear for him.

[Laura Mac]

You need a uv tube light
A reflector that is comaptible
A controller that is compatible

I missed out the controller. If you order it look at the reflector and light and then imagine my face trying to figure out how to make it work.

Should arrive tomorrow then the fun begins think it will be worth It for the tortoise.