Alright i havent gotten my tortoise...yet, looking for some breeders worst case scenario go to the pet store still. So any hoo ive been hereing all this stuff flying around about baby redfoots or yearlings. "Light hurts there eyes" "UVB will make em go blind" and stuff to that effect. Now i was planning on a mercury vapor bulb and i want to know will this hurt my tortoise substantially, the bulb is gonna be at least 14in away. Probably 100watt one.

Thanks

I know a few keepers have been experimenting keeping redfoots without uvb but the huge majority of keepers still do. I don't keep redfoots so can't really comment but my take on it would be to use it until such a time as it's been totally proven that they do better without it - or not. Many people who've had problems with their redfoot's eyes have actually found it more down to dry, dusty substrate than uvb.

Even if you went down the route of no uvb don't forget you'll still need a basking light.

I'm sure redfoot keepers will comment.

__________________

of course,

bump for you

__________________
home sweet home

its a mystery then

I have some UVB and LUX readings taken from a tropical rainforest, and both light and UV do reach the forest floor, tropical tortoises would by defult get this light to some degree.

I think the confusion over the redfoots is how much UVB is enough !

I don't keep red's - but if i were setting up i would use a MVB - Megaray 100w, i would situate this 18"-24" above the enclousre, with plenty of foilage cover so the tortoises can act naturally without being subjected to high light or UV levels.

I am just pulling more information together and will publish this on the mega-ray website as soon as i complete it !

Darren

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

yea thats pretty much the setup i was gonna do, i just been hearing some things about frying your torts eyez out

lol thats one way to put it

__________________
home sweet home