I am getting together the stuff needed for 2 baby hermanns and wanted advice on lighting/heating/UV.

I was gonna use an indoor rabbit hutch (plastic bottom etc) and have a UV/Heat bulb in the corner (cermic holder). I have only found the Zoo Med Powersun 100w bulbs so far at £40 but just wondered if anyone knew of any cheaper/better alternatives? Was gonna use in conjunction with a reflector holder or other cermaic holder.

I have researched into this to a degree and decided to go with the all in one UV/Heat light, am just unsure as to which one...

Thanks

kimbos reptile world do MegaRays which are said to be better.

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I don't use them myself, I have heard that they are good. But my worry would be that it got too hot in a small area which is what an indoor rabbit/guinea pig cage would be.

I use one of the indoor rabbit/guinea pig cages and I have a normal 40w spot light for basking and a reptisun or reptiglo 10.0 (strip light) for the UV. The 40w gets the correct basking temp for my Hermanns

Thanks guys...

Yeah actually, I have just been on the phone to a place I used to go to for advice on aquatics and he advised the same (long uv plus spotlight). I trust his judgement as the lights are actually more expensive than what he was advising. His hermanns were cheaper too!!

Just a quick question, I have been advised to go for no younger than a 2 yr old - I was gonna go for as young as I possibly can but have been advised against this as the younger they are, the more prone to stuff going wrong. I know there are exceptions to this where stuff goes right but generally does anyone have any advice on this?

Thanks

I had my Hermann's when they were all around 6 months old. The first one came from a pet shop and the others came from a breeder. I have never had any problems with any of them. If they have the right heat, UV and food I wouldn't think it matters what age they are to be honest. Though you do need to bath little ones more often as they can become dehydrated much quicker. So I bath mine that are under 2 years old daily, over that age every other day.

Just don't forget if you go for the UV strip light a 10.0 will need to be changed every year (I change mine ever 10 months) and anything lower than a 10.0 needs to be changed every six months... 10.0 is the best for torts though.

Good call i would not recommend any mercury vapour lamp in a small enclosure, a good size for small tortoises if 4ft x 2ft, anything below that size would recommend uv tubes and basking spots..

Darren

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www.megaray.co.uk
www.kimbosreptileworld.co.uk

i'm glad to hear some of you are using normal wattage bulbs. i use a 60w reflector bulb, is this ok? the bulb was only nearly £2 for lighting shop. but the farm where i got the tort are selling them at nearly £8 a go! are they just ripping people off or am i get wrong bulb?

i'm talking about basking bulbs above by the way.

That's what I use for my basking spot... the desk lamp with bulb included (60W) was only about £10 from Argos.

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nice one!