Hi Folks,
Is there a recommended amount of hours per day when the UV light should be on ??
I am using a bulb uv light - I assume the best place for this is near to the ceramic heater bulb ??

Any info would be great !
Many thanks !!

I have my basking and UV on for 12 hours a day.

If your UV is a bulb I presume it is also a basking light? If that is the case why have you got a ceramic heater as well??

Sorry to thread hijack but i keep my light on all day everyday as i was told this by the previous owners.

Is this a bad thing?

Hi Shelley - The uv bulb doesn't give out much heat, so I use a ceramic bulb for heat.........

Is this set up ok ??

Is this for tortoises or turtles?

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most people use a standard spotlight for heat and light as in tortworld LIGHT=HEAT! and a uvb tube for D3 synthesis. but you can also get a combined mercury lamp, a little expensive but WELL worth it. does both jobs and as your tort basks under it, you know they are getting a good dose of uvb. The basking lamp should be turned on for the daylight hours relevant to your species. so africans get 12 hours aday and meds get 12 hours in the summer and a little less in the spring an autumn. if you need night time heat, use a ceramic or tube heater as lights will interfere with torts sleep. and the jury is still out on wether they can see red lights (but i personally dont think they can, it doesnt seem to bother mine at night time). HTH

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Yes, your uv bulb should be in the same area as your ceramic. My lights go on, on a timer, at 7.00am and they get turned off whenever she puts herself to bed which varies but is usually between 6pm and 7pm. No point having them on if they've buried down and gone to sleep - unless the ceramic is needed to keep the temp up of course but there should still be a night time drop in temp.

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Tina,
They are on for approx 10-12 hours per day...
The temp in the house doesnt drop below 20C at night, so I assume this is ok......

How long should a tort be actually under the uv each day ?
If the ceramic heat bulb and uv are together is that ok, as our Hermann doesn't spend all day under the heat........she seems to be in and out...

Just wondering if a uv strip light would be better ?
Any recommendations on this anyone? Stick with the uv bulb, or change to a strip, and if so which type is best ??

Many thanks to everyone as usual !

hi i put mine on about 6-8 am and turn them off when the torts put them selves to bed about 9pm, i use reptiglow uv and spotlight for basking bulb both at the same side situated near eachother, hope this helps

i turn my uv light on about 7-8am then leave it on until its dark outside

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